[Amended 11-6-2018]
A.
There shall be a School Committee consisting of seven (7) members
who shall be elected from the Town, one (1) from each of five (5)
districts, and two (2) members-at-large, without any party marker
designation upon the ballot, declaration of candidacy, nomination
paper or petition, or list of candidates. Members who shall be elected
to said committee shall serve four (4) year terms.
B.
Term limits. Any person who is elected to the School Committee as
a district or at-large candidate shall serve no more than two (2)
four (4) year terms consecutively. Thereafter he or she shall be ineligible
to serve as a district or at-large school committee position until
the passage of four (4) years.
C.
The term of four (4) years and maximum of two (2) consecutive terms
shall not take effect until the election following the election year
in which this amendment is approved by a majority of the qualified
voters of the Town of Cumberland so voting on this amendment.
[Ref. of 11-2-2010; amended 11-6-2018]
Members of the School Committee shall be electors of the Town
as well as the district in which he/she seeks election to the school
committee and shall hold no other paid office or employment in the
service of the Town. If a Committee member shall cease to possess
these qualifications, his or her office shall immediately become vacant.
[Ref. of 11-2-2010]
Any vacancy in the membership of the School Committee shall
be filled by written ballot of a majority of all the members of the
Town Council for the remainder of the term of office, provided that
the person selected to fill said vacancy shall be an elector from
that district.
A vacancy in said membership of the School Committee shall occur
if any of the conditions set forth in Sec. 1402 occurs or if a member
dies; resigns from office; ceases to be a resident and/or elector
of the district in which elected, or shall be absent for four (4)
consecutive regular meetings or six (6) regular meetings within a
twelve (12) month period unless said absence/s are excused by a majority
vote of the whole School Committee.
Members of the School Committee shall receive such annual salaries
or stipends as may be set by the School Committee, provided that any
increase in pay shall not become effective during the term of office
of any member of the School Committee at the time the motion for said
increase was passed. Expenses incurred on official business, when
authorized by the School Committee shall also be paid upon submission
of an approved voucher.
A.
The School Committee shall elect from its membership a Chairman and
a Vice-Chairman, both of whom shall serve at the pleasure of the School
Committee. The School Committee shall also appoint a Clerk who shall
be a member of the School Committee and shall serve at the Committee's
pleasure. The Chairman or the Clerk may sign any orders and official
papers, and the Clerk under the direction of the School Committee,
shall keep a journal of the proceedings of the Committee. The School
Committee shall adopt its own rules and order [of] business.
B.
The School Committee shall hold at least sixteen (16) regular meetings
in every year at such time and place within the Town as the School
Committee shall by general order fix and determine, pursuant to the
applicable provision of State law.
[Amended 11-6-2018]
[Ref. of 11-2-2010]
A.
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 duties prescribed
by the laws of the State and may provide rules and regulations for
the use, operation, and maintenance of public school properties, and
for vacations of all officials and employees of the School Department.
[Amended 11-6-2018]
B.
The School Committee shall appoint, and establish the compensation
of 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 Regents for Education. The Superintendent shall be subject to removal
at the discretion of the School Committee by vote of a majority of
all members of the School Committee, with a public hearing, if the
Superintendent shall request the same. There shall be no right of
appeal from the decision of the School Committee.
C.
The appointment and removal of all school employees and fixing of
salaries shall be made by the School Committee upon recommendation
of the Superintendent of Schools, except as may be provided otherwise
by the laws of the State. 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
to whom he delegates the work.
D.
The School Committee shall submit budget estimates in the same manner
as other departments, and the budget estimates and appropriations
shall be considered by the Finance Director. The allocation of the
amounts appropriated shall be determined by the School Committee.
E.
The Finance Department of the Town shall have the responsibility
of maintaining records of all expenditures and obligations of funds
by the School Department, of charging the same to the various line
items in the school budget, and of keeping the school Department informed
of the status of its various accounts.
F.
The School Committee shall prepare a complete report of its finances
and activities annually and make available for public inspection copies
of the report at the offices of the School Committee and of the Town
Clerk.
G.
At the request of the School Committee the Mayor may direct appropriate
departments under his or her jurisdiction and control to maintain,
care for, or otherwise provide services for school buildings, grounds,
motor vehicles and equipment, provided that the costs be charged against
the appropriation for the public schools, such costs to be determined
by the Mayor and paid at the direction of the School Committee.
H.
The School Committee shall [have] the power to issue subpoenas to
compel witnesses to testify and produce records as prescribed by State
law.
I.
The School Committee shall make the facilities under its jurisdiction
available to the Town Recreation Commission for the use of said commission
in its programs upon request, provided that the making available of
such facilities, or of any specific facility, does not interfere with
same scheduled use for school purposes, and provided further that
the Recreation Commission shall reimburse the School Department for
any costs incurred in the use of such facilities.
J.
The School Committee shall exercise such other powers and perform
such other duties as prescribed by State law and as are not inconsistent
with this Charter.
