9.30.2026 Fall River School Committee Policy Subcommittee

The Fall River School Committee Policy Subcommittee met on September 30, 2026, to discuss several district policies, including state-mandated compliance updates, operational guidelines, and committee communications. During citizen input, Keith Michon, President of the Fall River Educators Association, spoke in favor of adopting the PROTECT Act policy to ensure student and family safety regarding civil law enforcement and advocated for superintendent discretion on work-from-home options. The subcommittee voted to refer the PROTECT Act policy to the full School Committee with a recommendation to consider waiving the first reading.

Subcommittee members and district administration discussed the upcoming full policy manual overhaul with the Massachusetts Association of School Committees (MASC), scheduled to begin monthly two-hour review sessions in November once missing policy updates are integrated. Following a discussion on the district's Bullying Prevention and Intervention Plan, the subcommittee voted to table the item so the administration could present the formal policy alongside clarification regarding language on students with disabilities. Chief Financial Officer Kevin Almeida also presented a review of cash handling and electronic transaction procedures across school buildings, emphasizing the need for standardized collection, school safes, and centralized software integrations such as ParentSquare.

Finally, the subcommittee addressed policies regarding superintendent-to-committee communications and telework. The subcommittee voted to refer the proposed Superintendent-School Committee Communications Policy to the full committee. The proposed Work From Home Policy was also referred to the full School Committee, with no recommendation on adoption, to allow the entire body to deliberate on administrative discretion and oversight.

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