Policy Manual

The legal basis for public education in the District is vested in the will of the people as expressed in the Constitution of Massachusetts and state statutes pertaining to education.

Regional school districts are created in accordance with state law and the regional agreement approved by the member towns.

The Triton Regional School District exists through an agreement between municipalities under laws pertaining to education and under regulations of the Massachusetts Board of Education. The area served by the Triton
Regional School District is identified in the Regional Agreement.

Legal References

• Constitution of Massachusetts, Part II, Chapter V, Section II
• M.G.L. 71:1
• M.G.L. 71:14B Regional School Districts Formation; Procedure
• M.G.L. 71:16 through 17:16I

The School Committee has the dual responsibility for implementing statutory requirements pertaining to public education and local citizens' expectations for the education of the community’s youth. When citizens elect delegates to represent them in the conduct of public education, their representatives have the authority to exercise their best judgment in determining policies, making decisions, and approving procedures for carrying out the responsibility.

The School Committee therefore affirms and declares its intent to:

1. Maintain two-way communication with citizens of Newbury, Rowley, and Salisbury. The public will be kept informed of the progress and problems of the school district, and citizens will be urged to bring their aspirations and feelings about their public schools to the attention of this body, which they have chosen to represent them in the management of public education.
2. Establish policies and make decisions on the basis of declared educational philosophy and goals. All decisions made by this Committee will be made with priority given to the purposes set forth, most crucial of which is the optimal learning of the children enrolled in our schools.
3. Act as a truly representative body for members of the community in matters involving public education. The Committee recognizes that ultimate responsibility for public education rests with the state, but individual School Committees have been assigned specific authority through state law. The Committee will not relinquish any of this authority since it believes that decision-making control over the children's learning should be in the hands of local citizens as much as possible.

The Triton Regional School District does not tolerate discrimination against students, parents, employees or the general public on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, homelessness, religion, age or immigration status. The Triton Regional School District is also committed to maintaining a school environment free of harassment based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy or pregnancy status, age, genetic information, ethnic background, ancestry, disability, or any category protected by state or federal law. In addition, the District provides equal access to all designated youth groups. Consistent with the requirements of the McKinney-Vento
Act, the District also does not discriminate against students on the basis of homelessness and does not discriminate on the basis of veteran status consistent with state law.

The Superintendent shall designate at least one administrator to serve as the compliance officer for the District’s non-discrimination policies in education-related activities, including but not limited to responding to inquiries related to Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972; Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act; the Age Act; M.G.L c. 76,

Title II of the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1992 requires that no qualified individual with a disability shall, because the District's facilities are inaccessible to or unusable by individuals with disabilities, be excluded from participation in, or be denied the benefits of the services, programs, and activities of the District or be subject to discrimination. Nor shall the District exclude or otherwise deny services, programs, or activities to an individual because of the known disability of a person with whom the individual is known to have a relationship or association.
Definition: A "qualified individual with a disability" is an individual with a disability who, with or without reasonable modification to rules, policies, or practices, the removal of architectural, communication, or transportation barriers, or the provision of auxiliary aids and services, meets the essential eligibility requirements for the receipt of services or the participation in programs or activities provided by the District.

Reasonable Modification: The District shall make reasonable modification in policies, practices, meals or procedures when the modifications are necessary to avoid discrimination on the basis of disability, unless the District can demonstrate that making the modifications would fundamentally alter the nature of the service, program, or activity.

Communications: The District shall take the appropriate steps to ensure that communications with applicants, participants, and members of the public with disabilities are as effective as communications with others. To this end, the District shall furnish appropriate auxiliary aids and services where necessary to afford an individual with a disability an equal opportunity to participate in, and enjoy benefits of, a service, program, or activity conducted by the District. In determining what type of auxiliary aid or service is necessary, the District shall give primary consideration to the requests of the individuals with disabilities.

Auxiliary Aids and Services: "Auxiliary aids and services" includes (1) qualified interpreters, note takers, transcription services, written materials, assisted listening systems, and other effective methods for making aurally delivered materials available to individuals with hearing impairments; (2) qualified readers, taped texts, audio recordings, Braille materials, large print materials, or other effective methods for making visually delivered materials available to individuals with visual impairments; (3) acquisition or modification of equipment or devices and (4) other similar services and actions.

Limits of Required Modification: The District is not required to take any action that it can demonstrate would result in a fundamental alteration in the nature of a service, program, or activity or in undue financial and administrative burdens. Any decision that, in compliance with its responsibility to provide effective communication for individuals with disabilities, would fundamentally alter the service, program, or activity or unduly burden the District shall be made by the School Committee after considering all resources available for use in funding and operating the program, service, or activity. A written statement of the reasons for reaching that conclusion shall accompany the decision.

Notice: The District shall make available to applicants, participants, beneficiaries, and other interested persons information regarding the provisions of Title II of the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) and its applicability to the services, programs, or activities of the District. The information shall be made available in such a manner as the School Committee and Superintendent find necessary to apprise such persons of the protections against discrimination assured them by the ADA.

Compliance Coordinator: The District shall designate at least one employee to coordinate its efforts to comply with and carry out its responsibilities under Title II of ADA, including any investigation of any complaint communicated to it alleging its noncompliance or alleging any actions that would be prohibited under ADA. The District shall make available to all interested individuals the name, office address, and telephone number of the employee(s) so designated and shall adopt and publish procedures for the prompt and equitable resolution of complaints alleging any action that would be prohibited under the ADA. The school system receives federal financial assistance and must comply with the above requirements. Additionally, the School Committee is of the general view that: Discrimination against a qualified disabled person solely on the basis of disability is unfair; and

To the extent possible, qualified disabled persons should be in the mainstream of life in the school community. Accordingly, employees of the school system will comply with the above requirements of the law and policy statements of this Committee to ensure nondiscrimination on the basis of disability.

Legal References

• Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 504, as amended
• Education for All Disabled Children Act of 1975
• M.G.L. 71B:1 et seq. (Chapter 766 of the Acts of 1972)
• Title II, Americans with Disabilities Act of 1992, as amended
• Board of Education Chapter 766 Regulations, adopted 10/74, as amended through 3/28/78

The Triton Regional School District is committed to providing a drug and alcohol free learning environment and workplace. Drug abuse and alcohol abuse at school or in connection with school-sponsored activities on or off school grounds threaten the health and safety of our students and our employees and adversely affect the educational mission of the school district. The use of illicit drugs and the unlawful possession and use of alcohol are wrong and harmful.

For these reasons, the unlawful manufacture, distribution, dispensation, possession or use of illicit drugs, alcohol or other controlled substances in the workplace, on school premises or as part of any school-sponsored activities are strictly prohibited. These standards of conduct are equally applicable to students, employees and all visitors to our schools.

Details regarding consequences for those students in violation of this policy can be found in student handbooks.

Legal References

• M.G.L. 71:37H

Use of any tobacco products, including, but not limited to: cigarettes, cigars, little cigars, chewing tobacco, pipe tobacco, snuff, electronic cigarettes, electronic cigars, electronic pipes or other similar products that rely on vaporization or aerosolization, within the school buildings, school facilities, on school grounds or school buses, or at school sponsored events by any individual, including school personnel, visitors, and students, is prohibited at all times.

A staff member determined to be in violation of this policy shall be subject to disciplinary action.

A student determined to be in violation of this policy shall be subject to disciplinary action pursuant to the student discipline code.

This policy shall be promulgated to all staff and students in appropriate handbook(s) and publications.

Signs shall be posted in all school buildings informing the general public of the District policy and requirements of state law.

Legal References

• M.G.L. 71:37H; 270:6

The Triton Regional School District shall maintain a safe and nurturing educational environment where students and visitors can meet, learn, and recreate without fear. The Triton Regional School District will not tolerate violence or injury to staff or students, nor will weapons (as defined in policy, law, and regulation) be tolerated at any school activity or on any school district property. The provisions of law prohibiting firearms on school property shall be strictly enforced.

The Triton Regional School Committee policies pertaining to school safety and student discipline shall be fairly and firmly enforced, criminal misconduct shall be reported to the proper law enforcement authority, and school district staff shall cooperate with any subsequent criminal investigation and prosecution.

A Safety Committee shall be established for each site to ensure that arrangements for the safety of students, staff and district property are kept under review, and best practice is adopted. Safety Committees shall include, but not be limited to, the Principal, the Manager of Facilities and Grounds, custodial personnel, the school nurse, and representatives of the town police and fire departments. School Safety Committees may involve other town personnel and persons knowledgeable on school safety matters needed as may be appropriate.

School safety drills will be practiced periodically in conjunction with the emergency services.

Periodic unannounced searches of school buildings, grounds, and parking lots may be conducted by the police in order to discourage the bringing of controlled substances or dangerous weapons onto school premises.

If such police searches result in the establishment of probable cause that an offense has been committed, individual searches may follow. Additionally, if school administrators have reasonable cause to believe that there has been a contravention of the law or school rules they have a right to inspect students school lockers and personal equipment. This authority may be exercised as needed in the interest of safeguarding students, and their own and school property. Ex ercise of that authority by school officials places unusual demands upon their judgment so as to protect each child s constitutional rights to personal privacy and protection from coercion and to act in the best interest of all students and the schools.

Searches by school officials of students automobiles, personal possessions, or the student will be conducted in a way that protects the students rights consistent with the responsibility of the school system to provide a safe environment and an atmosphere conducive to the educational process.

Legal References

• M.G.L. 71:37H & 71:37L

It shall be the policy of the school district that, as required by law, a state and national fingerprint criminal background check will be conducted to determine the suitability of full or part time current and prospective school employees, who may have direct and unmonitored contact with children. School employees shall include, but not be limited to any apprentice, intern, or student teacher or individuals in similar positions, who may have direct and unmonitored contact with children. The School Committee shall only obtain a fingerprint background check for current and prospective employees for whom the School Committee has direct hiring authority. In the case of an individual directly hired by a school committee, the chair of the School Committee shall review the results of the national criminal history check. The Superintendent shall also obtain a state and national fingerprint background check for any individual who regularly provides school related transportation to children.
The School Committee, Superintendent or Principal, as appropriate, may obtain a state and national fingerprint criminal background check for any volunteer, subcontractor or laborer commissioned by the School Committee, school or employed by the city or town to perform work on school grounds, who may have direct and unmonitored contact with children. School volunteers and subcontractors/laborers who may have direct and unmonitored contact with children must continue to submit state CORI checks.
The fee charged by the provider to the employee and educator for national fingerprint background checks will be $55.00 for school employees subject to licensure by DESE and $35.00 for other employees, which fee may from time to time be adjusted by the appropriate agency. The employer shall continue to obtain periodically, but not less than every 3 years, from the department of criminal justice information services all available
Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) for any current and prospective employee or volunteer within the school district who may have direct and unmonitored contact with children.
Direct and unmonitored contact with children is defined in DESE regulations as contact with a student when no other employee who has received a suitability determination by the school or district is present. "Contact" refers to any contact with a student that provides the individual with opportunity for physical touch or personal communication.
This policy is applicable to any fingerprint-based state and national criminal history record check made for non- criminal justice purposes and requested under applicable federal authority and/or state statute authorizing such checks for licensing or employment purposes. Where such checks are allowable by law, the following practices and procedures will be followed.
Requesting CHRI (Criminal History Record Information) checks
Fingerprint-based CHRI checks will only be conducted as authorized by state and federal law, in accordance with all applicable state and federal rules and regulations. If an applicant or employee is required to submit to a fingerprint-based state and national criminal history record check, they shall be informed of this requirement and instructed on how to comply with the law. Such instruction will include information on the procedure for submitting fingerprints. In addition, the applicant or employee will be provided with all information needed to successfully register for a fingerprinting appointment.

Access to CHRI
All CHRI is subject to strict state and federal rules and regulations in addition to Massachusetts CORI laws and regulations. CHRI cannot be shared with any unauthorized entity for any purpose, including subsequent hiring determinations. All receiving entities are subject to audit by the Massachusetts Department of Criminal Justice
Information Services (DCJIS) and the FBI, and failure to comply with such rules and regulations could lead to sanctions. Federal law and regulations provide that the exchange of records and information is subject to cancellation if dissemination is made outside of the receiving entity or related entities. Furthermore, an entity can be charged criminally for the unauthorized disclosure of CHRI.
Storage of CHRI
CHRI shall only be stored for extended periods of time when needed for the integrity and/or utility of an individual's personnel file. Administrative, technical, and physical safeguards, which are in compliance with the most recent CJIS Security Policy have been implemented to ensure the security and confidentiality of CHRI.
Each individual involved in the handling of CHRI is to familiarize himself/herself with these safeguards.
In addition to the above, each individual involved in the handling of CHRI will strictly adhere to the policy on the storage, retention and destruction of CHRI.
Retention and Destruction of CHRI
Federal law prohibits the repurposing or dissemination of CHRI beyond its initial requested purpose. Once an individual's CHRI is received, it will be securely retained in internal agency documents for the following purposes only: Historical reference and/or comparison with future CHRI requests, Dispute of the accuracy of the record
Evidence for any subsequent proceedings based on information contained in the CHRI.
CHRI will be kept for the above purposes in a secure location in the office of the superintendent. When no longer needed, CHRI and any summary of CHRI data must be destroyed by shredding paper copies and/or by deleting all electronic copies from the electronic storage location, including any backup copies or files. The shredding of paper copies of CHRI by an outside vendor must be supervised by an employee of the district.
CHRI Training
An informed review of a criminal record requires training. Accordingly, all personnel authorized to receive and/or review CHRI at the district will review and become familiar with the educational and relevant training materials regarding SAFIS and CHRI laws and regulations made available by the appropriate agencies, including the DCJIS.
Determining Suitability
In determining an individual's suitability, the following factors will be considered: these factors may include, but not necessarily be limited to: the nature and gravity of the crime and the underlying conduct, the time that has passed since the offense, conviction and/or completion of the sentence, nature of the position held or sought, age of the individual at the time of the offense, number of offenses, any relevant evidence of rehabilitation or lack thereof and any other factors deemed relevant by the district.
A record of the suitability determination will be retained. The following information will be included in the determination: The name and date of birth of the employee or applicant; The date on which the school employer received the national criminal history check results; and, The suitability determination (either "suitable" or "unsuitable").

A copy of an individual's suitability determination documentation must be provided to another school employer, or to the individual, upon request of the individual for whom the school employer conducted a suitability determination.
Relying on Previous Suitability Determination.
The school employer may obtain and may rely on a favorable suitability determination from a prior employer, if the following criteria are met: The suitability determination was made within the last seven years; and The individual has not resided outside of Massachusetts for any period longer than three years since the suitability determination was made; and either The individual has been employed continuously for one or more school employers or has gaps totaling no more than two years in his or her employment for school employers; or If the individual works as a substitute employee, the individual is still deemed suitable for employment by the school employer who made a favorable suitability determination. Upon request of another school employer, the initial school employer shall provide documentation that the individual is still deemed suitable for employment by the initial school employer.
Adverse Decisions Based on CHRI
If inclined to make an adverse decision based on an individual's CHRI, the district will take the following steps prior to making a final adverse determination: Provide the individual with a copy of their CHRI used in making the adverse decision; Provide the individual with a copy of this CHRI Policy; Provide the individual the opportunity to complete or challenge the accuracy of their CHRI; and Provide the individual with information on the process for updating, changing, or correcting CHRI.
A final adverse decision based on an individual's CHRI will not be made until the individual has been afforded a reasonable time depending on the particular circumstances not to exceed thirty days to correct or complete the CHRI.
If a school employer receives criminal record information from the state or national fingerprint-based background checks that includes no disposition or is otherwise incomplete, the school employer may request that an individual, after providing him a copy of said background check, provide additional information regarding the results of the criminal background checks to assist the school employer in determining the applicant's suitability for direct and unmonitored contact with children, notwithstanding the terms of General
Laws chapter 151B, S. 4,( 9,9 ½). Furthermore, in exigent circumstances, a school employer may, pursuant to the terms of DESE regulations (see specific regulations in legal references), hire an employee on a conditional basis without first receiving the results of a national criminal background check. After exhausting several preliminary steps as contained in the above referenced regulation the district may require an individual to provide information regarding the individual's history of criminal convictions; however, the individual cannot be asked to provide information about juvenile adjudications or sealed convictions. The superintendent is advised to confer with legal counsel whenever they solicit information from an individual concerning their history of criminal convictions.
Secondary Dissemination of CHRI
If an individual's CHRI is released to another authorized entity, a record of that dissemination must be made in the secondary dissemination log. The secondary dissemination log is subject to audit by the DCJIS and the FBI.
The following information will be recorded in the log:

Subject Name; Subject Date of Birth; Date and Time of the dissemination; Name of the individual to whom the information was provided; Name of the agency for which the requestor works; Contact information for the requestor; and The specific reason for the request.
Reporting to Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education
Pursuant to state law and regulation, if the district dismisses, declines to renew the employment of, obtains the resignation of, or declines to hire a licensed educator or an applicant for a Massachusetts educator license because of information discovered through a state or national criminal record check, the district shall report such decision or action to the Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education in writing within 30 days of the employer action or educator resignation. The report shall be in a form requested by the Department and shall include the reason for the action or resignation as well as a copy of the criminal record checks results. The superintendent shall notify the employee or applicant that it has made a report pursuant to the regulations to the Commissioner.
Pursuant to state law and regulation, if the district discovers information from a state or national criminal record check about a licensed educator or an applicant for a Massachusetts educator license that implicates grounds for license action pursuant to regulations, the Superintendent shall report to the Commissioner in writing within 30 days of the discovery, regardless of whether the district retains or hires the educator as an employee. The report must include a copy of the criminal record check results. The school employer shall notify the employee or applicant that it has made a report pursuant to regulations to the Commissioner and shall also send a copy of the criminal record check results to the employee or applicant.
C.O.R.I. REQUIREMENTS
It shall be the policy of the district to obtain all available Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) from the department of criminal justice information services of prospective employee(s) or volunteer(s) of the school department including any individual who regularly provides school related transportation to children, who may have direct and unmonitored contact with children, prior to hiring the employee(s) or to accepting any person as a volunteer. State law requires that school districts obtain CORI data for employees of taxicab companies that have contracted with the schools to provide transportation to pupils.
The Superintendent, Principal, or their certified designees shall periodically, but not less than every three years, obtain all available Criminal Offender Record Information from the department of criminal justice informational services on all employees, individuals who regularly provide school related transportation to children, including taxicab company employees, and volunteers who may have direct and unmonitored contact with children, during their term of employment or volunteer service.
The Superintendent, Principal, or their certified designees may also have access to Criminal Offender Record
Information for any subcontractor or laborer who performs work on school grounds, and who may have direct and unmonitored contact with children, and shall notify them of this requirement and comply with the appropriate provisions of this policy.
Pursuant to a Department of Education regulation, "'Direct and unmonitored contact with children' means contact with students when no other employee, for whom the employer has made a suitability determination of the school or district, is present. "Contact" refers to any contact with a student that provides the individual with opportunity for physical touch or personal communication. The school employer may determine when there is potential for direct and unmonitored contact with children by assessing the circumstances and specific factors including but not limited to, whether the individual will be working in proximity with students, the amount of time the individual will spend on school grounds, and whether the individual will be working independently or with others. An individual shall not be considered to have the potential for direct and unmonitored contact with

children if he or she has only the potential for incidental unsupervised contact in commonly used areas of the school grounds." In accordance with state law, all current and prospective employees, volunteers, and persons regularly providing school related transportation to children of the school district shall sign an acknowledgement form authorizing receipt by the district of all available CORI data from the department of criminal justice information services. In the event that a current employee has a question concerning the signing of the acknowledgement form, they may meet with the Principal or Superintendent; however, failure to sign the CORI acknowledgement form may result in a referral to local counsel for appropriate action. Completed acknowledgement forms must be kept in secure files. The School Committee, Superintendent, Principals or their designees certified to obtain information under the policy, shall prohibit the dissemination of school information for any purpose other than to further the protection of school children.
CORI is not subject to the public records law and must be kept in a secure location, separate from personnel files and may be retained for not more than three years. CORI shall be shared with the individual to whom it pertains, pursuant to law, regulation and the following model policy, and in the event of an inaccurate report the individual should contact the department of criminal justice informational services.
Access to CORI material must be restricted to those individuals certified to receive such information. In the case of prospective employees or volunteers, CORI material should be obtained only where the Superintendent had determined that the applicant is qualified and may forthwith be recommended for employment or volunteer duties.
The hiring authority, subject to applicable law and the model policy, reserves the exclusive right concerning any employment decision.
The Superintendent shall ensure that on the application for employment and/or volunteer form there shall be a statement that as a condition of the employment or volunteer service the school district is required by law to obtain Criminal Offender Record Information for any employee, individual who regularly provides transportation, or volunteer who may have direct and unmonitored contact with children. Current employees, persons regularly providing school related transportation, and volunteers shall also be informed in writing by the Superintendent prior to the periodic obtaining of their Criminal Offender Record Information.
Records sealed pursuant to law shall not operate to disqualify a person in any examination, appointment or application for public service on behalf of the Commonwealth or any political subdivision thereof.
The Superintendent shall revise contracts with special education schools and other providers to require a signed statement that the provider has met all legal requirements of the state where it is located relative to criminal background checks for employees and others having direct and unmonitored contact with children.
LEGAL REFS.: M.G.L.6:167-178; 15D:7-8; 71:38R, 151B, 276:100A
P.L. 92-544; Title 28 U.S.C.

