(a) 
Composition - There shall be a school committee which shall consist of seven members. Six of these members shall be nominated and elected by the voters of the city at large. The mayor shall serve, by virtue of the office, as a member 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 elected school committee members shall be two years each, beginning on the first Monday in the January succeeding the elected school committee member's election, except when that first Monday falls on a legal holiday, in which event the term shall begin on the following day and until a successor has 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) 
Election and Term - As soon as practicable after school committee members-elect have been qualified following each regular city election, as provided in section 10-11, the members of the school committee shall elect from among its members a chair, a vice chair and a clerk who shall serve for two-year terms. The method of election of the chair, vice chair and clerk shall be prescribed within the rules of the school committee.
(b) 
Powers and Duties - The chair shall prepare the agenda for school committee meetings. The chair shall preside at all meetings of the school committee, regulate its proceedings and decide all questions of order. The chair shall appoint all members of committees of the school committee, whether special or standing. The chair shall have the same powers to vote upon measures coming before the school committee as any other member of the school committee. The chair shall perform any other duties consistent with the office that are established by charter, ordinance or other vote of the school committee. The vice-chair shall preside in the absence of the chair.
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 one 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, that no such person shall be eligible for any other municipal position until at least one year following the termination of service as a member of the school committee.
The city council may, by ordinance, establish the compensation for the elected members of the school committee. No ordinance increasing or reducing the compensation 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 or reducing the compensation 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 compensation increase or reduction 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:
(a) 
Selecting and removing 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 as authorized by the General Laws;
(b) 
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
(c) 
Adopting and overseeing the administration of an annual operating budget for the school department, subject to appropriation by the city council; provided, however, 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 further, 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 further, that whenever the school committee shall determine that additional classrooms are necessary to meet the educational needs of the community, at least one 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.
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 choose a person to fill the vacancy from among the voters entitled to vote for the office. Persons elected to fill a vacancy by the city council and school committee shall serve only until the next regular city election, when the office shall be filled by the voters. The candidate elected to an office filled by appointment prior to the election shall be sworn to the office immediately 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. Persons serving as school committee members under this section shall not be entitled to have the words "candidate for reelection" printed with that person's name on the election ballot.