[Amended 11-2-2004; 11-4-2014]
There shall be a School Committee consisting
of five (5) members each of whom shall be elected from the Town at
large by the registered voters of the Town at the regular biennial
elections held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November
in the even numbered years, to serve for a term of four (4) years
and until a successor is elected and qualified. Three (3) members
of the Committee shall be elected at the first election after the
adoption of this Charter (1960) and at elections every fourth year
thereafter, and two (2) members shall be elected at the subsequent
biennial election (1962) and at elections every fourth year thereafter.
All members of the School Committee in office shall continue in their
positions as members of the School Committee until the expiration
of the terms for which respectively they were chosen.
[Amended 11-2-2004; 11-4-2014]
Any vacancy in the School Committee shall be
filled for the unexpired term by a vote of the registered voters of
the Town. Such vacancy shall be filled at the next regular or special
election to be held in the Town or the Council may call a special
election for the purpose of filling the vacancy. If a vacancy in the
School Committee shall occur more than nine (9) months prior to the
time for the holding of an election, the Council shall, within thirty
(30) days after the vacancy occurs, call a special election for the
purpose of filling such vacancy.
[Amended 11-4-2014]
School Committee members shall be registered
voters of the Town.
School Committee members may receive such annual
salaries as may from time to time be fixed by the Financial Town Meeting.
The School Committee shall determine and control
all policies affecting the administration, maintenance and operation
of the public schools and shall have all the powers and be subject
to all the duties as prescribed by the laws of the State.
The School Committee shall elect from its membership
a Chairperson and a Clerk either of whom may sign any orders or official
papers, and may be removed at the pleasure of the Committee. The Clerk,
under the direction of the Committee, shall keep a journal of the
proceedings of the Committee and shall have all the powers and duties
of the Chairperson during any absence or disability of the Chairperson.
The Committee shall adopt its own rules and order of business.
[Amended 11-4-2014]
The School Committee shall hold at least nine
(9) regular meetings in every year at such time and place within the
Town as the Committee shall fix and determine. Meetings of the School
Committee, except where in executive session, shall be open and accessible
to the public
[Amended 11-2-2004; 11-4-2014]
The School Committee shall appoint a Superintendent
of Schools as its chief administrative agent, who shall have, under
the direction of the School Committee, the care and supervision of
the public schools. No person shall be employed as Superintendent
of Schools unless such person holds a certificate of qualification
issued by, or under the authority of, the State Board of Education.
The School Committee shall conduct an annual performance review of
the Superintendent to be completed no later than July 1.
Except as otherwise provided in any contract
between the Superintendent and the School Committee, the Superintendent
shall serve at the pleasure of the School Committee and shall be subject
to removal at the discretion of the School Committee by a vote of
a majority of all the members thereof; provided, however, that the
Committee shall give the Superintendent a written statement of the
reasons for discharge, which such statement shall be a public record.
There shall be no right of appeal to any other Town board, agency
or commission from the decision of the School Committee in dismissing
the Superintendent.
The School Committee shall have the power to
determine the number and duties of all employees in the department
subordinate to the Superintendent of Schools and shall have power
to remove all certified personnel upon recommendation of such Superintendent,
except as otherwise provided by the laws of the State. Except as may
otherwise be provided by the laws of the State all non-certified personnel
employed by the Department shall be subject to removal at the discretion
of the Superintendent for the good of the school system; provided,
however, all non-certified personnel employed for less than one year
shall be deemed probationary personnel, shall serve at the pleasure
of the Superintendent, and shall be subject to removal by the Superintendent
at any time during such probationary period with or without cause.
Except for the purpose of inquiry, the School
Committee, as far as is consistent with the laws of the State, shall
deal with the administration of the public schools solely through
the Superintendent of Schools, and neither the School Committee nor
any member thereof shall give orders to any subordinate of the Superintendent
of Schools, either publicly or privately. All details of administration
shall be handled by the Superintendent or other administrative officers
delegated by the Superintendent.
[Amended 11-4-2014]
The School Committee shall have the right to place special resolutions for specific or unusual expenditures before the Financial Town Meeting for special consideration. Such special resolutions shall conform to Section 7-1-15 of the Charter. The School Committee shall not have the power of deficit spending or obligating the Town financially beyond the budget voted at the Town Meeting, except as outlined in General Laws now in effect or hereafter enacted.
[Amended 11-4-2014]
At the request of the School Committee, the
Town Manager may direct the Department of Public Works to maintain
and care for school buildings, grounds and motor vehicles, provided
that the costs be charged against the appropriation for the public
schools, such costs to be based on the expenses incurred in the prior
year.
The School Committee shall do all purchasing
pertaining to the public schools and shall maintain records of receipts
and expenditures in such manner as shall be required by the State
and by the department of finance of the Town. Records shall at all
times be available showing receipts, expenditures, and encumbrances
upon expended appropriations. Expenditures[1] of funds allocated to the school department shall be made
only by authorized vouchers signed by the Superintendent of Schools
or a delegate.
[1]
Editor's Note: Spelling of "expenditues" corrected.