This policy is applicable to the criminal history screening of prospective and current employees, subcontractors, volunteers and interns, and professional licensing applicants.

Where Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) and other criminal history checks may be part of a general background check for employment, volunteer work, licensing purposes, the following practices and procedures will be followed.

CONDUCTING CORI SCREENING

CORI checks will only be conducted as authorized by the DCJIS (Department of Criminal Justice Information Systems), state law, and regulation, and only after a CORI Acknowledgement Form has been completed.

If a new CORI check is to be made on a subject within a year of their signing of the CORI Acknowledgement Form, the subject shall be given seventy two (72) hours notice that a new CORI check will be conducted.

ACCESS TO CORI

All CORI obtained from the DCJIS is confidential, and access to the information must be limited to those individuals who have a
"need to know". This may include, but not be limited to, hiring managers, staff submitting the CORI requests, and staff charged with processing job applications. The district must maintain and keep a current list of each individual authorized to have access to, or view, CORI. This list must be updated every six (6) months and is subject to inspection upon request by the DCJIS at any time.

CORI TRAINING

An informed review of a criminal record requires training. Accordingly, all district personnel authorized to review or access CORI will review, and will be thoroughly familiar with, the educational and relevant training materials regarding CORI laws and regulations made available by the DCJIS.

USE OF CRIMINAL HISTORY IN BACKGROUND SCREENING

CORI used for employment purposes shall only be accessed for applicants who are otherwise qualified for the position for which they have applied.

Unless otherwise provided by law, a criminal record will not automatically disqualify an applicant. Rather, determinations of suitability based on background checks will be made consistent with this policy and any applicable law or regulations.

VERIFYING A SUBJECT'S IDENTITY
If a criminal record is received from the DCJIS, the information is to be closely compared with the information on the CORI
Acknowledgement Form and any other identifying information provided by the applicant to ensure the record belongs to the applicant.

If the information in the CORI record provided does not exactly match the identification information provided by the applicant, a determination is to be made by an individual authorized to make such determinations based on a comparison of the CORI record and documents provided by the applicant.

INQUIRING ABOUT CRIMINAL HISTORY

In connection with any decision regarding employment, volunteer opportunities, or professional licensing, the subject shall be provided with a copy of the criminal history record, whether obtained from the DCJIS or from any other source, prior to questioning the subject about their criminal history. The source(s) of the criminal history record is also to be disclosed to the subject.

DETERMINING SUITABILITY

If a determination is made, based on the verification of identity information as provided in this policy, that the criminal record belongs to the subject, and the subject does not dispute the record's accuracy, then the determination of suitability for the position or license will be made. Unless otherwise provided by law, factors considered in determining suitability may include, but not be limited to, the following:

Relevance of the record to the position sought;

1. The nature of the work to be performed;
2. Time since the conviction;
3. Age of the candidate at the time of the offense;
4. Seriousness and specific circumstances of the offense;
5. The number of offenses;
6. Whether the applicant has pending charges;
7. Any relevant evidence of rehabilitation or lack thereof; and
8. Any other relevant information, including information submitted by the candidate or requested by the organization.

The applicant is to be notified of the decision and the basis for it in a timely manner.

ADVERSE DECISIONS BASED ON CORI
If an authorized official is inclined to make an adverse decision based on the results of a criminal history background check, the applicant will be notified immediately. The subject shall be provided with a copy of the organization's CORI policy and a copy of the criminal history. The source(s) of the criminal history will also be revealed. The subject will then be provided with an opportunity to dispute the accuracy of the CORI record. Subjects shall also be provided a copy of DCJIS' Information
Concerning the Process for Correcting a Criminal Record.

SECONDARY DISSEMINATION LOGS

All CORI obtained from the DCJIS is confidential and can only be disseminated as authorized by law and regulation. A central secondary dissemination log shall be used to record any dissemination of CORI outside this organization, including dissemination at the request of the subject.

School Wellness Advisory Committee
The Wellness Coordinator will establish and maintain a district-wide School Wellness Advisory Committee
(SWAC). The purpose of this committee will be to recommend, review, and help implement school district policies addressing school nutrition, nutrition education, physical activity, social emotional learning, mental health and related issues that affect student health. In addition, the SWAC shall encourage the development of a program that actively promotes wellness in schools. The Wellness Committee will establish measurable goals and objectives based on review of public health data as well as input from school staff and the community as a whole.

The composition of the SWAC will continue to be formed annually to assist in the development, implementation and monitoring of the Wellness Policy. The SWAC will ideally include school nurses, school nutrition and physical activity staff, community agencies serving youth, health professionals, parents/guardians, students, administrators, school committee members, and members of the public. The SWAC shall meet at least four times a year. The SWAC shall develop and implement wellness initiatives based on the needs of the district. The SWAC shall submit an annual report to the Superintendent and School Committee, indicating the progress toward achieving the goals and objectives identified.

Implementation
Superintendent or their designee will be assigned to ensure compliance with standards of this Wellness Policy in their school. The Director of School Food Services will ensure compliance with nutrition policies within the school food service areas. The SWAC will conduct an ongoing assessment of the wellness program every three years to help review policy compliance, assess progress, and determine areas of improvement.

The district’s Wellness Policy is accessible to the public via the District’s Web Page. The triennial progress report will be posted on the district website. The report will include an assessment on compliance, the extent to which our wellness policy compares to model wellness policies, as recognized by the state, and progress made in achieving the annual goals set by the Wellness Committee.

Every three years members of the Wellness Committee will assess policy language and implementation of the Wellness Policy using the WellSAT:3.0 tool or other equivalent assessment. Based on the results of the assessment, the district’s Wellness Policy will be reviewed by the School Committee every three years.

Standards for USDA Child Nutrition Programs and School Meals
All schools within Triton Regional School District (TRSD) will participate in USDA child nutrition programs, including the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), the School Breakfast Program (SBP) and will assure compliance with USDA nutrition standards for reimbursable school meals. TRSD may also operate additional nutrition-related programs and activities including Second Chance Breakfast, Summer Food Service, and Child and Adult Care Food Program.

All schools within TRSD are committed to offering school meals through the NSLP and SBP programs, and other applicable Federal child nutrition programs, that:

1. Are accessible to all students;
2. Are appealing and attractive to children;
3. Are served in clean and pleasant settings;
4. Meet or exceed current nutrition requirements established by local, state, and Federal statutes and regulations.

National School Lunch Program (NSLP) & School Breakfast Program (SBG): https://www.fns.usda.gov/cn/nutrition-standards-school-meals
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2012-01-26/pdf/2012-1010.pdf

Smart Snacks In Schools: https://www.fns.usda.gov/cn/fr-072916d

Massachusetts School Nutrition Standards for Competitive Foods and Beverages: https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartI/TitleXVI/Chapter111/section223

Breakfast
Students will be encouraged to start each day with a healthy breakfast. TRSD will prioritize the following action items to ensure that all children have breakfast (either at home or in school) that meet their nutritional needs and enhance their learning potential:

1. Schools will operate the School Breakfast Program and use creative methods to serve breakfast.
2. The district and schools will arrange bus schedules and utilize methods to serve school breakfasts that encourage participation.
3. Schools will encourage parents and caregivers to provide a healthy breakfast for their children through newsletters, take-home materials, or other means.

Free and Reduced-Priced Meals
The TRSD School Committee is committed to providing students with healthy, nutritious meals each day so they can focus on school work, while also maintaining the financial integrity of meal programs and minimizing any impact on students with meal charges. Families can access directions and applications for Free & Reduced on the district’s food service website and hard copies are available at each school. Notices will be sent at the beginning of each school year.

Schools will make every effort to eliminate any social stigma attached to, and prevent the overt identification of, students who are eligible for free and reduced-price school meals. Toward this end, schools may utilize electronic identification and payment systems; provide meals to all children, regardless of income; promote the availability of school meals to all students; and/or use nontraditional methods for serving school meals. Food
Service employees will be aware that it is against the law to make others in the cafeteria aware of the eligibility status of children for free, reduced-price, or “paid” meals.

Staff Qualifications and Professional Development
All school nutrition program directors, managers, and staff will meet or exceed hiring and annual continuing education/training requirements in the USDA professional standards for child nutrition professionals. These school nutrition personnel will refer to USDA’s Professional Standards for School Nutrition Standards website to search for training that meets their learning needs.

Water
To promote hydration, drinking water that is free, safe, and unflavored will be available to all students. TRSD will make drinking water available where school meals are served during mealtimes.

Meal Times and Scheduling
Schools should schedule meal periods at appropriate times with ample amount of time given to students to eat breakfast and lunch. They will provide students access to hand washing or hand sanitizing before they eat meals or snacks. Schools should not schedule tutoring, club, or organizational meetings or activities during mealtimes, unless students may eat during such activities.

Local Products & Produce
The district will purchase local foods and source fresh fruits and vegetables from local farmers where practical, when available, and when prices fall within budgetary constraints. Triton Food Services (TFS) will participate in the Department of Defense Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Program to supplement the purchase of fresh produce.

TFS may engage students, through taste-tests of new entrees and surveys, in selecting foods sold through the school meal programs in order to identify new, healthful, and appealing food choices to increase school meal participation. Menus will be planned with input from students, family members, and other school personnel and should consider students’ cultural norms and preferences.

Nutrition Standards for Competitive and Other Foods and Beverages
TRSD is committed to ensuring that all foods and beverages available to students on the school campus during the school day support healthy eating. The school day is defined as midnight of the night before until 30 minutes after the final bell of the school day. TRSD will restrict marketing on the school campus during the school day to only those foods and beverages that meet Massachusetts Nutrition Standards for Food and Beverages and USDA Smart Snacks, whichever is more restrictive. To support healthy food choices and improve student health and well-being, foods and beverages sold and served outside of the school meal programs (e.g., “competitive” foods and beverages) will comply to the Massachusetts Nutrition Standards for Food and Beverages and USDA Smart Snacks, whichever is more restrictive.

Competitive foods are defined as foods and beverages sold or provided in:

1. School cafeterias offered as a la carte items
2. School buildings, including classrooms & hallways
3. School stores
4. School snack areas
5. Vending machines (must comply 24 hours/day)
6. Concession stands
7. Booster sales
8. Fundraising activities
9. School-sponsored or school-related events
10. Any other location on school property

A summary of the standards and information, as well as a Guide to Smart Snacks in Schools are available at: http://www.fns.usda.gov/healthierschoolday/tools-schools-smart-snacks.

Vending machines must comply with Massachusetts Nutrition Standards for Food and Beverages and USDA
Smart Snacks at all times, regardless of the machine being on or off. The machine may not be turned on during the school day when under the ownership of an outside vendor. Should the school own and operate the machines, they may be on during the day.

Celebrations and Rewards
All foods offered on the school campus will meet or comply with the Massachusetts Nutrition Standards for Food and Beverages and USDA Smart Snacks, whichever is more restrictive.

Schools should consider student food allergies and intolerances when planning promotional activities and to promote healthy food and beverage choices at all events where foods and beverages are available to students.

Celebrations and parties: For safety concerns and the increase in the variety of foods with the potential for an allergic response, student celebrations that occur during the school day cannot include any foods or food products. No food items can be brought into the classroom for distribution to the class. Alternative party ideas are available from the USDA, Alliance for a Healthier Generation and from the CDC.

Rewards and incentives: Foods and beverages will not be used as a reward for academic performance or good behavior, unless this practice is allowed by a student’s individual education plan (IEP). Food and beverages
(including food served through school meals) will not be withheld as punishment for any reason, such as for performance or behavior.

Fundraising: Fundraising during school hours will sell only non-food items or foods and beverages that meet or exceed the Massachusetts Nutrition Standards for Food and Beverages and USDA Smart Snacks, whichever is more restrictive. Schools can promote non-food fundraisers, and encourage those promoting physical activity
(such as walk-a-thons, Jump Rope for Heart, fun runs, etc.). Schools should avoid participating in fundraisers or corporate incentive programs that promote a message inconsistent with the goals of a healthy school community.

Outside supporting groups, such as PTA’s, Triton Education Foundation, Triton Music Parents’ Organization, and Athletic Booster groups, who are holding events outside the school day, are encouraged, but are under no mandate, to use the nutritional guidelines within this policy. Any events which may occur during normal school hours, including before the school day and one half hour after the normal school day, must abide by the above guidelines.

Nutrition Education
Nutrition education lessons are designed using instructional techniques and strategies to promote healthy eating. Nutrition education lessons are based on the most recent dietary guidelines for Americans developed by the USDA and are age appropriate based on the Massachusetts Health Education Curriculum Framework
Standards. All schools within TRSD will include nutrition education and students will receive sequential and age- appropriate comprehensive nutrition education.

Students will gain an understanding of the below nutrition topics, and nutrition education will be integrated into other subjects, as applicable. Lessons will be participatory and interactive. The following topics will be included, but not limited to:

1. Myplate
2. Essential and non-essential nutrients Macronutrients: protein, carbohydrate, fat Balance of caloric intake and energy expenditure.

Vitamins & minerals in relation to nutritional deficiencies
Included but not limited to: Vitamin A, C, D, E, K, B Vitamins, calcium, iron, phosphorus, magnesium, & calcium
Limiting non-essential nutrients including added sugars, sodium, & saturated fats

1. Food choices and consumption including reading nutrition labels and discussing food eaten inside and outside their home
2. Media Literacy and evaluation of nutrition misinformation including social influences on healthy eating from media, family, peers, and culture
3. Students assessing their personal eating habits, while learning to create and develop individualized healthy eating plans
4. Cross-cultural exploration of eating behaviors, food-based practices, and skills
5. Addressing agriculture and the food system including eating local food, and practicing sustainability through food consumption
6. Basics of cooking and preparing foods including food safety skills

Nutrition education will be linked to the school food service environment which will include, but not be limited to: promotion of cultural recipes, farm to school, taste testings, and other school food and nutrition-related community services.

Health Education
Triton Regional School District will strive to provide Health Education skills and concepts as part of the regular instructional program. TRSD will strive to provide the opportunity for all students to understand and practice concepts and skills related to health promotion and disease prevention. Health Education is based on the Massachusetts Health Education Curriculum Framework Standards.
Health Education within TRSD will:

1. Provide skill-based health education program based upon state and national standards
2. Be age-appropriate, culturally-relevant, comprehensive, and sequential
3. Include the use of interpersonal communication skills, goal-setting, decision-making, and self management skills to enhance health
4. Includes analysis of the influence of culture, media, technology and other factors on health
5. Include promoting parent awareness

Physical Education and Activity
Schools will promote an environment supportive of physical activity. Students will be given opportunities for physical activity such as recess periods, physical education classes, physical activity programs and the integration of physical activity into the academic curriculum. All schools in the district will provide a physical and social environment that encourages safe and enjoyable activity for all students, including those who are not athletically inclined.

Physical Education classes will be consistent with the Massachusetts State Frameworks for Physical Education and the National Standards that define what students should know and be able to do, emphasizing knowledge, skills, and personal goal-setting for a lifetime of physical activity.

1. All elementary, middle, and high schools will offer extracurricular physical activity programs. Schools will strive to offer a range of activities that meet the needs, interests, and abilities of all students, including boys, girls, students with disabilities, and students with special health-care needs.
2. All physical education classes must involve physical exertion of moderate to vigorous intensity level and for a duration sufficient to provide significant health benefit to students.
3. Students shall be supported in setting and striving towards personal fitness goals that result in the achievement and maintenance of a health-enhancing level of physical fitness.
4. It is recommended that whenever possible, students at the elementary level be scheduled to go to recess prior to their lunch period.
5. District employees and community personnel should not use physical activity (e.g., running laps, pushups) or withhold opportunities for physical activity (e.g., recess, physical education) as a consequence, unless doing so is connected to the negative actions and is a logical consequence.
6. After-school child care and enrichment programs will provide and encourage verbally and through the provision of space, equipment, and activities daily periods of moderate to vigorous physical activity for all participants.

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)
Triton Regional School District is committed to promoting the social and emotional well-being of all students. Triton Regional School District utilizes a multi-tier system of supports to provide high quality, evidence-based instruction and interventions in the core competencies of SEL including: Self- Awareness, Self-Management, Responsible Decision -Making, Social Awareness, and Relationship Skills.

The District’s approach to implementing SEL includes:

1. Programming to develop positive, equitable, and inclusive school climates and cultures that supports the diversity of our staff and students.
2. Direct instruction for SEL skill acquisition integrated in both unit and lesson plans for all classes.
3. Appropriate integration of SEL strategies into academic work, and extracurricular activities
4. Universal and Targeted interventions designed to support students in acquiring skills.

Triton Regional School District will continue to ensure that in-school support services
(including counselors, psychologists, and nursing staff) are accessible to all students presenting with social, emotional, mental health and substance abuse issues for screening, referral and ongoing counseling in school as needed. Trained licensed clinical staff will be available to respond to social service and psychiatric emergencies during school hours.
LEGAL REFERENCES: The Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004, Section 204, Public Law 108 -265
The Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act, 42 U.S.C.

The School Committee accepts ultimate responsibility for all facets of school operations. Because it is accountable to residents of the District, the School Committee will maintain a program of accountability consisting of the following elements:

1. Clear statements of expectations and purpose as these relate to operations, programs, departments, and positions.
2. Provisions for the staff, resources, and support necessary to achieve stated expectations and purposes, subject to financial support by residents of the District.
3. Evaluation of operations and instructional and staff development programs to determine how well expectations and purposes are being met.
4. Specific performance objectives to enable individuals to direct their own efforts to the goals and objectives of the District.
5. Evaluation of the efforts of employees in line with stated objectives, with the first purpose of evaluation being to help each individual make a maximum contribution to the goals of the District.

Every effort will be made by the School Committee, Superintendent, and staff to fulfill the responsibilities inherent in the concept of accountability.

The School Committee is responsible to the people for whose benefit the school district has been established.
The Committee's current decisions will influence the course of education in our schools for years to come. The Committee and each of its members must look to the future and to the needs of all people more than the average cit izen finds necessary. This requires a comprehensive perspective and long-range planning in addition to attention to immediate concerns.

The School Committee's primary responsibility is to establish those purposes, programs, and procedures that will best produce the educational achievement needed by our students. The Committee is charged with accomplishing this while also being responsible for wise management of resources available to the school district. The Committee must fulfill these responsibilities by functioning primarily as a legislative body to formulate and adopt policy, by selecting an executive officer to implement policy, and by evaluating the results.
It must carry out its functions openly, while seeking the comments of public, students, and staff in its decision- making processes.

In accordance with these principles, the technique will involve:

Periodically setting performance objectives for the School Committee itself and evaluating their accomplishment

Setting objectives for performance for each position and function in the system.

Allowing the people responsible for carrying out objectives to have a role in setting them.

Establishing practical and SMART district goals.

Conducting a concrete and periodic review of performance against these goals.
SOURCE: MASC - Updated 2022

The School Committee will periodically establish realistic objectives related to Committee procedures and relationships. At the end of a specified length of time, the Committee will measure its performance against the stated objectives.

The following areas of School Committee operations and relationships are representative of those in which objectives may be set and progress appraised:

Communication with the public

School Committee Superintendent relationships

School Committee member development and performance

Policy development

Educational leadership

Fiscal management

School Committee meetings

Performance of subcommittees of the School Committee

Interagency and governmental relationships

When the Committee has completed its self-evaluation, the members will discuss the results in detail and formulate a new series of objectives. At the same time, the Committee will set an approximate date on which the next evaluation will be conducted. Implied in the concept of evaluation is an assumption that individuals and Committees are capable of improvement. The School Committee believes that its performance will be improved if evaluation is carried out systematically in accordance with good planning, conscientious follow- through, and careful assessment of results.

