(a) 
Composition.
There shall be a school committee which shall consist of ten (10) members, nine (9) school committee members and the mayor in an ex officio capacity who shall have a voice and a vote.
(1) 
Three (3) school committee members shall be known as school committee members-at-large and shall be nominated and elected by and from the voters at large.
(2) 
Six (6) school committee members shall be known as ward school committee members, shall be domiciled in the ward from which elected and shall be nominated and elected by and from the voters of that ward only, with one (1) such ward school committee member to be elected from each of the six (6) wards into which the city is divided.
(b) 
Term of Office.
(1) 
The term of office for school committee members shall be for two (2) years each.
(2) 
The term shall run from the first business day of January succeeding their election, and until their successors have been qualified.
(3) 
Such school committee members shall be sworn into office no later than January 7 at 8:00 p.m., at a time and place as shall be designated by the city clerk.
(c) 
Eligibility.
(1) 
Any voter shall be eligible to hold the office of school committee member-at-large.
(2) 
A ward school committee member shall be a voter domiciled in the ward from which election is sought no later than sixty-four (64) days prior to the date of the preliminary election.
(3) 
If a ward school committee member or a school committee member-at-large removes from the city during the term for which such school committee member was elected, such office shall immediately be deemed vacant by the city clerk and shall be filled in the manner provided in section 4-6.
(4) 
If a ward school committee member removes from the ward from which such school committee member was elected during the first eighteen (18) months of the member’s term, such office shall immediately be deemed vacant and filled in the manner provided in said section 4-6; provided, however, that a ward school committee member who removes from the ward from which such school committee member was elected during the last six (6) months of their elected term, and who remains a resident of the city, may serve out the remainder of their term.
(C0005-1-20/Acts of 2021, Chapter 14; C0005-2-20/Acts of 2020, Chapter 332; amended as part of October 2021 update)
(a) 
Powers and Duties, Chair.
(1) 
As soon as practicable after the school committee members-elect have been qualified following each biennial city election, as provided in section 9-11, the school committee shall organize by electing one (1) of the school committee members to serve as school committee chair.
(2) 
The school committee chair shall preside at all meetings of the school committee, regulate its proceedings and decide all questions of order.
(3) 
The school committee chair shall appoint all members of all sub-committees of the school committee, whether special or standing.
(4) 
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.
(5) 
The school committee chair shall perform such other duties consistent with the office as may be provided by this charter or by vote of the school committee.
(b) 
Powers and Duties, Vice Chair.
(1) 
As soon as practicable after the school committee members-elect have been qualified following each biennial city election, as provided in section 9-11, the school committee shall organize by electing one (1) of the school committee members to serve as school committee vice chair.
(2) 
In the absence, of the chair, the vice chair shall exercise all of the duties and authority of the chair, other than appointing members of subcommittees, whether special or standing.
(c) 
School Committee Meetings.
Except in the case of an emergency or in the event of a joint meeting, the school committee shall not meet on the same date as a regular city council meeting.
(C0005-1-20/Acts of 2021, Chapter 14; amended as part of October 2021 update)
(a) 
Holding Other City Office or Position.
(1) 
No member of the school committee shall hold any other city office or city employment unless authorized by chapter 268A of the General Laws or the state ethics commission.
(2) 
No former member of the school committee shall hold any compensated appointed city office or appointed city employment until thirty (30) days following the date on which the former member’s service on the school committee has terminated.
(a) 
This provision shall not prevent a city officer or other city employee who has vacated a position 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, but no such person shall be eligible for any other municipal position until thirty (30) days following the termination of service as a member of the school committee.
(b) 
Interference with Administration.
No school committee or any member of the school committee shall give orders or directions to any officer or employee of the city appointed by the mayor, either publicly or privately.
(c) 
Felony Conviction.
(1) 
Any person who has been finally convicted of a state or federal felony shall not be eligible to petition for, or serve in, any elective or appointive office or position under the city.
(2) 
Any school committee member who has been finally convicted of a state or federal felony shall be deemed to have vacated said office and shall be disqualified from serving in any other elective or appointive office or position under the city.
(C0005-1-20/Acts of 2021, Chapter 14; amended as part of October 2021 update)
The members of the school committee shall receive such salary for their services as may from time to time be set by ordinance. No ordinance increasing the salary of school committee members shall be effective unless it shall have been adopted by a 2/3 vote of the full city council during the first 18 months of the term for which the school committee is elected and unless it provides that the salary increase is to take effect upon the organization of the city government following the next municipal election. No member of the school committee shall be eligible to participate in the city’s group health or life insurance programs. Subject to appropriation, school committee members shall be entitled to reimbursement of their actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties. Actual and necessary expense shall be defined in the school committee’s rules and regulations.
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, and/or otherwise and not inconsistent with the grant of powers conferred by general laws. The powers and duties of the school committee shall include the following:
(1) 
To elect 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 provided in by law.
(2) 
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.
(3) 
To adopt and to oversee the administration of an annual operating budget for the school department, subject to appropriation by the city council. 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. 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 in accordance with law. 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, council or committee to which the planning or construction of such new, remodeled or renovated school building is delegated.
(a) 
Runner-Up to Fill Vacancy - If a vacancy occurs in the office of school committee member, whether by failure to elect or otherwise, the remaining school committee members shall, within 30 days following the date of such vacancy, act to fill said vacancy. The school committee shall fill the vacancy for the remainder of the unexpired term by choosing the defeated candidate receiving the most votes for said seat from the last regular city election; provided, however, that said defeated candidate shall have received at least 20 percent of the total ballots cast for the particular seat being vacated. For the purpose of this section, the 20 percent minimum threshold shall be calculated as a ratio of ballots cast for the particular office being vacated to votes obtained by said defeated candidate. Any person so chosen shall take the oath of office and commence to serve forthwith. Persons serving as school committee member under this section shall not be entitled to have the words “candidate for re- election” printed against their names on the election ballot. No vacancy shall be filled, in the manner herein provided, if a regular city election is to be held within 90 days following the date the vacancy is declared to exist.
(b) 
Filling of Vacancies By City Council and School Committee - Whenever a vacancy shall occur in the office of school committee member and there is no available candidate to fill the vacancy in the manner provided in section 4-6(a), 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 act to fill the vacancy. Persons elected to fill a vacancy by the city council and 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 the vacancy shall immediately be sworn and shall serve for the remainder of the unexpired term in addition to the term for which elected. Persons serving as school committee members under this section shall not be entitled to have the words "candidate for reelection" printed against their names on the election ballot.