(a)
Composition - There shall be a school committee which shall consist
of 10 members. Two of these members shall be from the city and nominated
and elected by the voters of the city at large and 7 of these members
shall be nominated and elected by ward. The mayor shall serve, by
virtue of the office, as the chair of the school committee with all
of the same powers and duties as the members elected by the voters
as school committee members.
(b)
Term of Office - The term of office for the elected school committee
members shall be 2 years, beginning on the first Monday in January
after the election, except when that first Monday falls on a legal
holiday, then the term shall begin on the following day and until
the successors have been qualified.
(c)
Eligibility - A school committee member shall at the time of election be a voter. If a school committee member removes from the city during the term for which that person was elected, that office shall immediately be deemed vacant and filled in the manner provided in section 4-6. A ward school committee member who removes from the ward from which elected and who remains a resident of the city may continue to serve during the term for which that committee member was elected.
(a)
Chair - The mayor, as 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 subcommittees 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 the duties consistent with the office and as provided
by this charter or by vote of the school committee.
(b)
Vice-Chair - As soon as practicable after the school committee members-elect
have been qualified following the regular city election, the school
committee shall organize by electing 1 of the persons elected as a
member of the school committee to serve as school committee vice-
chair. The school committee vice-chair shall preside in the absence
of the mayor.
No member of the school committee shall hold any other compensated
city position. No former member of the school committee shall hold
any compensated appointed city office or city employment until 1 year
following the date on which that member's service on the school committee
terminated. This section shall not prevent a city officer or other
city employee who has vacated a position in order to serve as a member
of the school committee from returning to the same office or other
position of city employment held at the time the position was vacated;
provided, however, no such person shall be eligible for any other
municipal position until at least 1 year following the termination
of service as a member of the school committee.
The city council may, by ordinance, establish an annual salary
for the elected members of the school committee. No ordinance increasing
or reducing the salary of elected members of the school committee
shall be effective unless it has been adopted by a two-thirds vote
of the full city council. No ordinance increasing the salary of the
elected members of the school committee shall be effective unless
it has been adopted during the first 18 months of the term for which
elected school committee members are elected and unless it provides
that the salary increase is to take effect upon the organization of
the city government following the next regular city election.
The school committee shall have all powers which are conferred
on school committees by the General Laws and the additional powers
and duties provided by charter, ordinance or otherwise and not inconsistent
with the General Laws. The powers and duties of the school committee
shall include:
(1)
electing a superintendent of the schools who shall be charged with
the administration of the school system, subject only to policy guidelines
and directives adopted by the school committee and, upon the recommendation
of the superintendent, to establish and appoint assistant or associate
superintendents under section 59 of chapter 71 of the General Laws;
(2)
making all reasonable rules and regulations for the management of
the public school system and for conducting the business of the school
committee as deemed necessary or desirable; and
(3)
adopting and overseeing the administration of an annual operating
budget for the school department, subject to appropriation by the
city council; provided, that the school committee shall have general
charge and superintendence of all school buildings and grounds and
shall furnish all school buildings with proper fixtures, furniture
and equipment; provided, that the school committee shall provide ordinary
maintenance of all school buildings and grounds, unless a central
municipal maintenance department which may include maintenance of
school buildings and grounds is established; provided, that whenever
the school committee shall determine that additional classrooms are
necessary to meet the educational needs of the community, at least
1 member of the school committee, or a designee of the school committee,
shall serve on the agency, board or committee for the planning or
construction of the new, remodeled or renovated school building.
[Amended 8-13-2021 by Acts of 2021, Ch. 40]
Whenever a vacancy occurs on the school committee, the president
of the city council shall, within 30 days following the date of the
vacancy, call a joint meeting of the city council and the school committee
to fill the vacancy. The city council and school committee shall appoint,
by majority vote of those present, a person to fill the vacancy from
among the voters entitled to vote for the office. Persons appointed
to fill a vacancy by the city council and school committee shall serve
only until a candidate is elected to the office at the next regular
city election and is sworn to the office. The candidate elected to
an office filled by appointment prior to the election shall be sworn
to the office immediately upon certification of the results of the
election to complete the then unexpired term in addition to the term
for which elected. No vacancy shall be filled under this section if
a regular city election is to be held within 120 days following the
date the vacancy is declared to exist.