SOURCE: MASC - Reviewed 2022

State law provides that:

The Triton Regional School Committee shall consist of three members from each town who shall be elected district wide in an annual election to be held on the second Tuesday in May. All candidates shall be elected to serve a three year term. (See p.3, section 1A of the Regional Agreement)

The School Committee is the governing board of the regional public school system. Although it functions as a duly elected committee of town government, the School Committee has, unlike other town boards, autonomous and absolute authority within limitations established by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to carry out the educational policies of the state and guide the educational process.

Established by law

Legal References

• M.G.L. 41:1 and 71:37 specifically, but powers and duties of School Committees are established
• throughout the General Laws of Massachusetts Relating to School Committees M.G.L. 71:14B & 71:16A

The School Committee has all the powers conferred upon it by state law and must perform those duties mandated by the state. These include the responsibility and right to determine policies and practices and to employ a staff to implement its directions for the proper education of the children of the community.

The Committee takes a broad view of its functions. It sees them as:

Legislative or policymaking - The Committee is responsible for the development of policy as guides for administrative action and for employing a Superintendent who will implement its policies.

Appraisal - The Committee is responsible for evaluating the effectiveness of its policies and their implementation.

Provision of financial resources - The Committee is responsible for adoption of a budget that will enable the school district to carry out the Committee's policies.

Public relations - The Committee is responsible for providing adequate and direct means for keeping the local citizenry informed about the schools and for keeping itself and the school staff informed about the needs and wishes of the public.

Educational planning and evaluation - The Committee is responsible for establishing educational goals and policies that will guide the Committee and staff for the administration and continuing improvement of the educational programs provided by the School District.

Personnel Matters

The Superintendent shall be appointed by vote of the Committee and shall directly report to the Committee as provided by law and perform all the duties that are prescribed by law and such other duties, not inconsistent thereto, as a majority of the Committee may direct.

The School Committee shall appoint, upon the recommendation of the Superintendent, Assistant/Associate/Deputy Superintendent(s), Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment, Director of

Finance & Operations, Director of Student Services, School Physician, School Nurses, and Supervisor of Attendance. Such positions shall not report directly to the School Committee.
SOURCE: MASC - Reviewed 2022

Legal References

• M.G.L. 71:37 specifically, but powers and duties of School Committees are established throughout the
• Massachusetts General Laws.
• M.G.L. 71:16-16I

AUTHORITY

Because all powers of the School Committee derived from state laws are granted in terms of action as a group, members of the School Committee have authority only when acting as a Committee legally in session.

The School Committee will not be bound in any way by any statement or action on the part of an individual member except when such statement or action is a result of specific instructions of the Committee.

No member of the Committee, by virtue of the office, will exercise any administrative responsibility with respect to the schools or command the services of any school employee.

The School Committee will function as a body and all policy decisions and other matters, as required by law, will be settled by an official vote of the Committee sitting in formal session.

DUTIES

The duties and obligations of the individual Committee member may be enumerated as follows:

To become familiar with the General Laws of the Commonwealth relating to education and School
Committee operations, regulations of the Massachusetts Board of Education, policies and procedures of this School Committee and School Department

To keep abreast of new laws and the latest trends in education

To have a general knowledge of the goals, objectives, and programs of the district's public schools

To work effectively with other Committee members without trying either to dominate the Committee or neglect their share of the work

To respect the privileged communication that exists in executive sessions by maintaining strict confidentiality on matters discussed in these sessions, except that which becomes part of the public record, once it has been approved for release

To vote and act in Committee impartially for the good of the students

To accept the will of the majority vote in all cases, and to remember that they are one of a team and must abide by, and carry out, all Committee decisions once they are made

To represent the Committee and the schools to the public in a way that promotes interest and support

To refer questions and concerns to the proper school authorities

To comply with the accepted code of ethics for School Committee members

In order to serve on the School Committee, an individual must be a registered voter in the town from which they are elected or appointed and must take an oath of office as required by law.

Each new member will present to the Committee secretary official certification of having sworn the oath before an officer duly qualified to administer oaths prior to entering on their official duties as a member of the Committee.

From the Municipal or District Clerk, newly qualified Committee members, by law, receive, and sign a receipt for, a copy of the Massachusetts open meeting law governing the conduct of Committee meetings in general and executive sessions in particular, the Attorney General's regulations, the Attorney General's Open Meeting
Law Guide, and a copy of each Open Meeting Law meeting violation determination of the Attorney General's office for the School Committee for the last 5 years.

Newly qualified Committee members shall, by law, receive and sign a receipt for, within 30 days of taking office, a copy of the Massachusetts Ethics Commission s Summary of the Conflict of Interest laws. As municipal employees, all School Committee members shall receive a copy of said summary annually. All School
Committee members shall, within 30 days of taking office, and every 2 years thereafter, complete the Massachusetts Ethics Commission's online training program. Upon completion of the online training program, members shall provide notice of such completion to be retained for 6 years by the Municipal or District Clerk.

Membership on a School Committee is not limited to race, color, sex, religion, national origin, gender identity or sexual orientation.

Established by law

Legal References

• M.G.L. 30A:20; 41:1; 41:107; 76:5; 268A:27-28
• Triton Regional Agreement

An existing Triton Regional School Committee member who submits their resignation to the appropriate certifying authority terminates their duties at the time of their resignation unless they state in that resignation a specific time at which the resignation will take effect.

Should a School Committee member move permanently out of the town which elected them to the Committee, they shall be deemed to have vacated their office.

Established by law

Legal References

• M.G.L. 41:2; 41:109

Any vacancy occurring on the Triton Regional School Committee for any cause shall be filled by the local Board of Selectmen and the remaining School Committee members from the town in which the vacancy occurs. Such replacement shall serve until the next scheduled Regional School Committee election at which time a candidate shall be elected to fill the remainder of the term.

Established by law

Legal References

• M.G.L. 41:1141:11

PREAMBLE

The acceptance of a code of ethics implies the understanding of the basic organization of School Committees under the Laws of the Com monwealth of Massachusetts. The oath of office of a School Committee member binds the individual member to adherence to those state laws which apply to School Committees, since School
Committees are agencies of the state.

This code of ethics delineates three areas of responsibility of School Committee members in addition to that implied above: Community responsibility

Responsibility to school administra tion

Relationships to fellow Committee members

A School Committee member in their relations with their community should: Realize that their primary responsibility is to the children.

Recognize that their basic function is to be policymaking and not administrative.

Remember that they are one of a team and must abide by, and carry out, all Committee decisions once they are made.

Be well-informed concerning the duties of a Committee member on both a local and state level.

Remember that they represents the entire community at all times.

Accept the office as a Committee member as means of unselfish service with no intent to "play politics," in any sense of the word, or to benefit personally from their Committee activities.

Serve as an effective and positive representative of public education in general and the Triton Regional
Schools in particular.

A School Committee member in their relations with their school adminis tration should: Endeavor to establish sound, clearly defined policies which will direct and support the administration.

Recognize and support the administrative chain of command and refuse to act on complaints as an individual outside the administration.

Give the chief administrator full responsibility for discharging their professional duties and hold them responsible for acceptable results.

Refer all complaints to the administrative staff for solution and only discuss them at Committee meetings if such solutions fail.

A School Committee in their relations with their fellow Committee members should: Recognize that action at official meetings is binding and that they alone cannot bind the Committee outside of such meetings.

Realize that they should not make statements or promises of how they will vote on matters that will come before the Committee.

Uphold the intent of executive sessions and respect the privileged communications that exist in executive sessions.

Not withhold pertinent information on school matters or personnel problems, either from members of their own Committee or from members of other Committees who may be seeking help or information on school problems

Make decisions only after all facts on a question have been presented and discussed.

NOTE: MASC code of ethics is intended to be a guideline for School Committee members. The code is not binding by law.
SOURCE: Massachusetts Association of School Committees, 5/22/64 - Reviewed 2022

For the purpose of organizing, the School Committee, at its first regular meeting following the District's annual elections, will elect from its membership a Chair, a Vice-Chair, and a Secretary, all of whom will hold their respective offices for a term of one year or until a successor is elected.

In the event the Chair and Vice-Chair are no longer members of the School Committee, the senior member
(years served) will act as the Chair Pro-Tem.

A majority of the members of the School Committee will constitute a quorum. The election will proceed as follows:

1. Nominations for the office of Chair will be made from the floor. The Chair will be elected by a majority roll-call vote of the members present and voting. If no nominee receives a majority vote, the election will be declared null and void and nominations will be reopened.
2. Upon election, the new Chair will preside, calling for the election of a Vice-Chair and secretary, in order.

The procedure used for their election will be the same as that for electing the Chair.
Any vacancy among the officers occurring between organizational meetings will be filled by a member elected by the School Committee. The election will be conducted as described above. F ollowing election of officers at its organizational meeting, the School Committee may proceed into such regular or special business as scheduled on the agenda.

Position: Chairperson

Qualifications: Completion of one full year of elected office for any public body as a vice chairperson or chairperson.

Completion of two full years of elected office.

Ability to communicate and work effectively with diverse groups: Committee members, administration, parents, town officials, and community members.
Goal:

To provide leadership relevant to the School Committee s primary responsibility, governance and oversight of the school district.

Responsibilities: The Chair of the School Committee has the same powers as any other member of the Committee to vote upon all measures coming before it, to offer resolutions and to discuss questions. They will perform those duties that are consistent with their office and those required by law, state regulations, and this Committee. In carrying out these responsibilities, the Chair will:

Sign the instruments, acts, and orders necessary to carry out state requirements and the will of the Committee.

Consult with the Superintendent in the planning of the Committee s agendas.

Confer with the Superintendent on crucial matters that may occur between Committee meetings.

Appoint subcommittees, subject to Committee approval.

Call special meetings of the Committee as found necessary.

Be public spokesperson for the Committee at all times except as this responsibility is specifically delegated to others.

Be responsible for the orderly conduct of all Committee meetings.

Call the meeting to order at the appointed time.

Announce the business to come before the Committee in its proper order.

Enforce the Committee s policies relating to the order of business and the conduct at meetings.

Recognize persons who desire to speak, and protect the speaker who has the floor from disturbance or interference.

Explain what the effect of a motion would be if this is not clear to members.

Restrict discussion to the question when a motion is made.

Answer all parliamentary inquires.

Put motions to a vote, stating definitely and clearly the vote and result thereof.

Mentor Vice Chairperson.

Terms:

The School Committee Chairperson will hold their elected position for a one-year term.

Position: Vice Chairperson

Qualifications: Completion of two full years of elected office.

Ability to communicate and work effectively with diverse groups: Committee members, administration, parents, town officials, and community members.
Goal:

T o assist the School Committee Chairperson substantially and effectively in the task of providing leadership relevant to the School Committee s primary responsibility governance and oversight of the school district.

Responsibilities: Serve in the absence of the School Committee Chairperson as the presiding officer of the Committee.

Perform such other duties as may be delegated or assigned by the Chairperson.
Terms:

The School Committee Vice Chairperson will hold their elected position for a one-year term.

Position: Secretary

Qualifications: Completion of one full year of elected office.

Ability to communicate and work effectively with diverse groups: Committee members, administration, parents, town officials, and community members.
Goal:

To assist the School Committee Chairperson with tasks necessary for the efficient operation of the School
Committee.

Responsibilities: Keep an accurate record of all Committee meetings through the office of the Superintendent.

Comply with state law and Committee policy regarding notification of meetings.

Render such reports as may be required by the state or the town.
Terms:

The School Committee Secretary will hold their elected position for a one-year term.

The treasurer shall be appointed by the Committee as provided by law and shall perform all the duties that are prescribed by law and such other duties, not inconsistent there to, as majority of the Committee may direct.

The Committee will leave to the Superintendent all matters of decision and administration that come within their scope as executive officer or as professional leader of the school district. While the Committee reserves to itself the ultimate decision of all matters concerning general policy or expenditures of funds, it will normally proceed in these areas after receiving recommendations from its executive officer.

The Superintendent may seek guidance from the Committee with respect to matters of operation whenever appropriate. If it is necessary to make exceptions to an established policy, they will submit the matter to the Committee for advice and direction.

The Superintendent will assist the Committee in reaching sound judgments and establishing policies, and will place before the Committee all relevant facts, information, and reports necessary to keep the Committee adequately informed of situations or business at hand.

Members of the School Committee and the Superintendent of Schools will at all times:

1. Behave respectfully towards one another
2. Adhere to the Norms of Collaboration and School Committee Operating Protocols
3. Respect the roles and responsibilities of each party as outlined by statute, the MA Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, and MA Association of School Committees
4. Bring any and all criticisms, complaints and suggestions of substance called to the attention of the members of the School Committee to the Superintendent for study, disposition/or recommendation as appropriated to facilitate the orderly administration of the District, ensure responsiveness to the public, and fairness to the Superintendent and the Committee

The School Committee shall appoint members to subcommittees at their annual organizational meeting for a period of one year. These subcommittees may be created for a specific purpose and to make recommendations for Committee action as formed.

1. The subcommittee will be established through action of the Committee.
2. The subcommittee members will be appointed by the Committee chairperson, subject to approval by the Committee. Subcommittee members will elect a chairperson at their first meeting.
3. The subcommittee will be provided with a list of its functions and duties.
4. The subcommittee may make recommendations for Committee action, but it may not act for the School Committee.
5. All subcommittees of the School Committee are subject to the Open Meeting Law.

SOURCE: MASC - Reviewed 2022

Legal References

• M.G.L.30A:18-25;

The following general policies will govern the appointment and functioning of advisory committees to the School
Committee other than the student advisory committee, which is governed by the terms of the Massachusetts
General Laws.

1. Advisory committees may be created by the School Committee to serve as task forces for special purposes or to provide continuing consultation in a particular area of activity. However, there will be no standing overall advisory committee to the School Committee.
2. If an advisory committee is required by state or federal law, its composition and appointment will meet all the guidelines established for that particular type of committee.
3. The composition of task forces and any other advisory committees will be broadly representative and take into consideration the specific tasks assigned to the committee. Members of the professional staff may be appointed to the committee as members or consultants, as found desirable.
4. Appointments to such committees will be made by the Committee; appointment of staff members to such committees will be made by the School Committee upon recommendation of the Superintendent.
5. Tenure of committee members will be one year only unless the member is reappointed.
6. Each committee will be clearly instructed as to:
7. The length of time each member is being asked to serve.
8. The assignment the School Committee wishes the committee to fulfill and the extent and limitations of its responsibilities.
9. The resources the School Committee will provide.
10. The approximate dates on which the School Committee wishes to receive major reports.
11. School Committee policies governing citizens, committees and the relationship of these committees to the School Committee as a whole, individual School Committee mem bers, the

Superintendent, and other members of the pro fessional staff.

f . Responsibilities for the release of information to the press.

1. Recommendations of committees will be based upon research and fact.
2. The School Committee possesses certain legal powers and prerogatives that cannot be delegated or surrendered to others. Therefore, all recommendations of an advisory committee must be submitted to the School Committee.
3. Advisory committees created under this policy are subject to the provisions of the Open Meeting Law.

The Committee will have the sole power to dissolve any of its advi sory committees and will reserve the right to exercise this power at any time during the life of any committee.
SOURCE: MASC - Reviewed 2022

Legal References

• M.G.L. 30A:18-2530A:18-25

The School Committee believes that the school is the key unit for educational improvement and change and that successful school improvement is best accomplished through a school-based decision-making process. By involving those directly affected by any action or decision of the school council in the process of determining that action or decision, it helps to strengthen the commitment to those decisions by those most affected by its implementation.

Under this policy, the Principal shall have primary responsibility for the management of the school. Decisions which are made at the school level must be aligned with the budget, policies, curriculum, and long-range and short-range goals adopted by the School Committee. In addition, decisions must comply with any state and federal laws and regulations and with any negotiated agreements of the school.

As enacted by the state legislature in the Education Reform Act of 1993, a school council shall be established in each school to advise the Principal in specific areas of school operation. The Principal, except as specifically defined in the law, shall have the responsibility for defining the composition of and forming the group pursuant to a representative process approved by the Superintendent and School Committee.

The Principal shall, by law, serve as co-chair of the council. The second co-chair will be elected annually by the council members at its first meeting of the school year subsequent to the elections of new council members.
The co-chairs will be responsible for the preparation of the agenda for the council meetings.

The school council shall meet at least once monthly during the school year. Meetings will be held outside of school hours.

School councils shall use consensus as the primary method to resolve issues and to formulate recommendations. Votes by majority may be taken at the discretion of the Principal and Robert's Rules of Order.

All meetings of the school council shall conform to the Open Meeting Law. The scope of the school council does not require, and therefore does not qualify for, executive session.

The Superintendent shall receive agendas and minutes of all school council meetings. The Superintendent shall provide copies of these materials to members of the School Committee upon request. The following guidelines define the role of the school council:

The School Council shall meet regularly with the Principal of the school and shall assist in:

1. Adoption of educational goals for the school that are consistent with state and local policies and standards
2. Identification of the educational needs of the students attending the school
3. Review of the school building budget
4. Formulation of a school improvement plan that may be implemented only after review and approval by the Superintendent SOURCE: MASC - Consolidated and Updated 2022

LEGAL REFS: M.G.L. 71:38Q, 71:59C; C30A:18-15

The Principal, in conjunction with the school council, shall be responsible for preparing a written school improvement plan annually. This plan shall be written with the advice of the school council and submitted for approval to the Superintendent and the School Committee. The plan should be drafted with the following in mind:

1. The educational goals for the school consistent with the goals and standards, including student performance standards, as adopted by the Massachusetts Board of Education and by the School Committee
2. An assessment of the needs of the school in light of the proposed educational goals
3. The means to address student performance
4. Professional development for the school s professional staff
5. The enhancement of parental involvement in the life of the school, safety, and discipline
6. The development of means for meeting the diverse learning needs of every child
7. Any further subjects as the Principal, in consultation with the school council, shall consider appropriate, except that:
8. the council shall have no authority over matters that are subject to Chapter 150E, the collective bargaining law
9. the council may not expand the scope of its authority beyond that established in law or expressly granted by School Committee policy

The written school improvement plan shall be submitted by the Principal to the Superintendent and the School
Committee for review and approval by June 30th of each year for the following school year.

Because the implementation of the plan is dependent on School Committee approval, it is important that the school council be aware of certain expectations of the School Committee. The school improvement plan should:

1. Focus on improvement of student learning
2. Specify expected student outcomes and measurable/observable results
3. Align with the mission of the school district and any goals and policies of the school district
4. Be consistent with state and federal law, school district policy, established curriculum and negotiated agreements
5. Clearly identify actions to be taken on how changes will be implemented.
6. Include a plan on how to solicit community support for the changes being developed
7. Indicate anticipated costs and available funding sources
8. Delineate the method of evaluating and reporting progress and results including an analysis of student performance

If the school improvement plan is not approved by the Superintendent and School Committee, it shall be returned to the Principal with specific comments as to the reason(s). The Principal shall revise the plan in cooperation with the school council, and resubmit it for approval. If the school improvement plan is not reviewed by the School Committee within 30 days of its receipt by the Committee, the plan shall be deemed to have been approved.

Legal References

• M.G.L. 69:11; 71:59C

The Principal shall, by law, serve as co-chair of the council. The second co-chair will be elected annually by the council members at its first meeting of the school year subsequent to the elections of new council members.
The co-chairs will be responsible for the preparation of the agenda for the council meetings.

The school council shall meet at least once monthly during the school year. Meetings will be held outside of school hours. At its first meeting of the school year, the council will set its calendar of regular meetings for the year. Where circumstances warrant, the council may choose to call additional meetings.

School councils shall use consensus as the primary method to resolve issues and to formulate recommendations. Votes by majority may be taken at the discretion of the Principal and Robert s Rules of Order shall prevail if there are questions of procedure.

All meetings of the school council shall conform to the Open Meeting Law, Chapter 30A, Sections 18-25, which stipulate that all meetings be open to the public, that meetings be posted at least 48 hours in advance, and that minutes of the meeting shall be maintained as required. The scope of the school council does not require, and therefore does not qualify for, executive session.

The Superintendent shall receive agendas and minutes of all school council meetings. The Superintendent shall provide copies of these materials to members of the School Committee upon request.

It will be the duty of the counsel for the Committee to advise the School Committee and the Superintendent on the specific legal problems submitted to them. They will attend meetings upon request and will be sufficiently familiar with committee policies, practices, and actions under these policies, and with requirements of the school law to enable them to offer the necessary legal advice.

A decision to seek legal advice or assistance on behalf of the school district will be made by the Committee.
The Superintendent may also take such action at the direction of the Committee.

