June 4, 2026 Meeting

• Payment of Bills:
  • 46-2026 Date: 5/18/26 Amount: $1,135,754.02
    
    Motion by Ms. Graziano to accept consent agenda and payment of bills. Seconded by Ms. Devine. Motion unanimously passed.
     
  • 48-2026 Date: 6/1/26 Amount: $736,776.81
     
• Approval of Minutes:
  
  Motion by Ms. Graziano to accept the Policy Subcommittee Minutes of 4/16/26. Seconded by Ms. Devine.
   
  • Policy Subcommittee Meeting 4/16/26

Discussion:
Ms. Graziano read a statement into the record:

In response to the statement made by Committee Member McClean, Chair Nardone, and Secretary Devine have reviewed the concerns raised by Committee Member McClean and must respectfully but clearly push back on several points, as they mischaracterize both the minutes in question and Massachusetts Open Meeting Law. It should also be noted that Committee Member McClean was asked to provide her statement in advance of this response so that we could ensure accuracy in our review. She declined to do so. Our review was therefore based on the transcript provided by the WETC video recording. We welcome any correction to the record if anything has been miscategorized as a result.

Regarding the minutes:

Committee Member McClean cites the Open Meeting Law's requirement that minutes contain a "substantive summary of the discussion on each topic," and she is correct that this standard exists. However, the existence of that standard does not mean the April 16th, 2026 Policy Subcommittee minutes are in violation of it. The fact that she and others personally disagree were written, or feel that certain concerns raised during the meeting were not sufficiently captured, does not constitute an Open Meeting Law violation. Disagreement over the level of details in minutes is a matter of opinion and procedure - not a legal violation. The Open Meeting law does not require that every concern raised by every member be individually documented. It requires a substantive summary of discussions, which is a standard that can and should be debated through the process of amending minutes at the meeting - not through a public declaration of a legal violation.

Regarding the claim that a member's presence alone constituted a quorum and therefore an Open Meeting Law Violation:

This claim is legally incorrect. Under Massachusetts General Law Chapter 30A, ,Section 18, a "quorum" is defined as a simple majority of the members of the public body. The mere presence of a member - or even multiple members - at a location does not constitute a quorum triggering Open Meeting Law requirements unless a majority of the body is present AND deliberation on public business is occurring. Presence alone, without deliberation, is not a meeting under the law. The Open Meeting Law defines "deliberation" as an oral or written communication between or among a quorum of a public body on any public business within its jurisdiction. The topic of concern that was raised as a Homework policy which alone is not under school committee purview and not official school business. Physical presence, without that deliberative communication occurring, does not trigger any Open Meeting Law obligation. To suggest otherwise misreads the statute entirely. In addition, the Attorney General released an important guideline call the “Robey Rule,”. The Robey Rule allows any member to be present in the room as a private citizen with the right to speak or ask questions only if that same privilege is provided to the general public. It is also important to note that many members of this School Committee are also parents, advocates, and community members. That identity does not disappear when someone takes an elected seat. Every person in this Commonwealth retains a constitutional right to speak, to advocate for change, and to give voice to concern - and that right does not diminish because someone chose to service the public office. Being present at a public forum or community setting as a parent or advocate is not the same as conducting official School Committee business, and conflating the two in order to suggest an Open Meeting Law violation is both legally unsupported and fundamentally unfair to members who are deeply rooted in this community.

Regarding the vote on minutes by members who did not attend the subcommittee meeting:

Committee Member McClean expressed concern about full School Committee members voting to approve subcommittee minutes for a meeting they did not attend. This is a procedural preference, not an Open Meeting Law violation. The Massachusetts Attorney General’s FAQ on the Open Meeting Law explicitly states that public bodies may choose their own method for approving minutes, including by majority vote of the full public body. There is no provision in MG: c.30A that restricts the approval of subcommittee minutes solely to the members who attended that subcommittee meeting. The full School Committee, as the governing body, is well within its authority to act on subcommittee minutes.

For these reasons, the characterizations made by Committee Member McClean regarding Open Meeting Law violations are not supported by the statute, the Attorney General’s guidance, or the facts as presented.

Roll call vote. Motion passed 4-2 (Dickerman-no, McClean-no)

Motion by Ms. Graziano to approve below minutes. Seconded by Ms. Devine. Motion passed unanimously.

