INDEX

Section4-1 -SCHOOL COMMITTEE

Section4-2 -SCHOOL COMMITTEE CHAIR

Section4-3 -PROHIBITIONS

Section4-4 -COMPENSATION; EXPENSES

Section4-5 -SCHOOL COMMITTEE POWERS AND DUTIES

Section4-6 -FILLING OF VACANCIES

ARTICLE 4

SCHOOL DEPARTMENT

SECTION 4-1: SCHOOL COMMITTEE

1. Composition, Term of Office - There shall be a School Committee, which shall consist of seven (7) members. Six (6) of these members shall be nominated and elected by and from the voters of the Town at large. The Mayor shall serve, by virtue of office, as the seventh member of the School Committee with all of the same powers and duties as the members elected by the voters as School Committee members.

2. Term of Office - The term of office for the 6 members of the school committee elected by the voters shall be for 4 years each, with staggered terms, beginning on the first business day of January after the town election and continuing until the school committee member’s successor has been qualified.

3. Eligibility - A School Committee member shall at the time of election be a voter. If a School Committee member removes from the Town during the term for which elected such office shall immediately be deemed vacant and filled in the manner provided in section 4-6.

SECTION 4-2: SCHOOL COMMITTEE CHAIR

1. Election and Term – As soon as practicable after the school committee members-elect have been qualified following each town election or on the first business day of the new year, as provided in section 8-8, the school committee shall organize by electing 1 of its members to serve as school committee chair and 1 of its members to serve as school committee vice-chair for the ensuing year.

(b) Power and Duties - The School Committee chair shall preside at all meetings of the School Committee, regulate its proceedings and shall decide all questions of order. The School Committee chair shall appoint all members of all committees of the School Committee, whether special or standing. The School Committee chair shall have the same powers to vote upon all measures coming before the School Committee as any other member of the School Committee. The School Committee chair shall perform such other duties consistent with the office as may be provided by Charter, by ordinance or by other vote of the School Committee.

(c) Vice-Chair - The vice chair of the School Committee shall serve as acting chair during the temporary absence or disability of the School Committee chair during the ensuing term of office. The powers of an acting School Committee chair shall be limited to only those powers of the chair as may be necessary to the conduct of the business of the School Committee in an orderly and efficient manner and which may not be delayed.

SECTION 4-3: PROHIBITIONS

No person elected as a School Committee member shall hold any other Town office or Town employment for which a salary or other emolument is payable from the Town treasury. No former member of the School Committee shall hold any compensated appointed Town office or Town employment until one (1) year following the date on which such member's service on the School Committee has terminated. This provision shall not prevent a Town officer or other Town employee who has taken a leave of absence in order to serve as a member of the School Committee from returning to the same office or other position of Town employment held at the time such leave of absence commenced; provided, however, no such person shall be eligible for any other municipal position until at least one (1) year following the termination of service as a member of the School Committee.

SECTION 4-4: COMPENSATION; EXPENSES

(a) Salary - The members of the School Committee, excepting the Mayor, may receive an annual salary.

(b) Further salary - The members of the School Committee may receive such salary for their services as may from time to time be set by ordinance.

(c) Expenses - Subject to appropriation and to prior authorization, the School Committee members shall be entitled to reimbursement of their actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties.

SECTION 4-5: SCHOOL COMMITTEE POWERS AND DUTIES

The School Committee shall have all powers which are conferred on School Committees by General Laws and such additional powers and duties as may be provided by the Charter, by ordinance, or otherwise and not inconsistent with said grant of powers conferred by General Laws. The powers and duties of the School Committee shall include the following:

(a) To elect a Superintendent of the Schools of the schools who shall be charged with the day-to-day administration of the school system, subject only to policy guidelines and directives adopted by the School Committee and upon the recommendation of said Superintendent.

(b) To make all reasonable rules and regulations for the management of the public school system and for conducting the business of the School Committee as may be deemed necessary or desirable.

(c) To adopt and to oversee the administration of an annual operating budget for the school department, subject to appropriation by the Town Council.

SECTION 4-6: FILLING OF VACANCIES

Filling of Vacancies by School Committee - Whenever a vacancy shall occur in the office of School Committee member, the vacancy shall be filled by the remaining members of the School Committee. Persons elected to fill a vacancy by the School Committee shall serve only until the next regular election at which time the vacancy shall be filled by the voters and the person chosen to fill such vacancy shall forthwith be sworn and shall serve for the remainder of the unexpired term of the vacated seat. Persons serving as School Committee members under this section shall not be entitled to have the words "candidate for re-election" printed against their names on the election ballot. In the event of an impasse, the president of the Town Council shall have a vote.

Article 5

Posted: Fri, Jan 17, 2020 12:46 PM
Updated Fri, Jan 17, 2020 12:00 AM