Many types of legal assistance are routine and do not require specific Committee approval or prior notice.
However, when the Superintendent concludes that unusual types or amounts of professional legal service may be required, they will advise the Committee and seek either initial or continuing authorization for such service.
SOURCE: MASC - Reviewed 2022
LEGAL REFS: M.G.L. 71:37E; 71:37F

The Triton Regional School District School Committee will transact all business at official meetings of the Committee. These may be either regular or special meetings, defined as follows:

1. Regular meeting: the usual official legal action meeting, held regularly
2. Special meeting: an official legal action meeting called between scheduled regular meetings to consider specific topics

Every meeting of the School Committee, regular or special, will be open to the public unless an executive session is held in accordance with state law.

Legal References

• M.G.L. 30A:18-2530A:18-25

The Committee authorizes remote participation consistent with the requirements of this policy in any meeting of the school committee, as well as all other public boards (i.e. School Council) under its jurisdiction.

The Committee acknowledges that attendance at board meetings is essential for its members to perform their official duties and to add to the diversity of thought and opinion in the board s deliberations. The board strongly encourages its members to be physically present for all board meetings. The board recognizes, however, that extenuating circumstances may occasionally prevent a member from being physically present at a meeting. It further recognizes that advances in technology, such as audio and video conferencing, have made it possible for members to communicate and deliberate with each other from remote locations. Therefore, to promote full participation of board members while ensuring access and transparency for the public as required by the Open
Meetings Law, G.S. 143-318.9 et seq., the committee authorizes remote participation in board meetings subject to the following procedures and requirements.

AUTHORIZED CIRCUMSTANCES FOR REMOTE PARTICIPATION

A member may attend a meeting and participate in board deliberations and decisions by remote participation if the member is prevented from physically attending the meeting due to:

1. personal illness or disability
2. out-of-town travel
3. unexpected lack of child-care
4. family member illness or emergency
5. military service
6. employment obligations

CONDITIONS AND REQUIREMENTS FOR REMOTE PARTICIPATION

Remote participation is not to be used solely for a board members convenience or to avoid attending a particular meeting in person.

1. Acceptable Technology: telephone, internet, or satellite enabled audio or video conferencing, or any other technology that enables the remote participant and all persons present at the meeting location to be clearly audible to one another. When video technology is in use, the remote participant shall be clearly visible to all persons present in the meeting location.
2. Not permitted: text messaging, instant messaging, email, or web chat without audio.
3. Technical difficulties: the person chairing the meeting or designee may decide how to address technical difficulties that arise as a result of utilizing remote participation. Wherever possible, to suspend discussion while reasonable efforts are made to correct any problem that interferes with a remote participant s ability to hear or be heard clearly by all persons present at the meeting location. If technical difficulties result in a remote participant being disconnected from the meeting, that fact and the time at which the disconnection occurred shall be noted in the meeting minutes. If a public hearing occurs after disconnection, the remote participant shall be noted as absent in the meeting minutes [940 CMR 29.10

(8)].

1. A board member participating remotely will NOT be considered physically present at the meeting for purposes of establishing a meeting quorum. However, the remote participant will be considered present and an active meeting participant, entitled to participate in all open session deliberations, discussions, and votes taken at the meeting.
2. Remote participation shall be limited to only one member per scheduled meeting. In justifiable circumstances, the chair of the meeting can agree to waive this limitation.
3. No board member may participate remotely more than 3 times during a calendar year. However, in justifiable circumstances, the chair of the meeting can agree to waive this limitation.

PROCEDURE FOR REMOTE PARTICIPATION [940 CMR 29.10 (7)]

1. Any member of the board who wishes to participate in a meeting remotely shall notify the board chair and the superintendent at least 48 hours in advance of the meeting so that necessary arrangements can be made. However, in justifiable circumstances, the chair of the meeting can agree to waive this limitation.
2. The chair or designee at the meeting location shall initiate contact with the remote member prior to the start of the meeting to secure participation.
3. At the start of the meeting, the chair shall announce the name of any member who will be participating remotely and the allowed reason under Section A above for their remote participation. This information shall also be recorded in the meeting minutes.
4. All votes taken during any meeting in which any member participates remotely shall only be by roll call vote.
5. Remote participants may not participate in Executive Sessions.
6. When feasible, the chair or designee, shall distribute to remote participants, in advance of the meeting, copies of any documents or exhibits that they reasonably anticipates will be used during the meeting.

Any documents used during the meeting shall be part of the official record of the meeting, and shall be listed in the meeting minutes and retained in accordance with MGL Chapter 30A section 22

1. A member participating remotely shall notify the chair if leaving the meeting before it is adjourned or rejoining the meeting after a period of absence. Any interruption to or discontinuation of the member s participation will also be noted in the minutes.
2. A board member considered present through remote participation will be permitted to vote on any action item at the meeting, except any item that was being discussed when an interruption to the electronic communication occurred, if the board s discussion was not suspended during the interruption. A brief loss of simultaneous communication, such as a few seconds, will not disqualify the member from voting on the matter under discussion.

MEETING MINUTES

Minutes for member participating remotely shall reflect the following:

1. Means by which method remote participation was delivered
2. Beginning time of remote participation
3. Any Technical difficulties will be noted
4. Time of any Interruption or disconnection in the remote participation, if applicable

Legal References

• 940 CMR 29.10
• M.G.L. 30A:18 - 25
• M.G.L. 32:23A, 23B

All meetings of the School Committee are open to attendance by the public and media representatives.
However, the Committee has the right to convene in a closed executive session when it meets the following procedural conditions imposed by state law:

1. The Committee will first convene in an open session for which due notice has been given.
2. The Chair (or, in their absence, the presiding member) will state the purpose for the executive session by stating all subjects that may be revealed without compromising the purpose for which the executive session was called.
3. A majority of the members must vote to enter the executive session, with the vote taken by roll call and recorded in the official minutes.
4. The Chair or presiding member will state before entering the executive session whether the Committee will reconvene in open session after the executive session.

The law puts specific limitations on the purposes for which execu tive sessions may be convened. The Committee may enter executive sessions only to deliberate:

1. The reputation, character, physical condition or mental health, rather than the professional competence, of a single individual, or the discipline or dismissal, including the hearing of charges against, a member of the Committee, a school department employee or student, or other individual. The individual has certain rights enumerated in the law including requiring the Committee to hold an open session should the individual so request.
2. Str ategy with respect to non-union negotiations or to conduct collective bargaining sessions with non- union personnel.
3. Strategy with respect to collective bargaining or litigation, if an open meeting might have a detrimental effect. Collective bargaining may also be conducted.
4. The deployment of security personnel or devices.
5. Allegations of criminal misconduct or to discuss the filing of criminal complaints.
6. Transactions of real estate, if an open meeting might be detrimental to the negotiating position of the Committee or another party.
7. To comply with the provisions of any general or specific law of federal grant-in-aid requirements.
8. And to consider and interview applicants for employment by a preliminary screening committee (The only position that the School Committee would be involved in that might qualify would be for the position of Superintendent.) This exemption only applies if it can be determined that an open meeting will have a detrimental effect in obtaining qualified applicants. This shall not apply to applicants who have passed a prior preliminary screening.
9. To meet or confer with a mediator with respect to any litigation or public business.
10. To discuss trade secrets or confidential competitively-sensitive or other proprietary information conducted by a governmental body as an energy supplier. (In the first case, an open meeting will be held if the individual involved so requests.)

Accurate records of the proceedings conducted in executive session will be kept and may remain secret only so long as their publica tion would defeat the purpose of the session.

The School Committee Chair and the Superintendent will review executive session minutes for possible declassification on, at least, a quarterly basis and, if necessary, will consult with legal counsel. The School
Committee Chair will bring minutes recommended for declassification to the School Committee for a vote either as part of a consent agenda or for individual action. In either case, there shall be an announcement of the declassification of minutes.

When a specific set of executive session minutes, not yet declassified, is requested by a member of the public, the School Committee shall render a decision on declassification at its next meeting or within 30 days after the request, whichever occurs first.

All votes taken in executive session will be recorded roll call votes, and will become part of the minutes of executive sessions.

Established by law and Committee policy

Legal References

• M.G.L. 30A:21; 30A:22

As required by law, a minimum of 48 hours' advance notice (excluding Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays) will be given for any meeting of the School Committee, including all subcommittee meetings. The only exception permitted is in case of emergency, which the law defines as "a sudden, generally unexpected occurrence or set of circumstances demanding immediate action."

Notification of the dates, times, and places of regular meetings may be accomplished by periodic publication of the schedule for the ensuing months. However, a minimum of 48 hours prior to each meeting the Committee shall cause to be posted a listing of each subject the Chair reasonably anticipates will be discussed at the meeting (the agenda). Notification of a change in a regular meeting time, place, or agenda and notification, including agenda, of a special meeting will be filed with the town clerk at least 48 hours in advance, as required by law.

NOTE: Municipal District notices are sent to the municipal clerk. The municipal clerk has most of the responsibility for notice posting compliance with the Open Meeting Law. However, Regional School
Districts who use a website as the alternate posting method must provide a notice to each district community member's municipal clerk containing a description of the district's posting website and directions for finding the postings on the website. In addition, the Regional School Committee's clerk or designee shall ensure that all notices conspicuously display the date and time of the posting and the date and time of any amendments to the posting. The Regional District clerk or designee is also responsible for retaining notices in accordance with the public records law.

Legal References

• M.G.L. 30A:18-2530A:18-25

The Superintendent, conferring with the Chairperson of the School Committee, will arrange the order of items on meetings agendas so that the Committee can accomplish its business as expeditiously as possible. The particular order may vary from meeting to meeting in keeping with the business at hand.

The agenda will be posted publicly and made available to the press.

The Committee will follow the order of business established by the agenda unless otherwise agreed to for the convenience of visitors, individuals appearing before the Committee, or to expedite Committee business.

Items of business may be suggested by a School Committee member, staff member, or citizen.

The inclusion of such items, however, will be at the discretion of the Chair of the Committee. A staff member who wishes to have a topic scheduled on the agenda should submit a written or e-mail request through the Superintendent.

The agenda will also provide for time when any citizen who wishes may speak briefly before the School
Committee.

The agenda, together with available supporting materials, will be distributed to School Committee members no less than three days prior to the meeting to permit adequate time to prepare for the meeting.

Best efforts will be made to end the public meeting by 9:30 p.m.

Robert's Rules of Order, Newly Revised will govern the proceedings of the Committee, except when those rules are in conflict with the Committee's approved policies and regulations.

In accordance with Robert's Rules, the Committee may suspend parliamentary rules of order by a two-thirds vote.

A majority vote of all members present is required for the election of officers, or for any other action unless otherwise indicated in the rules and regulations and regional agreement. The Ayes and Nays on any vote shall be recorded whenever any member of the Committee present requests it. Any vote passed by the majority, although not unanimous, thereby becomes the WILL OF THE COMMITTEE.

[A two-thirds vote will be required to suspend parliamentary rules of order.]

VOTING EXCEPTION

Per the Regional Agreement amended in May of 2021, closing an elementary school, or reconfiguring or eliminating the grades with an elementary school, shall require the approval of two-thirds of the Committee members from the affected member town(s) in addition to the approval of the Committee.

Legal References

• M.G.L. 30A:18-2530A:18-25; 71:42; 71:50
• Amended Agreement for the Triton Regional School District May of 2021

The minutes of a School Committee meeting constitute the written re cord of Committee actions; they are legal evidence of what the ac tion was. Therefore, the secretary of the School Committee will be responsible for reporting in the minutes all actions taken by the Committee.

Minutes will include:

1. The date, time, place, the members present or absent, annotated as to arrival and departure times, if during the meeting, a summary of each subject, and a list of documents and exhibits used at the meeting.
2. A complete record of official actions taken by the Committee relative to the Superintendent's recommendations, to communications, and to all business transacted. Resolutions and motions will be given in their exact wording, accompanied by the names of members moving and seconding and a record of the results of the vote. Reports and documents relating to a formal motion may be omitted if they are referred to and identified by title and date.
3. Notation of formal adjournment.

Copies of the minutes will be sent to all Committee members at least 48 hours in advance of the meeting at which the minutes are to be approved. Minutes of all meetings shall be created and approved in a timely manner which is defined in regulation as within the next 3 meetings of the body or within 30 days, whichever is later.

The approved minutes will become permanent records of the Committee. Minutes of public meetings and minutes of executive sessions that have been declassified will be in the custody of the Superintendent who will make them available to interested citizens upon request.
SOURCE: MASC - Reviewed 2022 LEGAL REFENCES.: M.G.L. 30A:22

Legal References

• M.G.L. 30A:22; 66:10
• 940 CMR 29.00

All regular and special meetings of the School Committee shall be open to the public. Executive sessions will be held only as prescribed by the Statuses of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

The School Committee desires individuals to attend its meetings so that they may become better acquainted with the operations and the programs of our local public schools. In addition, the Committee would like the opportunity to hear public comment.

Public comment is not a discussion, debate, or dialogue between individuals and the School Committee. It is an individual's opportunity to express an opinion on issues within the School Committee's authority.

To ensure the ability of the School Committee to conduct the district's business in an orderly manner, the following rules and procedures are adopted:

1. At the start of each regularly scheduled School Committee meeting, individuals will sign in for an opportunity to speak during public comment. The public comment segment shall not exceed 15 minutes.

All speakers are encouraged to present their remarks in a respectful manner. The presiding Chair may permit extension of this time limit, in extenuating circumstances.

1. Speakers will be allowed up to three (3) minutes to present their material and must begin their comments by stating their name and city/town.
2. If a particular issue arises during public comment that warrants a discussion, the Chairperson will defer such discussion to a subsequent meeting or refer the matter to the Superintendent.
3. The School Committee will give our member towns Selectmen an opportunity, with prior notice and the permission of the Chair, to be put on the agenda to address the Committee on a particular issue.
4. Topics for discussion should be limited to those items within the School Committee's scope of authority.

The authority of the School Committee primarily concerns the review and approval of the budget of the district's public schools, the performance of the Superintendent, and the educational goals and policies of the district's public schools. Comments and complaints regarding school personnel (apart from the Superintendent) or students are generally prohibited unless those comments and complaints concern

matters within the scope of School Committee authority.

1. The Chair of the meeting, after a warning, reserves the right to terminate speech which is not constitutionally protected because it constitutes true threats that are likely to provoke a violent reaction and cause a breach of the peace, or incitement to imminent lawless conduct.
2. Written comments longer than three (3) minutes may be presented to the president Chair before or after the meeting. All remarks will be addressed through the Chair of the meeting. Comments made during the public comment portion of the meeting do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of the Triton School Committee. embers.
3. Sign up instructions will be provided for those who wish to participate in Public Comment.

Legal References

• M.G.L. 30A:18-2530A:18-25

A School Committee Meeting is a meeting of a government body at which members of the body deliberate over public business. We welcome the attendance of members of the school district community to view your School
Committee as it conducts its regular business meeting.

Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 30A Section 20(f) governs public participation at open meetings covering all public bodies.

Chapter 30A:20 [Notice, Remote Participation, Public Participation, Certification]

(f) No person shall address a meeting of a public body without permission of the chair, and all persons shall, at the request of the chair, be silent. No person shall disrupt the proceedings of a meeting of a public body. If, after clear warning from the chair, a person continues to disrupt the proceedings, the chair may order the person to withdraw from the meeting and if the person does not withdraw, the chair may authorize a constable or other officer to remove the person from the meeting

The School Committee believes that the school district community should have an opportunity to comment to the Committee on issues that affect the school district and are within the scope of the Committee's responsibilities. Therefore, the Committee has set aside a period of time at each School Committee meeting to hear from the public. In addition, if the Committee believes that an issue requires a dialogue with the school district community, the Committee may schedule a separate public hearing on that issue.

Any citizen who wishes to make a presentation to the School Committee on an item which is of interest to them and within the scope of the Committees responsibilities may request to be placed on the agenda for a particular meeting. Such request should be in writing and should be received by the Superintendent of Schools at least one week prior to the date of the meeting. Such request should contain background statements which would explain the scope and intent of the agenda item. The Chair of the Committee works with the Superintendent to formulate the meeting agendas. Together they will determine whether or not to place an item on the agenda and if the item is to be taken up they will also determine when to place an item on the agenda and all parameters to be required of the presenter.

Here are the general rules for the Committees public comment period:

1. Public Comment shall be for a period of 15 minutes, or as extended by the Chair, and shall generally follow the opening of the meeting. The Committee reserves the right to rearrange its agenda to accommodate scheduled presenters.
2. Any citizen wishing to speak before the Committee shall identify themselves by name and address and shall speak for no longer than 3 minutes. No citizen may speak more than once without permission of the Chair. All citizens shall speak to the full Committee through the Chair and shall not address individual members or administrators.
3. Individuals may address topics on the agenda, items specified for public comment, or items within the scope of responsibility of the School Committee. The Chair shall rule out of order any individual who fails to honor the guidelines or who addresses a matter inappropriate for public comment.
4. Any Committee member may direct questions to the speaker through the Chair in order to clarify comments of the speaker.

SOURCE: MASC

In conducting all public hearings required by law, and others as it deems advisable, the School Committee will:

1. Give due and public notice in line with statutory requirements and seek to publicize the meeting in all local media.
2. Make available printed information on the topic of the hearing.
3. Give all persons an equal opportunity to be heard in accordance with the Committee's policy.

The Chair of the Committee will preside at the hearing.

The public will be informed at the beginning of the hearing the particular procedure that will be followed in regard to questions, remarks, rebuttals, and any time limitations or other rules that must be followed to give everyone an opportunity to be heard.

In conformance with customary hearing procedures, statements and supporting information will be presented first by the Committee, or by others for the Committee; to comment, citizens must be recognized by the Chair, and all remarks must be addressed to the Chair and be germane to the topic. To assure that all who wish get a chance to speak, the Chair will recognize persons who have not commented previously during the hearing before recognizing persons who wish to remark a second time.
SOURCE: MASC - Reviewed 2022

NOTE: The details pertaining to conduct of hearings (such as requirements for granting due process, rules of evidence, the making of records and transcripts, and so on), whether established by state law or by Committee action, may be included in the manual as a regulation coded BEE-R. Policies and procedures for special types of hearings -- such as those related to student suspension, staff dismissal, programs and accommodations for handicapped children, and so on -- are better filed under terms related to those specific topics.

The School Committee will develop policies and put them in writing so that they may serve as guides for the discretionary action of those to whom it delegates authority.

The formulation and adoption of these written policies will constitute the basic method by which the School
Committee will exercise its leadership in providing for the successful and efficient functioning of the school district. Through the study and evaluation of reports concerning the execution of its policies, the School
Committee will exercise its control over school operation.

Policies are principles adopted by a School Committee to chart a course of action. They tell what is wanted; they may include why and how much. Policies should be broad enough to indicate a line of action to be followed by the administration in meeting day-to-day problems, yet be specific enough to give clear guidance.

The policies of the School Committee are framed, and are meant to be interpreted, in terms of state law, regulations of the Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, and other regulatory agencies of the various levels of government.
SOURCE: MASC - Updated 2022

NOTE: One of the first policy needs of a School Committee is a policy, or set of policies, on policy development.
The policy above is one of a set of policies adopted by a Massachusetts School Committee

Adoption of new policies or changing existing policies is solely the responsibility of the School Committee.
Policies will be adopted and/or amended only by the affirmative vote of a majority of the members of the School Committee when such action has been scheduled on the agenda at a regular or special meeting.

To permit time for study of all policies or amendments to policies and to provide an opportunity for interested parties to react, proposed policies or amendments will be presented as an agenda item to the Committee in the following sequence:

1. Reference to and consideration by the Policy Subcommittee.
2. Consideration of proposed policy or policies as recommended by the Policy Subcommittee, response from Superintendent; report from any ad hoc committee assigned responsibility in the area; Committee discussion and directions for any redrafting or approval as a First Reading.
3. Reference to School Councils and/or bargaining units or other agencies for consultation as considered appropriate.
4. Action item: Second Reading, discussion, adoption or rejection.

Amendments to the policy at the action stage will not require repetition of the sequence, unless the Committee so directs.

By majority vote the School Committee may dispense with the above sequence to meet emergency conditions.

Policies will be effective upon the date set by the School Committee. This date will ensure that affected persons have an opportunity to become familiar with the requirements of the new policy prior to its implementation.

In an effort to keep its written policies up to date so that they can be used consistently as a basis for School
Committee action and administrative decision, the Committee will review its policies on a regular basis.

In its review, the Committee will evaluate how policies have been implemented. It will consider feedback from school staff, students, and the community when revising policies as appropriate.