• Budget Subcommittee Meeting 5/6/26
• Athletics Subcommittee Meeting 5/14/26
• Meeting of the Whole 5/14/26
• Regular Meeting 5/14/26

STUDENT COUNCIL PRESENTATION - WHS Students

Student council students presented an update (attached to these minutes) on WHS clubs activities and extracurriculars; including Best Buddies, Dungeons & Dragons, Human Rights Coalition, WHS Theater nominations for Mean Girls, Asian Student Alliance, Courtyard Caretakers, Model UN, Robotics team competing at WPI making it to the semi finals, Active Minds, Music/Jazz/Marching Band, Senior cruise/cookout/prom/elementary school walks/graduation. class fundraisers and elections.

The committee thanked the students for their presentation.

REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT:

Superintendent Curtin extended congratulations to
-24 retirees who were honored at the retirement breakfast
- 19 CTE students passing their CNA exam
-Chapman Singers and Band for their 6 Flags performance
-Kindergarten Here I Come event (thanks to Principal Perez, Holly McKay, Donna Brodeur)
-Post season sports teams: Baseball, Softball, Volleyball, Girls Rugby, Boys & Girls Track and Field
-Donnie Norton and the WHTC for their 7 nominations of Mean Girls

Superintendent Curtin introduced Diane Babcock as the new Principal of Pingree. Ms. Babcock brings over 2 decades of experience in education, including special education and leadership (Assistant Principal since 2017). The Superintendent and committee expressed their excitement in welcoming Ms. Babcock to WPS. Ms. Babcock shared her excitement in joining the team as well as her appreciation for the warm welcome.

NEW BUSINESS

a. Vote for the Superintendent to participate on the Board of South Shore Educational Collaborative effective July 1, 2026 (Action Requested) - Chair Tracey Nardone
Motion by Ms. Devine for the Superintendent to participate on the Board of the South Shore Educational Collaborative effective July 1, 2026. Seconded by Ms. Lyons. Discussion: Ms. Graziano shared a point of reference of perceived conflict of interest as her daughter attends South Shore Educational Collaborative and will be abstaining from the vote. Motion passed (Graziano abstained)

b. SEPAC Year-End Presentation - Ms. Kim Ferreira & Ms. Christine O’Hara
An overview of SEPAC, workshops/events/presentations/collaborations/outreach, Sensory Cart spaces, Unified Game Day, Resource Fair, challenges and what is ahead for school year 2026-27.

The committee thanked SEPAC for their commitment to families and students as well as outreach.

Thanks expressed to First Student and drivers for providing transportation at Unified Games.

PUBLIC COMMENT
In accordance with Policy BEDH.

-Michelle Majchrowicz, Teamster 653 on behalf of current bus drivers
Reiterated that union language should be added to the bid and asked for drivers benefits earned to be preserved; an addendum to be issued to the transportation IFB requiring bidders to honor the current CBA. so that they are competing on the same economic terms. She shared that Freetown/Lakeville added language to their bid and implored Weymouth to honor the current wages and benefits so that there is not a loss of drivers, disruption of service or future staffing shortages.

The public bid opening is June 22, 2026 with award shortly after.

Announcements:

- Graduation of the WHS Class of 2026: June 6, 2026, 10 a.m., WHS
- Weymouth Evening High School Graduation: June 8, 2026, 7 p.m., WHS
- Town Wide Parent Council Meeting: June 9, 2026, 7 p.m., WHS
- Policy Subcommittee Meeting: June 16, 2026, 4 p.m., Adams
- Budget Subcommittee Meeting: June 24, 2026, 6 p.m., Adams
- Last Day of School (Early Release for Students): June 26, 2026
- SEPAC-Inclusion presentation June 16, 2026
- June 6, 2026 Ordinance meeting, Ralph Talbot

Good luck expressed to Girls Rugby and WHTC at MA Theatre Guild. Congratulations expressed to graduating (Prek, K, 5th, 8th, seniors) students and families.

Next School Committee Meeting:
Regular Meeting: Thursday, June 25, 2026 - 6:00 p.m.

The Meeting adjourned at 6:53pm on the motion by Ms. Graziano and seconded by Ms. Devine. Motion passed unanimously.