Student Handbooks and Policy References
At a glance
Based on auto-generated captions; names and details may be misheard.
- What: the 2026-27 student handbooks (preK-8 and grades 9-12) and a broader question of how handbooks cite School Committee policy.
- Where it stands: both handbooks approved 2026-06-23 with amendments.
- Next: a policy-versus-procedure cleanup of handbook language, to begin in the fall; Katherine Hennessy offered to work with Sarah Casey on it.
Amendments approved
- Athletics policy citation changed from a number to its letter code (JP).
- Social media section updated to match current policy.
- High school principal's authority to approve alternative academic pathways moved from page 34 to page 33, next to credit requirements.
Concerns
- Handbooks (78 pages for high school) cite policies inconsistently; "policy" should mean School Committee policy only.
- Staff cell phone use and role modeling were raised, and state legislation is pending (see Cell Phone Policy).
Discussion time
About 12 minutes across 1 meeting (from transcript timestamps; approximate).
| Meeting | Minutes |
|---|---|
| 2026-06-23 - School Committee | 12 |
Log
- 2026-06-23 - School Committee - Handbooks presented, amended and approved; policy reference cleanup planned for the fall.