The Superintendent is given the continuing commission of calling to the Committee's attention all policies that are out of date or for other reason appear to need revision.

The School Committee directs the Superintendent to periodically recall all policy and regulations manuals for administrative updating and Committee review.
SOURCE: MASC- Updated 2022

It is expected that the Superintendent and administrative staff will need to issue procedures implementing policies of the School Committee. Many of these will be routine from year to year; others will arise in special circumstances; some will be drawn up under specific directions from the Committee.

The Committee may review the procedures developed by the Superintendent for the school district whenever they appear inconsistent with policy, goals, or objectives of the District, but it will revise or veto such procedures only when, in the Committee's judg ment, they are inconsistent with policies adopted by the Committee.

The Committee will not officially approve procedures except as re quired by state law or in cases when strong community attitudes, or possible student or staff reaction, make it necessary or advisable for a procedure to have the Committee's advance approval.

Rules Pertaining to Staff and Student Conduct

Under Massachusetts law, the Superintendent is required to publish "rules and regulations pertaining to the conduct of teachers and students which have been adopted." Codes of discipline, as well as procedures used to develop such codes, shall be filed with the Dept. of Elementary and Secondary Education for information purposes only. Standards of conduct will be included in staff and student handbooks. These handbooks will be reviewed and approved annually by the School Committee.
SOURCE: MASC - Reviewed 2022
LEGAL REF: M.G.L. 71:37H71:37H

The Superintendent is directed to establish and maintain an orderly plan for preserving and making accessible the policies adopted by the Committee and the regulations needed to put them into effect.

Accessibility is to extend at least to all employees of the school district, to members of the Committee, and, insofar as conveniently possible, to all persons in the community. A policy concerning a particular group or groups in the schools will be distributed to those groups prior to the policy's effective date.

All policy manuals distributed to anyone will remain the property of the Committee and will be considered as on loan to anyone, or any organization, in whose possession they might be at any time. They are subject to recall at any time deemed necessary for purposes of updating.

The School Committee's official policy manual will be considered a public record and will be available online through the District website.

The operation of any section or sections of School Committee poli cies not established by law or contract may be temporarily suspend ed by a two-thirds vote of Committee members present at any regular or special meeting.
Any action to suspend policy must be reviewed at the next scheduled meeting and will be so noted on the agenda for that meeting.

The School Committee wishes to maintain open channels of communication between itself and the staff. The basic line of communication will, however, be through the Superintendent.
Staff Communications to the School Committee

All communications or reports to the Committee or any of its subcommittees from principals, supervisors, teachers, or other staff members will be submitted through the Superintendent. This procedure does not deny the right of any employee to appeal to the Committee for administrative decisions on important matters, except those matters that are outside of the Committee s legal authority, provided the Superintendent has been notified of the forthcoming appeal and that it is processed in accordance with the Committee s policy on complaints and grievances. Staff members are also reminded that Committee meetings are public meetings.
As such, they provide an excellent opportunity to observe first hand the Committee s deliberations on problems of staff concern.

School Committee Communications to Staff

All official communications, policies, and directives of staff interest and concern will be communicated to staff members through the Superintendent. The Superintendent will develop appropriate methods to keep staff fully informed of the Committee s problems, concerns and actions.

Visits to Schools

When acting in an official capacity, individual School Committee members interested in visiting schools or classrooms will inform the Superintendent of such visits (unless previously invited by the Principal) and make arrangements for visitations through the principals of the various schools. Such visits will be regarded as informal expressions of interest in school affairs and not as inspections or visits for supervisory or administrative purposes. Official visits by Committee members will be carried on only under Committee authorization.

As elected public officials, School Committee members shall exercise caution when communicating between and among themselves via electronic messaging services including but not limited to electronic mail (email), text messages, social media postings, internet web forums, and internet chat rooms.

Under the Open Meeting Law deliberation by a quorum of members constitutes a meeting. Deliberation is defined as movement toward a decision including but not limited to the sharing of an opinion regarding business over which the Committee has supervision, control, or jurisdiction. A quorum may be arrived at sequentially using electronic messaging without knowledge and intent by the author.

School Committee members should use electronic messaging between and among members only for housekeeping purposes such as requesting or communicating agenda items, meeting times, or meeting dates.
Electronic messaging should not be used to discuss Committee matters that require public discussion under the Open Meeting Law.

Under the Public Records Law electronic messages between public officials may be considered public records.
Therefore, in order to ensure compliance the district shall provide district e-mail addresses, which are archived.
SOURCE: MASC - Updated 2023

Legal References

• M.G.L. 4:7; 30A:18-25; 66:10

In accordance with the requirements of law, each new School Committee member elected to the School
Committee is required to complete, within one year of their election or appointment, at least eight hours of orientation training. This orientation shall include, but is not limited to, a review of School Finance, the Open
Meeting Law, Public Records Law, Ethics/Conflict of Interest Law, Special Education Law, Collective Bargaining, School Leadership Standards and Evaluations, and the Roles and Responsibilities of School Committee
Members.

The School Committee and Superintendent shall assist each new member to understand the Committee's functions, policies and procedures of the Committee as soon after election as possible. Each new member shall be given or provided direct online access to the following materials: A copy of the School Committee policy manual

A copy of the Open Meeting Law

A copy of the Ethics/Conflict of Interest Regulations

A copy of the district's budget

Collective bargaining agreements and contracts

Student and staff handbooks

Each new member shall also receive any other materials the Chair and/or the Superintendent determine.

The Chair and/or Superintendent shall also clarify policy: Arranging visits to schools or administrative offices

Requesting information regarding school district operations

Responding to community requests/complaints concerning staff or programs

Handling confidential information

Whether appointed or elected, new members should be advised that they are also members of the Massachusetts Association of School Committees, Inc. and should be encouraged to utilize the services and resources MASC provides by attending meetings or workshops specifically designed for new Committee members. Their expenses at these meetings or workshops will be reimbursed in accordance with established
School Committee policy.

Legal References

• M.G.L. 71:36A

To provide continuing in-service training and development for its members, the School Committee encourages the participation of all members at appropriate School Committee conferences, workshops and conventions.
However, in order to control both the investment of time and funds necessary to implement this policy, the Committee establishes these principles and procedures for its guidance:

1. The School Committee will be made aware of School Committee conferences, conventions and workshops. The Committee will periodically decide which meetings appear to be most promising in terms of producing direct and indirect benefits to the school district.
2. Funds for participation at such meetings will be budgeted for on an annual basis. When funds are limited, the Committee will designate which of its members would be the most appropriate to participate at a given meeting.
3. Reimbursement to Committee members for their travel expenses will be in accordance with the travel reimbursement policy.
4. When a conference, convention, or workshop is not attended by the full Committee, those who do participate will be requested to share information, recommendations and materials acquired at the meeting.

SOURCE: MASC Updated 2022

Legal References

• M.G.L. 40:5

The School Committee shall serve without compensation, except that a member of a School Committee of a city, town, regional school district or superintendency union may be compensated for their services by a majority vote of the city council in a city having a Plan D or Plan E charter; in a city not having a Plan D or Plan
E charter by vote of the city council, subject to the provisions of the charter of such a city; in a town by a majority vote at a town meeting; and in a regional school district or school superintendency by a majority vote of the voting member towns authorized at their respective town meetings, the amount of such compensation, in each case, to be set by the respective cities, towns or groups of towns. No member of a School Committee in any town shall be eligible to the position of teacher, or Superintendent of public schools therein, or in any union school or superintendency union or district in which their town participates.

Upon submitting vouchers and supporting bills for expenses incurred in carrying out specific services previously authorized by the Committee, members may be reimbursed from school funds.

Reimbursable expenses may include the cost of attendance at conferences of School Committee associations and other professional meetings or visitations when such attendance and expense payment has had prior
School Committee approval.

Legal References

• M.G.L. 40:5; 71:52

The School Committee, as an agent of the state, must operate within the bounds of state and federal laws affecting public education. If the Committee is to meet its responsibilities to the residents and students of this community, it must work vigorously for the passage of new laws designed to advance the cause of good schools and for the repeal or modification of existing laws that impede this cause.

To this end: The Committee will keep itself informed of pending legislation and actively communicate its concerns and make its position know to elected representatives at both the state and national level.

The Committee will work with its legislative representatives (both state and federal), with the Massachusetts Association of School Committees, and other concerned groups in developing an annual, as well as a long-range, legislative program. One of the major objectives of the Committee's legislative program will be to seek full funding for all state and federally mandated programs.

The Committee will annually designate a person, who may or may not be a member of the Committee, to serve as its legislative representative. This person will be authorized to speak on the Committee's behalf with respect to legislation being considered by the Massachusetts Legislature or the United States
Congress or their respective committees. In all dealings with individual elected representatives, the Legislature or Congress, the Committee's representative will be bound by the official positions taken by the School Committee.

The Committee is encouraged to maintain memberships in the national, state and regional School Committees
(boards) associations and take an active part in the activities of these groups.

It may also maintain institutional memberships in other educational organizations, which the executive officer and Committee find to be of benefit to members and personnel. The materials and benefits of institutional memberships will be distributed and used to the best advantage of the Committee and the staff.

The School Committee intends to employ qualified personnel to administer the school district efficiently and to require the Superintendent to organize the administration in a manner that will make clear the functions of each position and the relationships among them.

The Superintendent will establish clear lines of communication, both vertically and horizontally, and will form any staff councils or committees needed to provide for efficient conduct of school busi ness. In order to engage in this process in an orderly and effec tive fashion, each individual and group will be given particular, clear-cut responsibilities. The Superintendent will establish channels so that the recommendations and decisions of each group can be heard and re viewed by the chief administrative officer concerned, and, where appropriate, by the Superintendent and School Committee.

The organization and administration of the schools will balance res ponsibility with commensurate authority, subject to the reserved legal powers of the School Committee. This means that a staff member, when assigned a responsibility or a position, will be given the authority to make the decisions necessary to perform the assign - ed tasks.

For the schools to operate effectively, each administrative officer will be responsible and accountable for making a plan of development for all staff assigned to their area of operation.
LEGAL REFS: M.G.L. 71:41, 71:42
SOURCE: MASC – Updated 2022

The Committee shall employ a Superintendent of Schools and fix their compensation. The Superintendent shall act in accordance with Mass. General Laws and shall perform such other duties consistent with this section as the Committee may determine. They shall also prepare such reports as may be required by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and shall submit materials for the Committee's annual report to the mayors of member cities and the selectboards of the member towns in sufficient time for printing in the annual reports of the member municipalities.
SOURCE: MASC – Updated 2022
LEGAL REFS: M.G.L. 71:59, 72:3

The Committee, upon the appointment of a candidate to be Superintendent will enter into a written contract with the Superintendent which will meet the requirements of law and protect the rights of both the Committee and the Superintendent. In accordance with said contract or, in the absence of specific contract language, by vote of the members, the Committee may choose to negotiate a successor contract with an incumbent
Superintendent.
NOTE: Under the laws of the Commonwealth, the School Committee may award a contract to a Superintendent of schools for a period not to exceed six years.
SOURCE: MASC – Updated 2022
LEGAL REFS: M.G.L. 71:41; 71:42

Through yearly written evaluation of the Superintendent, the School Committee will strive to accomplish the following:

Critique the Superintendent's performance relative to pre-determined goals and expectations.

Provide feedback to the Superintendent relative to strengths, accomplishments, and targets for growth.

The School Committee shall evaluate the performance of the Superintendent of Schools on an annual basis through a consensus process and against standards consistent with the requirements of law and regulation and as approved by the School Committee from time to time. The evaluation process shall recognize individual feedback, but be evidence based, provide feedback on all areas of underperformance, and be finalized in a single, consensus document.

Nothing in this policy shall prevent any member of the School Committee from meeting privately with the Superintendent to discuss any matter either might wish to discuss.

The Superintendent Evaluation Cycle shall be from September to June, following the school year calendar.
Pursuant to the evaluation cycle outlined in law and regulation, the Self Evaluation and Goals shall be established by October of every year, with a mid-year report on progress by February 15th. The final evaluation will be completed beginning with documentation in May, and a final evaluation being completed by June 30th of each year.

Newly elected members of the Committee shall not participate in the evaluation cycle for their first year due to the fact that the summative process is starting with their first meeting in May.

Legal References

• M.G.L. 30A:18-25
• 603 CMR 35.00

The School Committee expects the Superintendent to establish clear understandings on the part of all personnel of the working relation ships in the school district.

Personnel will be expected to refer matters requiring administrative action to the administrator to whom they are responsible. The ad ministrator will refer such matters to the next higher administra tive authority when necessary.

It is expected that the established lines of authority will serve most purposes. But all personnel will have the right to appeal any decision made by an administrative officer through established grievance procedures.

Additionally, lines of authority do not restrict in any way the cooperative, sensible working together of all staff members at all levels in order to develop the best possible school programs and services. The established lines of authority represent direction of authority and responsibility; when the staff is working togeth er, the lines represent avenues for a two-way flow of ideas to im prove the program and operations of the school district.
SOURCE: MASC – Updated 2022

The Superintendent may establish such permanent or temporary councils, cabinets and committees as they deem necessary for assuring staff participation in decision-making, for implementing policies and procedures and for the improvement of the educational program.

Functioning in an advisory capacity, all councils, cabinets and committees created by the Superintendent may make recommendations for submission to the School Committee through the Superintendent. Such groups will exercise no inherent authority. A uthority for establishing policy remains with the Committee and authority for implementing policy remains with the Superintendent.

The membership, composition and responsibilities of administrative councils, cabinets and committees will be defined by the Superintendent and may be changed at their discretion. However, the School Committee wishes to be kept informed of the establishment and dissolution of these groups as well as their membership and their purpose.

Expenses incurred by such groups for consultative services, materials, and any investigative travel will be paid by the school district, but only within budgetary allotments and when approved in advance by the Superintendent.
SOURCE: MASC – Updated 2022

The Superintendent has responsibility for carrying out, through procedures, the policies established by the School Committee.

The policies developed by the Committee and the procedures developed to implement policy are designed to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of the school district. Consequently, it is expected that all School
District employees and students will carry them out.

Administrators and supervisors are responsible for informing staff members in their schools, departments, or divisions of existing policies and procedures and for seeing that they are implemented in the spirit intended.

The Superintendent will be responsible for specifying required actions and designing the detailed arrangements under which the school district will be operated in accordance with School Committee policy. These detailed arrangements will be designed to implement policies, goals, and objectives of the Committee and will be one of the means by which the school district will be governed.

In the development of procedures, the Superintendent may involve at the planning stage those who would be affected by the procedures, including staff members, students, parents/guardians, and the public. They must weigh with care the counsel given by representatives of staff, student and community organizations. They will inform the Committee of such counsel in presenting pertinent reports of procedures and in presenting procedures for Committee approval.

As long as the Superintendent operates within the guidelines of policy adopted by the Committee, they may issue procedures without prior Committee approval unless Committee action is required by law, or the Committee has specifically asked that certain types of procedures be given Committee approval, or the Superintendent recommends Committee approval in light of strong community attitudes or probable staff reactions.

A procedure concerning a particular group or groups in the schools will be distributed to the group(s) prior to the effective date of the procedure.
CROSS REF.: BDG, School Attorney
SOURCE: MASC - Updated 2023

The Principal, in consultation with the school council, shall prepare and distribute to each student a hand book setting forth the rules pertaining to conduct of students. The school council shall review the handbook each spring to consider changes in the disciplinary policy to take effect at the beginning of the next school year.

It is essential that the contents of all handbooks conform to School Committee policies. It is also important that all handbooks bearing the name of the school district or one of its schools be of a quality that reflects credit on the school department. Therefore, the Committee expects handbooks requiring approval to be approved prior to publication by the Committee and/or the Superintendent.

Committee approval will be necessary for any handbooks that pertain to required standards of conduct for employees or students so that their contents may be accorded the status of Committee-approved policy or regulation. The Superintendent will use their judgment as to whether other specific handbooks need
Committee approval; however, all handbooks published will be made available to the Committee for informational purposes.
SOURCE: MASC – Updated 2022

Legal References

• M.G.L. 71:37H

When action must be taken within the school district where the Committee has provided no guidelines for administrative action, the Superintendent will have the authority to make necessary decisions. The Superintendents decisions, however, will be subject to review by the Committee at its next regularly scheduled meeting.

An annual report covering the diversified activities of the school district and the administration's recommendations for their improvement will be prepared by the Superintendent and presented to the School
Committee. Upon Committee approval, the report shall be submitted to each member community and will be made available to the public and used as one means for informing parents/guardians and citizens, the Commissioner of Education, and others of the pro grams and conditions of the District's schools. Said report shall contain a detailed financial statement, a statement showing the method which computes the annual charges against each town, and any other information regarding the operation of the School District as may be necessary.
SOURCE: MASC – Updated 2022
LEGAL REFS: M.G.L. 72:4
M.G.L. 71:16(k)

As the trustee of local, state, and federal funds allocated for use in public education, the Committee will use these funds wisely in pursuit of the district’s goals.

The quantity and quality of the district’s educational programs are dependent on the effective, efficient management of allocated funds. Achievement of the district's purposes can best be achieved through excellent fiscal management.

It is imperative that the educational program be held of paramount importance. Decisions made due to resource limitations must center on the educational goals of the district.

This prioritization will be incorporated into all aspects of district management and Committee decision making.

Regarding the district's fiscal management, it is the Committee ́s intent:

1. To allocate public funding, advancing equity while achieving the greatest educational returns and the greatest contributions to the educational program in relation to dollars expended.
2. To engage in thorough advance planning, with staff and community involvement, in order to develop budgets
3. To advocate for levels of funding that will provide high-quality education for all students.
4. To support the use of the best techniques for budget development and management.
5. To provide timely and appropriate information to the community.

The budget is more than just a financial instrument and requires on the part of the Committee, the staff, and the community orderly and cooperative effort to ensure sound fiscal practices for achieving the educational goals and objectives of the school district.

Public school budgeting is regulated and controlled by legislation, state regulations, and local School Committee requirements.
The operating budget for the school district will be prepared and presented in line with state law and the Regional Agreement, and will be developed and refined in accordance with these same requirements.

The Regional School District Committee will, with the Superintendent, Director of Finance & Operations, and the District
Treasurer, develop annual budgets for the operating and maintenance of the District, and such capital budgets as shall be necessary for the pursuit of the goals of the District and the educational programs proposed and approved by the District
Committee.

Said budget shall conform to the guidelines as set forth by the Legislature in the Massachusetts General Laws and directives and regulations as set forth by the Massachusetts Dept. of Elementary and Secondary Education, and shall be in compliance with the foundation budget. It is acknowledged that the foundation budget reflects the minimum recommended spending for a District, and excludes transportation costs, debt service costs, and costs associated with the acquisition of fixed assets. The aforementioned items must, therefore, be budgeted in addition to the foundation budget, and funds to support those expenditures must be raised from the member communities, after the use of any offsetting revenues received from the state.

A budget is a spending plan, which is developed well in advance of the fiscal year. Circumstances may occur which necessitate changing spending priorities and redirecting funds within the budget accordingly. Revisions to the budget may be made from time to time by the Committee, upon the recommendation of the Superintendent.

The annual budget for each school operated by the District shall be developed with input from the School Council, and shall reflect the priorities established in the Annual School Improvement Plan.

The Regional Agreement notwithstanding, there shall be no requirement for the annual operation and maintenance budget for the District to be adopted prior to the receipt of funding estimates from the state.

In developing a budget, care shall be taken to make the documents associated with the budget clear and understandable to Finance Committees of member communities and to the general public.

At the discretion of the Committee, an informal public information meeting may be held to solicit input from the general public.
In accordance with the Regional Agreement, a public hearing shall be heard prior to the adoption of the Final Operating and Maintenance Budget by the District Committee. The Superintendent and members of the Committee will make every effort to fully inform all member communities and their officials of the budget plans of the District.

Assessments to member communities shall be made in compliance with the foundation budget, which may, in certain instances, differ from the apportionment under the Regional Agreement. When there is a conflict, state law shall prevail. In assessing for expenditures which are excluded from the foundation budget, the Regional Agreement shall determine the apportionment of assessments after the District Committee has applied all applicable state aid.

Legal References

• M.G.L. 71:16B; 71:34; 71:37 and 71:38N

The Regional District School Committee shall annually determine the amounts necessary to be raised, after deducting the amount of aid such district is to receive by state formula, to maintain and operate the District school or schools during the next fiscal year, and amounts required for payment of debt and interest incurred by the District which will be due in the said year, and shall apportion the amount so determined among the several municipalities in accordance with the terms of the Regional
Agreement.

The amounts so apportioned for each municipality shall be certified by the Regional School District Treasurer to the treasurers of the several municipalities within thirty days from the date on which the annual budget is adopted by a two-thirds vote of all members of the Regional School Committee, but no later than March 15 th
.

The Regional School District treasurer shall include in the certification to each municipality a statement setting forth the amount which the District is to receive by state formula for the ensuing fiscal year and the proportionate share of such aid for such municipality.

In addition to amounts appropriated for long-term debt service, school lunches, adult education, student transportation, and tuition revenue, each municipality that belongs in the Regional School District shall annually appropriate for the support of the Regional School District, an amount equal to but, not less than the sum of the minimum required local contribution.

Notwithstanding the provisions of the Regional Agreement, each member municipality shall increase its contribution to the Regional District each year by the amount indicated in that District’s share of the municipalities’ minimum regional contribution in that fiscal year. The District shall appropriate the sum of the minimum regional contributions of its member districts as well as all state school aid received on behalf of member municipalities. The District may choose to spend additional amounts; such decision shall be made and such amounts charged to members according to the District’s required agreement.

Except as required by General Law, each school district may determine how to allocate funds appropriated for the support of public schools without regard to the categories employed in calculating the foundation budget.

Legal References

• M.G.L. 71:16B; 71:16D

Preparation of the annual budget will be scheduled in stages throughout the school year with attention to certain deadlines es - tablished by law and the Regional Agreement.

The calendar year for budget preparation will be determined by calculating backward from the final adoption date.

The School Committee will also observe the statutory requirement of holding a public hearing on the proposed budget not less than seven days after the notice for this hearing has been published in a local newspaper.

Whatever dates are assigned, the final date for the submission of the budget to the member towns will be arranged cooperatively with the School Committee and finance committee.

Established by law and Regional Agreement.

Legal References

• M.G.L. 71:38N; 71:16B 71:37
• Regional Agreement

The first priority in the development of an annual budget will be the academic and personal development of the children in our schools. However, the Committee and Superintendent will also attempt to balance the valid interest of the taxpayers.

Budget decisions should be aligned with the priorities of the District, the requirements of state law and regulations, and best practice as informed by research. Given that the services provided by public schools are funded through taxation, it is also important that budgets are transparent in their goals and the allocation of funds. Therefore, a sound budget development process must be established.

The budget document shall reflect all sources of revenue. It shall clearly explain how those funds will be used.

In the budget planning process, the School Committee and Superintendent will strive to:

1. Engage in a thorough planning process, which involves input from district administration, School Councils, town officials and representatives, and community members in order to develop budgets and guide expenditures in a manner that will achieve the greatest educational returns and contributions to the educational program for all students.
2. Establish levels of funding that will provide high-quality education for all students.
3. Use the best available techniques for budget development and management.

Working with the Finance Subcommittee, and the School Committee as a whole, the Superintendent will have overall responsibility for advising on and coordinating budget preparation, including the construction of, and adherence to, a budget calendar that is shared widely.

The annual Regional School District budget as adopted by two-thirds vote of the Regional School District Committee shall require the approval of two-thirds of the local appropriating authorities of the member towns.

In the event the regional school budget is not approved by at least two-thirds of the member municipalities as required, the Regional School District Committee shall have thirty days to reconsider, amend and resubmit a budget on the basis of the issues raised.

Legal References

• M.G.L. 71:16B; 71:37;
• Regional Agreement

In keeping with the need for periodic reconciliation of the District budget, the Regional School Committee will consider requests for transfers of funds as they are recommended by the Superintendent.

The Committee wishes to be kept abreast of the need for these ad justments so that it may act promptly and expedite financial record keeping for the school district.

All requests for transfers between the major accounts (Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Chart of Accounts defines these as the 4 digit accounts ending in 00) must be submitted to the School Committee for approval. Transfers between line items within a major account must be reported to the School Committee as part of the Director of Finance and Operations' monthly report to the School Committee or the School Committee’s finance subcommittee.

All funds in the general account not expended by the close of the fiscal year will be placed in an excess and deficiency fund that shall not exceed five percent of the operating budget and its budgeted capital costs for the succeeding fiscal year. Any added funds exceeding five percent shall be returned to the member communities to reduce their assessments in accordance with law.

Legal References

• MGL 71:16B; 71:37

The School Committee will encourage the administration to seek and secure possible sources of state, federal, and other special funds that will enhance the educational opportunities for the child ren in our schools. All gifts and grants will be received according to applicable District policies, and all expenditures will be reported to the Committee in a timely manner.

The Superintendent will keep informed of possible funds avail able to the school system under the various state and federal pro - grams, and in what manner these funds can best be used in the school system.

The Superintendent will be responsible for seeking out and coordin ating the development of proposals for all specially funded pro jects and for submitting the proposals to the Committee for approv al.

The Superintendent is authorized to sign all reports for these pro jects and will be responsible for the proper expenditure of funds received for such projects.

The Superintendent shall ensure the district has and follows a written set of procedures in grant administration that aligns with state and federal laws and regulations.

Legal References

• M.G.L. 44:53A
• 2 CFR 200 Federal Uniform Administrative Requirements

The Triton Regional School Committee recognizes the benefits accrued through active citizen involvement and support of the public schools. The Triton Regional School Committee further acknowledges the value of individual or group donations on behalf of the public schools, which may be helpful to maintain, augment or initiate programs. All such donations are accepted and utilized at the discretion of the Triton Regional School Committee. The Triton Regional School Committee may decline to accept gifts that it deems not to be in the best educational interests of the district.

The Triton Regional School District is committed to utilizing federal grant funds to supplement instructional programs funded by local, state and other sources as required by law and regulation. Federal funds will be used to complement and extend district- funded programs, not to take the place of (supplant) programs previously funded by the district, except as provided by the granting program.
The Superintendent or designee will ensure that federal grant funds are disbursed appropriately and that associated record- keeping and reporting complies with required guidelines and mandates.

Legal References

• Elementary and Secondary Education Act, as amended

The District Treasurer normally signs all checks drawn against school district funds.

The School Committee shall appoint an Assistant Treasurer. In circumstances in which the Superintendent of Schools, in consultation with the Chairperson of the School Committee and the School Business official deem to be an emergency or in which the District Treasurer will be unavailable for a period the Assistant Treasurer may sign checks on an interim basis. The School Committee shall be informed when the Assistant Treasurer is required to sign checks. The School Committee will be informed when the District Treasurer is signing checks on behalf of the District.

Legal References

• M.G.L. 71:16A

Each employee of the school district or School Committee member, including the Treasurer and Assistant Treasurer, who is assigned the responsibility of receiving and disbursing funds will be bonded individually or covered by a blanket bond. The cost of the bond will be paid by the district.

Legal References

• M.G.L. 41:35; 71:16A; 41:109A; 71:47

The Superintendent will be ultimately responsible for receiving and properly accounting for all funds of the school district, maintaining effective internal controls so as to assure the effectiveness and efficiency of operations; adequate safeguarding of property; assurance of expenditures in accordance with programs under which revenues are received; and compliance with applicable laws and regulations.

The accounting system used will conform with the Uniform Massachusetts Accounting System as well as good accounting practices, providing for the appropriate separation of accounts, funds, and special monies.

The School Committee will receive periodic financial statements from the Superintendent showing the financial condition of the school district. Such other financial statements as may be determined to be necessary either by either the Committee or the Administration will be presented as found desirable.

Legal References

• M.G.L. 71:16A; 44:38
• 603 CMR 10:00
• 2 CFR 200.303

A financial reserve policy is a means of ensuring the long-term financial health and flexibility of the District, as well as a tool to aid the District in various financial decision making processes. Financial rating agencies currently recommend that local governments maintain strong and varied financial reserves of as much as 15% of the total General Fund Operating Budget.

Financial reserve policies cover various classes of reserves. Operating reserves, which provide resources for unanticipated expenditures or unexpected revenue losses during the year; Capital Reserves, which provide resources for the repair, replacement, or construction of capital infrastructure; and OPEB Reserves which provide for funding of the other post-employment benefit liability. The District is committed to establishing and maintaining varied reserves that provide for stability and predictability in our financial planning. The District will maintain the following reserve funds, and contribute and maintain funds as outlined below.

Excess & Deficiency (E&D) – Reserve Class: Operating and Capital

The available E&D balance is calculated and certified each year by the Massachusetts Department of Revenue, Division of Local Services using data submitted by the District. Increases to the E&D balance on an annual basis consist of revenues exceeding budgeted amounts, as well as unspent appropriations. While the allowable use of E&D, by statute, is largely unrestricted; sound financial practice suggests that this reserve provides for the financing of unforeseen, emergency needs such as unanticipated operating or capital costs.

Current legislation limits the District’s E&D balance to a maximum of 5% of the District’s total General Fund
Operating Budget. It is recommended by Auditors and Financial Advisors that we maintain at least a 3% E&D balance to protect against unforeseen costs. The District will work towards maintaining an appropriate balance in our Excess and Deficiency, but not over the priorities of establishing and funding both Stabilization and OPEB funds as outlined below.

General Stabilization Fund – Reserve Class: Operating and Capital

A general Stabilization Fund is a reserve allowable by Massachusetts General Laws (MGL) Chapter 71, Section
16G ½ to provide the District with the ability to accumulate resources for any purpose in which the District could otherwise borrow funds, as well as any other lawful purpose upon approval of the Massachusetts

Department of Revenue, Division of Local Services. Generally speaking, stabilization funds may be used to finance capital activities as well as cover unanticipated one-time operating costs.

The District shall maintain a General Stabilization fund in accordance with MGL Chapter 71, Section 16G ½.
Additionally, it is the intention of the District that the General Stabilization Fund be funded by certified available excess E&D above the 3% recommended balance, one-time revenues, and/or a line item in the District’s
General Fund Operating Budget.

In an effort to accumulate resources within the General Stabilization Fund, the District will include a line item within the General Fund Operating Budget for $75,000 in FY2024, increasing to a $150,000 appropriation in FY2025. Thereafter the District will not increase the line but will maintain this $150,000 appropriation annually until the maximum limit is reached. It is the intention of the District that the General Stabilization fund may not exceed 10% of the District’s prior year’s Total General Fund appropriations.

Other Post-Employment Benefits (OPEB) – Reserve Class: Other Post Employment Benefits

The District currently maintains an irrevocable Other Post-Employment Benefits Trust Fund in accordance with
MGL 32B Section 20, for the purpose of accumulating resources to provide legally required retiree health insurance benefits. The objective of the OPEB Trust fund is to accumulate assets to fully fund the actuarially calculated liability of providing these future health insurance benefits. It is in the best financial interest of the District that the OPEB Trust Fund balance not be withdrawn until the point in time in which the actuarially calculated OPEB liability is fully funded.

In an effort to accumulate resources within the OPEB Trust Fund, the District will include a $75,000 line item within the FY2026 General Operating Budget for a transfer to the OPEB Trust Fund, increasing to a $150,000 appropriation in FY2027. Thereafter the District will not increase the line but will maintain this $150,000 appropriation annually.

In addition, at the point in time when the Essex Regional Retirement System (ERRS) is fully funded to provide resources for the District's non-teacher pension liability, the District shall redirect the savings from the “past service cost” portion of the annual appropriation to the OPEB Trust Fund. As of FY2022, the ERRS is scheduled to be fully funded in FY2035.

Legal References

• MGL 32B Section 20
• MGL Chapter 71, Section 16B ½
• MGL Chapter 71, Section 16G ½

Historical Notes

• This policy, adopted on March 9, 2022, expands on the original policy to include other financial reserves

In accordance with relevant Massachusetts General Laws, the School Committee may establish revolving accounts.
Expenditures from these accounts must be for the purposes specified in the relevant regulations.

End-of-year balances may be carried forward. Accounts with end-of-year deficits must be balanced using General Fund monies.

An independent audit of the school department's accounts shall be conducted annually within 9 months of the close of the fiscal year. This review shall be conducted BY AN INDEPENDENT PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM in accordance with the generally accepted accounting principles and the Government Auditing Standards issued by the U. S. Comptroller General.

Upon the completion of each audit, the resulting report shall be made to the Chair of the School Committee, and a copy sent to the Chair of the Selectboard or City Council and the Chair of the School Committee in the member municipalities. The Committee will consider recommendations made by the auditor for maintaining an efficient system for recording and safeguarding the school department's assets.

Additionally, the district is also subject to the following: End of Year Financial Compliance Report: Every Massachusetts school district must submit the results of this report to the Department. This End of Year report must be submitted to the Department on or before September 30 each year.

Government Accounting Standards Board 34: The District is covered in these government financial statements of revenue and expenditures of the municipality.

Federal grant audits: As a district that spends above thresholds required, the district is subject to the Single Audit Act.

Student Activity Account: As required by state law, student activity accounts are audited annually.

In addition, the Committee may request an additional audit of the school district's accounts at its discretion. For accounts exceeding $25,000, the Committee shall consider an audit conducted by an outside firm every three years.

Legal References

• M.G.L. 44:38-40; 71:47; 71:16E

It shall be the responsibility of the Superintendent:

1. To procure materials, supplies, equipment, and services at the lowest possible cost consistent with the quality necessary for the proper operation of the District, thereby attaining the maximum value for each public dollar spent;
2. To maintain the District’s reputation for fairness and integrity and to promote impartial and equal treatment to all who wish to conduct business with the District;
3. To encourage a mutually cooperative relationship with requesting departments, recognizing that successful purchasing is a result of team planning and effort;
4. To promote social and economic goals such as encouraging local, small, minority, and women- owned businesses to participate in bidding for District purchases.

The acquisition of materials, equipment, and services will be centralized in the Superintendent's office of the school district.

The School Committee will designate the District’s Chief Purchasing Officer. The Chief Purchasing
Officer will develop and administer the purchasing program for the schools in keeping with legal requirements and within the adopted school budget.

School purchases will be made only on official purchase orders approved for issuance by the appropriate unit head and signed by the Superintendent or designee, with such exceptions as may be made by the

latter for emergency purchases.

Legal References

• M.G.L. 7:22A; 7:22B; 30B; 71:49A

Authority for the purchase of materials, equipment, supplies, and services is extended to the Superintendent through cost-center appropriation as part of the District budget process.

The purchase of items and services within the cost-center appropriation requires no further Committee approval except when by law or by Committee policy.

Contracts may be entered into for a period of up to three years. Contracts of longer duration must be approved by a two-thirds vote of the Committee.

Legal References

• M.G.L. 30B

All purchases of materials and equipment and all contracts for construction or maintenance will conform to the requirements of law. Any agreement between the District and a vendor is subject to procurement requirements, whether the District or another entity completes the purchase.

To foster greater efficiency, the District will enter into state and local intergovernmental agreements where appropriate for procurement or use of common or shared services.

For any supply or service over $100,000, bids will be advertised appropriately with an Invitation to Bid. Suppliers will be invited to have their names placed on distribution lists to receive invitations to bid. When specifications are prepared, they will be distributed to all merchants and firms who have indicated an interest in bidding.

All bids will be submitted in sealed envelopes, addressed to the Superintendent and plainly marked with the name of the bid and the time of the bid opening. Bids will be opened in public at the time specified, and all bidders will be invited to be present.

Any bid maybe withdrawn prior to the scheduled time for the opening of the bids.

Any bid received after the time and date specified will not be considered. All bids will remain firm for a period of 30 days after opening.

The contract will be awarded to the responsive and responsible bidder offering the lowest price for the supplies/services specified in the Invitation to Bid. The bidder to whom an award is made may be required to enter into a written contract with the school district.

The Chief Purchasing Officer may, if it would best serve district interest, use a Request for Proposals, instead of the above process.

A procurement for a supply or service in the amount of $10,000 or greater by not more than $100,000 shall be awarded to the responsible party offering the needed quantity or supply among three written quotations sought and retained by the procurement officer.

A procurement in the amount of $10,000 or less shall be obtained through the exercise of sound business practices.

SOURCE: MASC Updated 2023

Legal References

• M.G.L. 7:22A; 7:22B; 30B; 30:39M

Sales people are not permitted to call on teachers or other school staff members without authorization from the school administration.

School principals may give permission to sales representatives of educational products to see members of the school staff at times that will not interfere with the educational program.

All claims for payment from the School District's funds will be pro cessed in accordance with procedures developed by the Superintendent. Payment will be authorized against invoices properly support ed by approved purchase orders, with properly submitted vouchers, or in accordance with salaries and salary schedules approved by the School Committee.

The Superintendent will be responsible for assuring that the budget allocations are observed and that total expenditures do not exceed the amount allocated in the budget for all items.

As an operating procedure, the Committee will receive monthly lists of bills (warrants) for payment from school department funds. The lists will be certified as correct and approved for payment by the School Committee or by a subcommittee of no less than 3 members. Actual invoices, state ments, and vouchers will be available for inspection by the School Committee upon request.

Legal References

• M.G.L. 41:41; 41:52; 41:56; 71:16A

Personnel and school department officials who incur authorized expenses in car rying out their authorized duties will be reimbursed by the school department upon submission of a properly completed and approved voucher and any supporting receipts required by the Superintendent.

When official travel by a personally owned vehicle is authorized, mileage payment will generally be made at the rate currently approved by the Committee, aligned with the Internal Revenue Service standard mileage rate.

To the extent budgeted for such purposes in the school budget, ap proval of travel requests by School Committee members must have prior approval of the School Committee. Staff travel requests within budgetary limits may be approved by the Superintendent. Staff travel requests that exceed budgetary limits will require the approval of the School Committee and the identification of funding sources by administration. Each request will be judged on the basis of its benefit to the school district.

Legal References

• M.G.L. 40:5; 44:58

The primary purpose of this Investment Policy Statement (the IPS) is to provide a clear understanding regarding the Triton
Regional School District's (the Entity) OPEB Trust's (the Trust) investment objectives, performance goals, and risk tolerance.

Scope

This IPS applies to all funds that are separately designated as long-term OPEB funds for the District or any of its separately identified enterprises. Any additional contributions to the Trust will be maintained in the same manner.

Authority

Massachusetts General Law Chapter 32B, Section 20 allows a city, town, district, county or municipal lighting plant to set up a special trust fund, the Other Post-Employment Benefits (OPEB) Liability Trust Fund. The governmental unit's treasurer is the custodian of the fund or in the case of a light plant, an officer designated by the board. Investment of fund monies by the custodian must be consistent with the prudent person standard set forth in Massachusetts General Law Chapter 203C for private trust funds. Interest earned on the investment of fund monies belongs to the fund.

Diversification

The following asset classes can be included in the Trust in order to construct a diversified investment portfolio that is both prudent and appropriate given the District's actuarial assumed discount rate, target rate of return, investment objective, and risk tolerance. The investment parameters and asset allocation definitions that will govern the Investment Manager of the diversified portfolio are included in the addendums to this IPS.

Equities

The primary objective of the Trust's equity allocation is to provide long term total returns that are, at a minimum, consistent with appropriate broad market indexes through full market cycles.

The Investment Manager of the diversified portfolio can purchase and manage the equity allocation using individual equities, such as domestic common stocks, preferred stocks, and/or American-Depository Receipts (ADRs).

The Investment Manager can also utilize other investments such as, mutual funds, exchange traded funds, closed-end funds, etc. Total equity exposure is able to include, both domestic and international equities, both developed and emerging countries and geographic regions, as well as large-, mid-, and small-market capitalization weighted companies. Direct holdings of common stock, preferred stock, and/or ADRs in any one company should not exceed 5% of the market value of the invested portfolio.

Investing directly in real estate, private placements, letter stock, or initial public offerings is strictly prohibited. The Investment
Manager of the diversified portfolio shall not engage directly in margin transactions, short sales, or any other leveraged or inverse investment vehicles. Mutual funds, exchange-traded funds, and closed-end funds, however, may engage in margin, leverage, and/or short sales. Investing directly in unit-investment trusts (UITs) and business development companies (BDCs) are strictly prohibited.

Fixed Income

The primary objectives of the Trust's fixed income allocation are to preserve capital and generate a reasonable level of cash flow. The secondary objective is to provide price returns that exhibit lower correlation to the broad global equity markets in order to reduce the overall risk of the portfolio.

The Investment Manager of the diversified portfolio can purchase and manage the fixed income allocation using individual bonds that are United States Dollar denominated only. Issuer selection can include domestic corporate bonds and any obligations of the United States Government and/or its agencies.

The Investment Manager can also utilize other investment vehicles such as, mutual funds, exchange traded funds, closed-end funds, etc. Total fixed income exposure is able to include, both domestic and international bonds, both developed and emerging countries and geographic regions. Direct holdings of individual corporate bonds in any one company should not exceed 5% of the market value of the invested portfolio; however, this is not applicable to the United States Government and/or its agencies.
Lower-quality investments may only be held through diversified vehicles, such as mutual funds or exchange-traded funds.

Investing directly in real estate, mortgages, collateral or non-collateral loans, private placements, fixed income or interest rate futures, or any other specialized fixed income ventures is strictly prohibited. Investing directly in unit-investment trusts (UITs) and business development companies (BDCs) are strictly prohibited.

Alternative Investments

The primary objective of the Trust's alternative allocation is to provide long-term capital appreciation that is less correlated to broad global equity and fixed income indexes.

The Investment Manager of the diversified portfolio can only purchase those strategies that are deemed to be alternative through daily-liquid diversified investment vehicles such as, mutual funds, exchange-traded funds, closed- end funds, etc. The only exception to the daily liquidity rule is private equity exposure and investment strategies. Private equity vehicles may also hold private debt as part of a diversified strategy.

Investing directly in unit-investment trusts (UITs) and business development companies (BDCs) are strictly prohibited.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

Cash will be maintained to provide periodic cash distributions, when necessary. Cash will not normally be held as a strategic investment asset, although the Investment Manager may seek to allow cash to build to the maximum level in times of market uncertainty.

Specific Risks

Credit Risk

Credit risk is the risk that an issuer or other counterparty to an investment will not fulfill its obligations.

The District will manage credit risk several ways. There will be no limit to the amount of United States Treasury and United
States Government Agency obligations.

In regard to fixed-income investments, the District will only purchase investment grade securities. Lower- quality investments may only be held through diversified vehicles, such as mutual funds or exchange-traded funds. Investments in fixed income securities will be made primarily for income and capital preservation.

Custodial Risk

The custodial credit risk for deposits is the risk that, in the event of the failure of a depository financial institution, a government will not be able to recover deposits or will not be able to recover collateral securities that are in the possession of an outside party. The custodial credit risk for investments is the risk that, in the event of the failure of the counterparty to a transaction, a government will not be able to recover the value of investment or collateral securities that are in the possession of an outside party.

The District will review the financial institution s financial statements and the background of the sales representative. The intent of this qualification is to limit the District's exposure to only those institutions with a proven financial strength, Capital adequacy of the firm, and overall affirmative reputation in the municipal industry.

Further, all securities not held directly by the District, will be held in the District's name and tax identification number by a third- party custodian approved by the Treasurer and evidenced by safekeeping receipts showing individual CUSIP numbers for each security.

Concentration of Credit Risk

Concentration of credit risk is the risk of loss attributed to the magnitude of a government's investment in a single issuer.

The District will minimize Concentration of Credit Risk by diversifying the investment portfolio so that the impact of potential losses from any one type of security or issuer will be minimized. As stated above, securities of a single corporate issuer (with the exception of the United States Government and its Agencies) will not exceed 5% of the portfolio value.

Interest Rate Risk

Interest rate risk is the risk that changes in interest rates will adversely affect the fair value of an investment.

The District will manage interest rate risk by managing duration, as a measure of interest rate sensitivity, in the Trust.

Foreign Currency Risk

Foreign currency risk is the risk that changes in foreign monetary exchange rates will adversely affect the fair value of an investment or a deposit.

The District will, as much as feasible, mitigate foreign currency risk.

Standards of Care

The standard of prudence to be used by the Treasurer shall be the Prudent Person standard and shall be applied in the context of managing an overall portfolio. The Treasurer acting in accordance with written procedures and this IPS, and exercising reasonable due diligence, shall be relieved of personal responsibility for an individual security's credit risk or market price changes, provided the purchases and sale of securities is carried out in accordance with the terms of this IPS.

Investments shall be made with judgment and care, under circumstances then prevailing, which persons of prudence, discretion, and intelligence exercise in the management of their own affairs; not for speculation, but for investment considering the probable safety of their capital as well as the probable income to be derived.

In addition, this section would also apply to M.G.L. Chapter 44 Section 55A which refers to the liability of the Treasurer for losses due to bankruptcy.

Ethics

The Treasurer and Assistant Treasurer shall refrain from any personal activity that may conflict with the proper execution of the investment program or which could impair or appear to impair ability to make impartial investment decisions. The Treasurer shall disclose to the Business Manager any material financial interest in financial institutions that do business with the District. They shall also disclose any large personal financial investment positions or loans that could be related to the performance of the District's investments.

Relationship with Financial Institutions

Financial institutions should be selected first and foremost with regard to their financial soundness and stability. Brokers should be recognized, reputable dealers. All cash and securities shall be held in either a bank that is allowable for the deposit of public funds, provided funds on deposit are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), or in an Investment
Brokerage Account that is insured by the Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC). If a banking institution is selected as manager, the District will subscribe to Veribanc©, a recognized bank rating service.

The Treasurer shall require any brokerage houses and broker/dealers, wishing to do business with the District, to supply the following information to the Treasurer: Annual financial statements

If acting as a Registered Investment Adviser, Form ADV Part II report

Errors & Omissions insurance amounting to, at a minimum, the total fair market value of the Trust Funds
Portfolio.

A statement that the Advisor has read the District's IPS and will comply with it on an annual basis.

Annual review all advisors through www.finra.org: Broker Check

Reporting Requirements

On a quarterly basis, a report containing the following information will be prepared by the Treasurer and distributed to the Business Manager, as appropriate. The annual report will include the following information, as a minimum requirement: A listing of the individual accounts and individual securities held at the end of the reporting period.

A listing of the short-term investment portfolio by security type and maturity to ensure compliance with the diversification and maturity guidelines established in the "Diversification" section of this IPS.

A summary of the income earned on a monthly basis and year-to-date basis shall be reported.

The Treasurer shall include in the report a brief statement of general market and economic conditions and other factors that may affect the District's cash position.

The report should demonstrate the degree of compliance with the tenets set forth in the IPS.

Performance Measurement and Evaluation
The individual and custom benchmarks that will be monitored for performance reporting and analysis of the Trust's portfolio are stated and described in the addendums to this IPS.

It is expected that the respective asset classes of the Trust's diversified portfolio will outperform their respective benchmarks, net of fees and expenses, on a long term (market cycle) basis.

Supervision
The Treasurer will meet with the investment manager(s) as frequently as semi-annually to monitor the performance of the funds and the investment manager(s) compliance with these guidelines. The Treasurer will receive and review portfolio management reports quarterly.

The Treasurer will review this Investment Policy Statement at least once a year to ensure that it remains appropriate and complete.

The Treasurer has the option to review the management of funds to consider going out to bid periodically.

Legal References

• M.G.L. 32B:20; 203C:1-11

Accidents are undesirable, unplanned occurrences that can result in tragic consequences--bodily harm, loss of school time, property dam¬age, legal action, and even fatality. The School Committee will guard against such occurrences by taking precautions to protect the safety of all students, employees, visitors and oth¬ers present on school property or at school- sponsored events through all hazards planning.

The Committee will comply with safety requirements established by governmental authorities and will insist that its staff adhere to recommended safety practices as these pertain, for example, to the school facility, special areas of instruction, student transportation, school sports and occupational safety.

The practice of safety will also be considered a facet of the in¬structional program of the schools. Instruction will include accident preven¬tion as well as fire prevention; emergency procedures; traffic, bicycle, and pedestrian safety.

The Superintendent will have overall responsibility for the safety program of the school district. It will be the responsibility of the Superintendent to see that appropriate staff members are kept informed of current state and local requirements relating to fire pre¬vention, civil defense, sanitation, public health, and occupational safety.

Ef forts directed toward the prevention of accidents will succeed on¬ly to the degree that all staff members recognize that preventing accidents is a daily operational responsibility.

SOURCE: MASC – Updated 2022

Legal References

• M.G.L. 71:55C
• 603 CMR 36:00

The Triton Regional Schools are committed to providing a safe and properly maintained environment for all staff, students and visitors. To achieve this end, the School District will implement integrated pest management procedures for its buildings and grounds.

The integrated pest management procedures shall include implementation of appropriate prevention and control strategies, notification of certain pesticide and herbicide uses, record keeping, education and evaluation.

Integrated pest management procedures will determine when to control pests and what method of control to choose. Strategies for managing pest populations will be influenced by the pest species, location and whether and at what population level its presence poses a threat to people, property or the environment. The full range of action alternatives, including no action, will always be considered.

OVERVIEW AND GOALS

1. The Facilities and Grounds Manager shall develop and implement an integrated pest management program.
2. An integrated pest management program is a pest control approach that emphasizes using a balanced combination of tactics (cultural, mechanical, biological, chemical) to reduce pests to a tolerable level while using pesticides and herbicides as a last resort to minimize health, environmental and economic risks.
3. Pesticides and herbicides will be used only as a last resort, based on a review of all other available options.
4. The integrated pest management program shall strive to:

Reduce any potential human health hazard.

Reduce loss or damage to school structures or property.

Minimize the risk of pests from spreading in the community.

Enhance the quality of facility use for school and community.

Minimize health, environmental and economic risks.

RESTRICTIONS ON USE OF PESTICIDES AND HERBICIDES

1. When pesticides or herbicides are used, they must be classified as an EPA Category III or IV. Application of any pesticide or herbicide may be performed only by certified applicators.
2. Application of pesticides and herbicides may only be accomplished during a school break or when the building will be clear of students for at least 48 hours.

NOTIFICATION OF PESTICIDE AND HERBICIDE USE

1. When pesticides or herbicides are used outdoors, notice of their use will be provided to parent/guardians, staff and students and will also be posted in a common area.
2. When pesticides and herbicides are used in a building, the site will provide a 48-hour pre-notification in the form of posting the product name, purpose, application date, time and method and the Material Safety Data Sheet on all entrance doors. A contact person will also be listed.
3. In the event of an EPA registered pesticide or herbicide application in or around a building site during the school year or summer session, a notice (including the product name, contact person, and application date, time and method), will be sent home in writing with students in the affected building at least 5 days prior to application.

RECORD-KEEPING

1. The District will keep a record of pesticides and herbicides used, amounts and locations of treatments and will keep any Material Safety Data Sheets, product labels and manufacturer information on ingredients related to the application of the pesticides or herbicides.
2. All records of pesticides and herbicides used and correspondence will be available for public review upon notice and during normal school hours.

STAFF RESPONSIBILITIES AND EDUCATION

1. Designated staff (School Nutrition, Buildings and Grounds, etc.) will participate in sanitation and pest exclusion procedure appropriate to their roles. For example: keeping doors closed, repairing cracks, removing food waste within 12 hours, keeping lids on garbage receptacles and keeping vegetation properly cut.
2. Ongoing education of all appropriate District staff will be a priority to ensure a safe and clean environment.

Legal References

• M.G.L. 71:68; 132B

The district attempts to provide a safe environment. If an accident or sudden illness occurs, school personnel will administer first aid and, if warranted, call emergency medical services. In the case of illness that may include an infectious disease the Board of Health shall be notified in accordance with law.

First aid is defined as the immediate and temporary care given in case of an accident or sudden illness, which enables the student to be taken safely home or to a physician. It does not include diagnosis or treatment. Any care beyond first aid will not be given.

At each school, procedures will be developed for the proper handling of an injury to, or sudden illness of, a student or staff member. These will be made known to the staff and will incorporate the following requirements:

1. The school nurse or another trained person will be responsible for administering first aid.
2. When the nature of an illness or an injury appears in any way serious, every effort will be made to contact the parent/guardian and/or family physician immediately.
3. In extreme emergencies, the school nurse, school physician or Principal may make arrangements for immediate transport to a hospital of injured or ill students, contacting parent or guardian in advance if at all possible.
4. The teacher or other staff member to whom a student is responsible at the time an accident occurs will make out a report on an official form providing details about the accident. This will be required for every accident for which first aid is given.
5. All accidents to students and staff members will be reported as soon as possible to the Superintendent and, if the Superintendent deems appropriate, to the School Committee.

SOURCE: MASC – Updated 2022

Legal References

• M.G.L. 71:55A; 71:56

Advance planning for emergencies and disasters is essential to provide for the safety of students and staff; it also strengthens the morale of all concerned to know that plans exist and that students and staff have been trained in carrying out the plans.

The Superintendent will develop and maintain plans that meet the requirements of state law for preparedness in case of fire, civil emergencies, and natural disasters.

The Superintendent shall develop, in consultation with school nurses, school physicians, athletic coaches, trainers, and local police, fire and emergency personnel, an Emergency Medical Response Plan for each school in the district. Each Plan shall include:

1. A method establishing a rapid communications system linking all parts of the school campus, including outdoor facilities, to local Emergency Medical Services along with protocols to clarify when EMS and other emergency contacts will be called.
2. A determination of EMS response times to any location on the campus.
3. A list of relevant contacts with telephone numbers and a protocol indicating when each person shall be called, including names of experts to help with post-event support.
4. A method to efficiently direct EMS personnel to any location on campus, including the location of available rescue equipment.
5. Safety precautions to prevent injuries in classrooms and on the school campus.
6. A method of providing access to training in CPR and first aid for teachers, athletic coaches, trainers, and other school staff which may include CPR training for High School students; provided that School Committees may opt out of instruction in CPR pursuant to Section 1 of Chapter 71.
7. The location of all available Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs), the location of all available AEDs, whether the location is fixed or portable, and a list of personnel trained in its use.

The Superintendent shall annually review the response sequence with local police and fire officials. Plans shall be submitted to local police and fire officials and the DESE at least every 3 years by September 1 or when changes occur. Plans must be updated in the case of new construction or other physical changes to the school campus.

Building Principals will meet all requirements for conducting fire drills and Emergency Response drills (at least once per year) to give students practice in moving with orderly dispatch to designated areas under emergency conditions, and the staff practice in carrying out their assigned responsibilities for building evacua tion.

Legal References

• M.G.L. 69:8A
• Section 363 of Chapter 159 of the Acts of 2000

The Superintendent may close the schools or dismiss them early in the event of hazardous weather or other emergencies that threaten the health or safety of students and personnel. While it may be prudent, under certain circumstances, to excuse all students from attending school, to delay the opening hour or to dismiss students early, the Superintendent has the responsibility to see that as much of the administrative, supervisory and operational activity is continued as may be possible. Therefore, if conditions affect only a single school, only that school will be closed.

In making the decision to close schools, the Superintendent will consider many factors, including the following principle ones relating to the fundamental concern for the safety and health of the students:

1. Weather conditions, both existing and predicted.
2. Driving, traffic, and parking conditions affecting public and private transportation facilities.
3. Actual occurrence or imminent possibility of any emergency condition that would make the operation of schools difficult or dangerous.
4. Inability of teaching personnel to report for duty, which might result in inadequate supervision of students.

After appropriate consultations by the Superintendent, students, parents and staff will be informed early in each school year of the procedures that will be used to notify them in case of emergency closings.

SOURCE: MASC Reviewed 2022

Legal References

• M.G.L. 71:4; 71:4A

The School Committee's most important function is to provide for the education of students, and it recognizes that the education of students is dependent upon many factors, including a proper physical environment that is safe, clean, sanitary, and as comfortable and convenient as the facilities will permit or the use requires.

The supervision over the care and safekeeping of property used by the school district will be the general responsibility of the Superintendent. They will work with member communities, as necessary, to develop a comprehensive and well-defined plan for the proper maintenance, cleanliness, and safekeeping of all school buildings and grounds to ensure that each school is properly maintained, equipped, and staffed.

The Superintendent will establish procedures and employ such means as may be necessary to provide accurate information in regard to the nature, condition, location, and value of all pro perty used by the school district; to safeguard the property against loss, damage, or undue depreciation; to recover and restore to usefulness any property that may be lost, stolen or damaged; and to do all things necessary to ensure the proper maintenance, cleanliness, and safekeeping of school property.

Within the separate schools, the building administrator will be responsible for proper care, maintenance, and cleanliness of buildings, equipment and grounds in accordance with the provisions of the regional agreement.

SOURCE: MASC – Reviewed 2022

Legal References

• M.G.L. 71:68

Public school buildings and grounds are one of the greatest investments of the towns and the school district. It is deemed in the best interest of the school district and towns to protect the investment adequately.

Security should mean not only maintenance of a secure (locked) building, but protection from fire hazards and faulty equipment, and safe practices in the use of electrical, plumbing, and heating equipment. The Committee expects close cooperation with fire and law enforcement departments and with insurance company inspectors.

Access to school buildings and grounds outside of regular school hours will be limited to personnel whose work requires it. An adequate key control system will be established, which will limit access to buildings to authorized personnel and will safeguard against the chance of entrance to buildings by unauthorized persons.
Funds and valuable records will be kept in a safe place and under lock and key.

Protective devices designed to be used as safeguards against illegal entry and vandalism will be installed when appropriate to the individual situation. Employment of security personnel may be ap proved in situations where special risks are involved.

Vandalism in the Triton Regional School District will not be tolerated. The School Committee recognizes that acts of vandalism committed against public and private property are costly and therefore require proactive actions through educational programs.
Consequently, the Committee will support various programs aimed at reducing the amount of vanda lism.

Every citizen of the town, staff members, students, and members of the police department are urged by the School Committee to cooper ate in reporting any incidents of vandalism to property under con trol of the school department, and the name(s) of the person or per sons believed to be responsible. Each employee will report to the Principal of the school every incident of vandalism known to them and, if known, the names of those responsible.

The Superintendent is authorized to sign a criminal complaint and to press the charges against perpetrators of vandalism against school property, and is further authorized to delegate, as they see fit, au thority to sign such complaints and to press charges.

Parents/guardians and students will be made aware of the legal implications involved. Reimbursement will be sought for all or part of any dam ages.

The School Committee works to maintain a safe and secure environment for its students, staff, visitors, and facilities. In pursuit of this objective, the School Committee authorizes the use of security cameras in school district buildings and on its property to ensure the health, welfare, and safety of all students, staff, and visitors, to deter theft, vandalism, and other negative behavior, to safeguard district buildings, grounds, and equipment, and to monitor unauthorized individuals in or on school property.
Security cameras may be used in locations as deemed appropriate by the Superintendent of Schools in consultation with school officials as well as local law enforcement and emergency response agencies. Security cameras will be based on the presumption and belief that students, staff, and visitors have no reasonable expectation of privacy in public areas or when events occur in plain view of other students, staff, or visitors. Cameras shall not be used to monitor inside locker rooms or restrooms.

The District shall notify students, staff, and the general public that video surveillance will occur on school property through the use of signage and notification in the student handbook. Signs will be posted in public entryways to the buildings informing persons that the buildings and grounds may be under video surveillance. Students or staff identified on security cameras in violation of School Committee policies, school rules, the employee handbook, or state or federal law may be subject to disciplinary action.

The Superintendent shall ensure that proper procedures are in place and are followed regarding the use, viewing, disclosure, retention, disposal, and security of video recordings or photographs from security cameras in accordance with applicable laws and regulations, as follows:

1. Access to video recordings from security cameras shall be limited to school officials with a legitimate interest in the recording (Superintendent/designee, School Principal/designee).
2. School administrators will not be routinely continuously monitoring all cameras/footage, but will monitor high traffic areas and entry points as frequently as feasible.
3. Any high traffic areas that are routinely monitored will only be visible to authorized personnel.
4. School Administrators or other officials with approved access will not routinely monitor live or recorded camera footage for the sole purpose of ‘searching’ for issues or violations without prior suspicion of such activity. However, behavior that is visible on live or recorded camera footage may be actionable pursuant to the standard set in item 6 below.
5. A video recording used for security purposes in school district buildings and/or on school property shall be the sole property of the school district. The right to inspect such recordings is limited to school district personnel and as required by law.
6. Any type of activity detected through the use of video surveillance cameras that might constitute a violation of the law will be reported immediately to the appropriate law enforcement agency. Video recordings may be shown to law enforcement or emergency response personnel by the school department, consistent with Federal and State law. It is understood that disciplinary actions against, and excessive monitoring of Triton employees is not the primary purpose for the installation of surveillance cameras. To that end, any disciplinary action that is based in any part upon footage captured by the video surveillance system must comport with the disciplinary procedures and standards outlined in an applicable collective bargaining agreement. Further, an employee and their representation will have access to video footage prior to any scheduled meetings that is to be used against them in a disciplinary matter.
7. Images collected from security cameras may be used for investigative and disciplinary purposes. Cameras are primarily for security purposes and the footage and images collected from these cameras will not be used as part of a formal observation for the purpose of evaluation.
8. All video recordings will be stored securely to avoid tampering and to ensure confidentiality.
9. Security camera visually recorded data that has not been used as part of an investigation, discipline proceeding; requested to be maintained by an employee, parent, or state or federal agency; or maintained for some other legitimate purpose will be maintained for a maximum of 90 school days and then deleted. All such recordings shall be treated as confidential and shall not be released to individuals or agencies outside of the District except in a manner consistent with state and federal law.

The Superintendent may, from time to time, issue further guidance that is consistent with current laws and this policy.

The School Committee wishes to be of assistance, whenever possible, to other town departments and community organizations. Therefore, permission to use school equipment may be granted by the Superintendent upon request by responsible parties or organizations.

School equipment may be utilized by staff members when the use is related to their school employment, and by students when the equipment is to be used in connection with their studies or extracurricular activities.

Proper controls will be established by the Superintendent to assure the user's responsibility for, and return of, all school equipment.

SOURCE: MASC – Reviewed 2022

The primary purpose of the school system's transportation services is to aid students in getting to and from school in an efficient, safe, and economical manner.

The school district may contract for transportation services. The School Committee will award contracts on a competitive bid basis for regular day transportation, and using sound business practices for Special Education and Homeless transportation services as allowed by law. Both general school transportation and Bus contractors, 7D contractors, as well as other and school districts who may provide transportation services for Triton students , who will be held responsible for the safe operation of school buses and , will comply with all applicable state laws and regulations, including but not limited to:

1. Specifications for school bus design and equipment
2. Inspection of buses
3. Qualifications and examinations of bus drivers
4. Driving regulations
5. Small vehicle requirements, if applicable
6. Insurance coverage
7. Adherence to local regulations and directives as specified in bid contracts

The Superintendent, working with the bus contractor and other ap propriate administrators, will be responsible for establishing bus schedules, routes, stops, and all other matters relative to the transportation program.

SOURCE: MASC - Updated 2022

Legal References

• M.G.L. 40:5; 71:7A, B and C; 71:16C; 71:37D; 71:48A; 71:68; 71:71A; 71B:4; 71B:5; 71B:8; 74:8A; 76:1; 76:12Bi; 76:14

Students will be entitled to transportation to and from school at the expense of the public schools when such transportation conforms with applicable provisions of the Massachusetts General Laws.

Reimbursement to the school district for transportation costs is given by the Commonwealth only for (a) students living at least one and one half miles from school, (b) students who live more than one mile from the nearest bus stop, and (c) students with special needs for whom transportation must be provided.

Additionally, the Committee will provide transportation to all eligible students under the law.

Exceptions to these guidelines may be made at the discretion of the Superintendent. This will apply particularly to any student who must travel in a hazardous area to and from school. These students will be transported regardless of the mileage limits listed.

Legal References

• M.G.L. 40:5; 71:7A; 71:68; 71B:5

The safety and welfare of student riders will be the first consider ation in all matters pertaining to transportation. Safety precau - tions will include the following:

1. Students will be instructed as to the proper procedure for boarding and exiting from a school bus and in proper and safe conduct while aboard.
2. Emergency evacuation drills will be conducted at least twice a year to acquaint student riders with procedures in emergency situations.
3. All vehicles used to transport students will be inspected periodically for conformance with state and federal safety requirements.
4. Classroom instruction on school bus safety will be provided.

Legal References

• M.G.L. 90:7b as amended by Ch. 246 Acts of 1986
• M.G.L. 90:1 et seq.; 713:2; 713:7L
• Highway Safety Program Standard No. 17

The School Committee will reserve the right to approve or disapprove persons employed by the bus contractor to drive school transporta tion vehicles.

1. Courteous and careful drivers will be required.
2. Each driver will file with school officials a medical certificate.
3. Only persons who are properly licensed by the state and have completed the driver-training program will be permitted to drive school buses.
4. The contractor will furnish the School Committee with a list of names of drivers and their safety records for the last three years.
5. The contractor will notify school officials as soon as possible of any change of bus drivers.

Legal References

• M.G.L. 90:7B; 90:8A; 90:8A 1/2

The District shall adhere to federal law and Department of Transportation regulations requiring a drug and alcohol-testing program for school bus drivers and commercial vehicle drivers. Such testing will be conducted for five different situations: pre- employment, randomly, following an accident, following an authorization to return to duty, and upon reasonable suspicion that a driver is under the influence of alcohol or using drugs.

The District will comply with Department of Transportation protocols regarding the collection and testing necessary to establish whether alcohol or drugs are present in the driver's system, and regulations will be established for the steps to be taken in the event that test results are positive.

This program shall comply with the requirements of Federal law and regulations. The Superintendent or designees shall adopt and enact procedures consistent with the federal regulations, defining the circumstances and procedures for testing.

Legal References

• 49 U.S.C. sec. 2717 et seq. (Omnibus Transportation Employee Testing Act of 1991)
• 49 C.F.R. Part 40 Procedures for Transportation Workplace and Drug and Alcohol Testing Programs
• 49C.F.R. Part 382 Controlled Substance and Alcohol Use and Testing
• 49 C.F.R. Part 391 Qualification of Drivers

The authority for enforcing School Committee requirements of student conduct on buses will rest with the Principal.

To ensure the safety of all students who ride in buses, it may occasionally be necessary to revoke the privilege of transportation from a student who abuses this privilege. Guardians of students whose behavior and misconduct on school buses endangers the health, safety, and welfare of other riders will be notified that their student face the loss of transportation privileges in accordance with regulations approved by the School Committee.

Rules regarding student conduct on school buses will be included in the student handbooks. Students are expected to follow school rules at all times when riding on buses.

School buses will be used for the transportation of students participating in co-curricular or extracurricular activities. However, when buses are not available, private vehicles may be permitted to transport students to or from school activities that fall within the academic day or extend the school day provided all of the following conditions are met:

1. The activity has the approval of the Superintendent of Schools or their designee.
2. Drivers are not under the age of 21, and have a clean driving license.
3. The owner of the vehicle being used in transporting students must file evidence with the Superintendent or their designee of liability insurance coverage on the vehicle in the amounts of $100,000 - $300,000 or more. The owner will provide evidence of insurance and sign a waiver acknowledging the fact that their insurance will act as the primary in the case of an accident, with the district policy as supplemental.
4. The member of staff with responsibility for organizing an activity shall be responsible for:

ensuring that vehicle owners sign a waiver prior to the transport of students;

depositing the waiver with the Superintendent of Schools;

ensuring that parents and guardians of students to be transported in this manner have been fully informed as to this means of transportation; and

securing a signed statement that parents and guardians to this effect, and filing such statements with the Superintendent of Schools.

No motor vehicle operator shall cause or allow any motor vehicle operated by him or her on school grounds to idle unnecessarily, except for any of the following reasons: traffic conditions; queuing at a school for the purpose of picking up or discharging students; turbo-charged diesel engine cool down or warm up; maintenance of appropriate temperature for school buses when accepting or discharging passengers not to exceed three minutes in any fifteen minute period or one minute in any fifteen minute period for other motor vehicles; for circumstances involving safety or emergencies and for servicing or repairing motor vehicles; and as these exceptions are more completely described in the below referenced regulations.

The term "school grounds" shall mean in, on or within 100 feet of the real property of the school whether or not it is in session, and shall include any athletic field or facility and any playground used for school purposes or functions which is owned by the municipality or school district, regardless of proximity to a school building, as well as any parking lot appurtenant to such school athletic field, facility or playground. Reasonable efforts shall be made by the district to identify by signage all known and actual air intake systems, which may be within 100 feet of an idling motor vehicle. A motor vehicle operator shall not idle a motor within 100 feet of such air intake system, unless the Triton Regional School District has determined that alternative locations block traffic, impair student safety or are not cost effective.

The Triton Regional School District shall erect and maintain in a conspicuous location on school grounds NO IDLING signage as described below. All such signage shall contain appropriate sized font so as to be visible from a distance of 50 feet.

NO IDLING
PENALTIES OF $100 FOR FIRST OFFENSE AND $500
FOR SECOND AND SUBSEQUENT OFFENSES
M.G.L. C. 90,

In an effort to reduce the District's fuel consumption and energy costs the School Committee commits to purchase only fuel efficient vehicles to meet this goal. While at the time of this policy being established the district does not own, or has no plans to purchase any vehicles, any future purchase shall require only fuel efficient vehicles for district use whenever such vehicles are commercially available and practicable. This policy applies to all vehicles that are owned and operated by the district, including any that are assigned to a specific school. It applies to road-worthy passenger vehicles, pick up and utility trucks, and SUVs. It does not apply to specialized equipment or off-road vehicles.

Definitions:

Combined city and highway MPG (EPA Combined fuel economy): Combined Fuel Economy means the fuel economy from driving a combination of 43 percent city and 57 Percent highway miles and is calculated as follows:

=1/((0.43/City MPG)+(0.57/highway MPG))

Drive System: The manner in which mechanical power is directly transmitted from the drive shaft to the wheels. The following codes are used in the drive field:

AWD = All Wheel Drive: 4 wheel drive automatically controlled by the vehicle power train

4WD = 4-Wheel Drive: driver selectable 4-wheel drive with 2-wheel drive option

2WD = 2-Wheel Drive
Heavy-duty vehicle: V ehicles with a manufacturer's gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of more than 8,500 pounds
Guidelines:

The district shall purchase only fuel efficient vehicles for school or district wide use whenever such vehicles are commercially available and practicable. The district will maintain an annual vehicle inventory for ALL vehicles and a plan for replacing any non-exempt vehicles with vehicles that meet, at a minimum, the fuel efficiency ratings contained in the most recent guidance for Criterion 4 published by the MA Department of Energy Resources Green Communities Division.

It is the responsibility of the superintendent or designee to check the Green Communities Division s Guidance for Criterion 4 for updates prior to ordering replacement vehicles.

Exemptions:

Heavy-duty vehicles: examples include fire-trucks, ambulances, and some public works trucks that meet the definition of heavy-duty vehicle.

As of the adoption date (above) police cruisers are exempt from this criterion due to lack of widespread availability. However, we commit to purchasing fuel efficient police cruisers, when they become commercially available. Police and fire department administrative vehicles are NOT exempt and must meet fuel efficient requirements.

Inventory

The following information shall be included in a vehicle inventory list for any district owned vehicles, and said list shall be updated on an annual basis and provided to the Green Communities Division:

MakeModel
Model
Year
Month/Year
Purchased
Drive
System: 2WD, 4
WD, or AWD
> 8500 pounds?
(Y or N or NA)
Exempt or Non- Exempt?
(E or NE)
Combined
MPG
Rating
Vehicle
Function
Dept

NOTE: Departments may use EPA combined MPG estimates or actual combined MPG.

Fuel Efficient Vehicle Replacement Plan: All non-exempt vehicles shall be replaced with fuel efficient vehicles that adhere to the most recent Green Communities
Criterion 4 Guidance. Vehicles shall be replaced when they are no longer operable and will not be recycled from one municipal department to another unless the recycled replacement is more efficient than the vehicle it is replacing. In addition, when replacing exempt vehicles, the function of the vehicle will be reviewed for potential replacement with a more fuel efficient vehicle, including a fuel efficient non-exempt vehicle.

The district will review on an annual basis the Vehicle Inventory, along with the Green Communities Criterion 4 Guidance, and ensure there is a plan for new acquisitions if it is determined to be in the best interest of the district to add vehicles as part of planning for the new fiscal year budget.

The School Committee is committed to providing students with healthy, nutritious meals each day so they can focus on school work, while also maintaining the financial integrity of meal programs, and to ensure compliance with federal reporting requirements of the USDA Child Nutrition Program.

The District will participate in the National School Lunch Pro gram, the Massachusetts Universal Free Meals
Program, and other food programs that may become available to assure that all students in the schools receive healthy, nutritious school meals.
In accordance with guidelines for participation in these programs, the District will provide universal free meals to all students in the District.

Students seeking additional meals or a la carte items will be charged accordingly for those additional items.

Each student in the District is entitled to (1) free breakfast, (1) free lunch, and (1) free snack (where provided by the District.)
It remains important that families complete the annual Household Application for Free and Reduced Price
Meals. This form allows the school district to serve families more effectively for other important programs such as P-EBT benefits, fee waivers for school district programs/ services, (as determined by each school district), state and federal grant eligibility, and more.
Districts participating through the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP), serve breakfast and lunch at no cost to all enrolled students without collecting household applications.

As required by state and federal regulations, the School Committee approves this policy statement pertaining to eligibility for universal free school meals for all students in the District.

Legal References

• National School Lunch Act, as amended (42 USC 1751-1760)
• Child Nutrition Act of 1966
• P.L. 89-642, 80 Stat. 885, as amended
• M.G.L. 15:1G; 15:1L; 69:1C; 71:72

The School Committee is committed to providing students with healthy, nutritious meals each day so they can focus on school work, while also maintaining the financial integrity of meal programs and minimizing any impact on students with charges for a la carte purchases.

The District provides free meals to all students (one free meal per meal service period.). However, unpaid charges for additional meals, or a la carte items place a large financial burden on the school district, as food services is a self-supporting entity within the district. The purpose of this policy is to ensure compliance with federal reporting requirements of the USDA Child Nutrition
Program, as well as provide oversight and accountability for the collection of outstanding student balances.

Charges and Balances
Each student will be allowed to take one regular meal per meal service period. Students may want to receive additional meals, or to purchase a la carte items. Students will pay for additional meals at the regular rate approved by the School Committee.
Student Accounts will be maintained by the District Food and Nutrition Program as prescribed by the District and delineated in the Student Handbook. The parent/guardian is responsible for any meal charges incurred incurred beyond the free meals provided. If there is a financial hardship, a parent/guardian should contact food services directly to discuss payment options such as an individualized repayment plan.
Payments
Payments for additional food purchases beyond the regular meal will be made to the District Food and Nutrition Program.
Parents will be notified of account balances or deficits at regular intervals as prescribed by the District. At no time shall any staff member give payment notices to students unless that student is known to be an emancipated minor who is fully responsible for themselves or over the age of 18. If parents/guardians have issues with student purchases they should contact the director food services for assistance.
Parents/Guardians may pay in advance for anticipated purchases beyond the free meal allowed during each meal service period. Further details are available on the school district webpage and in student handbooks. Funds should be maintained in accounts to minimize the possibility that a child may be without a positive balance in their account on any given day. Any remaining funds for a particular student, whether positive or negative, will be carried over to the next school year.

All school cafeterias possess computerized point of sale/cash register systems that maintain records of all monies deposited and spent for each student and those records are available to parents/guardians by setting up an online account (see student handbooks for more details) or by speaking with the school's food service manager. The point of sale system is designed to prevent direct identification of a student's meal status. Parents/guardians will receive automated low-balance notifications. If notices do not result in payment, parents will receive a phone call from food services. If the phone call does not result in payment the food service manager shall turn the account over to the business office.

Refunds
Refunds for withdrawn and/or graduating students require a written request for a refund of any money remaining in their account to be submitted. Graduating students also have the option to transfer funds to a sibling's account or to donate to a student in need with a written request.

Delinquent Accounts/Collections
The Superintendent shall ensure that there are appropriate and effective collection procedures and internal controls within the school district's business office that meet the requirements of law.
Policy Communications
This policy shall be communicated to all staff and families at the beginning of each school year and to families transferring to the District during the year.

Legal References

• MGL 71:72; USDA School Meal Program Guidelines May 2017

The Triton Regional School District is committed to complying with Civil Rights Requirements in all of its programs, including the USDA Food and Nutrition Services and DESE School Food and Nutrition Programs, and specifically the Civil Rights Requirements outlined in Food and Nutrition Programs Instruction 113-1 and the
2016 MoU between USDA FNS Civil Rights Division and the Massachusetts DESE Office for Food and Nutrition
Programs.

Any person alleging discrimination in the District's School Food and Nutrition Program based on race, color, national origin, age, sex, or disability, either written or verbal, has the right to file a complaint. The designee at the District/school level will provide assistance to the individual(s) including but not limited to explaining the steps in the complaint process, and maintain a complaint log, as required by law.

LEGAL REF.: FNS 113-1: Civil Rights Compliance and Enforcement NOTE: Procedures Template for USDA Food and Nutritions Services Complaints can be found here. Districts are required by FNS 113-1 to establish procedures to receive complaints, assist individuals with complaints, log, and report Civil Rights complaints related to School Food and Nutrition Services. NOTE: The Superintendent or designee will develop complaint procedures SOURCE: MASC 2023
SOURCE: MASC 2023

Legal References

• FNS 113-1: Civil Rights Compliance and Enforcement

The protection of sensitive data and technology is vital in supporting teaching and learning through access to resources, information, learning activities, interpersonal communications, research, training, collaboration, curriculum, and materials.

The School Committee recognizes data and information as resources that must be protected from unauthorized access or use, and, as such, supports a balance of security and access. The Committee expects district staff, student, and family data to be protected by adequate controls commensuration with the sensitivity of the data.

The Committee directs the Superintendent to develop and maintain an effective district data protection system of procedures for the protection of sensitive district information. Such procedures should protect the confidentiality, availability, and integrity of district information.
SOURCE: MASC 2023

The School Committee recognizes that, as an entity of local government, every District record is presumed to be public unless it may be withheld under a specific exemption. The custodian of public records of the district is the School Busiess Official ; contact information for this position will be placed in a prominent position on the district website.

The District is responsible for a myriad of records which vary in the length of time retention is required. The Superintendent is responsible for ensuring such retention requirements are followed.

Under the Public Records Law, electronic messages between public officials, including public employees, may be considered public records. As such, all district employees and the School Committee will be given district email address, with which they are to conduct all district business, so the district may comply with public records requirements.
SOURCE: MASC 2023

Legal References

• M.G.L.4:7; 66:10

The School Committee believes that educational program is influenced greatly by the environment in which it functions. The development of a quality educational program and of school facilities that help implement that program must go hand in hand.

Therefore, it is the Committee s goal to provide the facilities needed for the number and educational requirements of students in the school district and to provide the kind of facilities that will best support the educational program. To best use local resources, it is the Committee s intent, wherever possible, to partner with the Massachusetts School Building Authority.

Recognizing that school facilities are long-term community investments, the Committee will develop projects that reflect cost- effective designs, are consistent with good engineering practice, and use high quality construction, with attention to current and future technological practices for students, faculty, and school staff. Sites will be chosen to meet the educational need, maximize the use of any available community resources, and minimize any possible adverse education, environmental, social, or economic impacts on the community.

Legal References

• M.G.L. 70B
• 963 CMR 2.00

School Building Committee

The School Committee creates a school building committee for specific building projects. These committees act as the administrative authority for the projects, subject to approval of various actions by the School Committee and Superintendent.

The school building committee has the following responsibilities:

To study and make recommendations to the School Committee with respect to school building needs.
To review thoroughly with the Superintendent and the School Committee the educational requirements in relation to school buildings.
To review previous studies and initiate needed studies with or without consultative assistance.
To employ the services of architects and cost estimators and such other professional assistance as it may deem necessary, subject to the approval of the Superintendent and the School Committee.

Staff Planning

Arrangements will be made by the Superintendent, working through Principals, for the school staff to contribute in the planning of new school buildings. Teachers will be given the opportunity to submit suggestions for possible inclusion in the educational specifications.

Legal References

• M.G.L. 71:14; 71:16
• Regional Agreement

When a school building becomes inadequate by virtue of age, conditions, size of site, lack of need, or other overriding limitations, and cannot reasonably and economically be brought up to the current educational standards, the building should be considered for a comprehensive closing study. The Superintendent will recommend to the School Committee which facilities appear to justify further analysis.

The School Committee may seek both professional advice and the advice of the community in making its recommendations as to the retirement of any school facility. This will permit the public, which originally acquired the property, to benefit from its recycling or retirement.

A closing study will include direct involvement by those neighborhoods considered in the study and will be concerned with all or some of the following factors:

1. Age and current physical condition of the facilities, its operating systems, and program facilities.
2. Adequacy of site, location, access, surrounding development, traffic patterns, and other environmental conditions.
3. Reassignment of students, including alternative plans according to Committee policy.
4. Transportation factors, including numbers of students bussed, time, distance, and safety.
5. Alternative use of the building.
6. Cost/Savings

Personnel

Plant Operation

Transportation

Capital Investment

Alternative Use

1. Continuity of instructional and community programs.

Any retirement of facilities will conform with the provisions of the Regional Agreement.

Legal References

• M.G.L. 71:16

Naming a school facility is an important matter that deserves thoughtful at tention. Personal prejudice or favoritism, political pressure, or temporary popularity should not be an influence in choosing a name for a school, a portion of a school, or a portion of school grounds. Whenever possible, the wishes of the community, including parents/guardians and students, should be considered in naming school facilities.

The School Committee has the authority to approve the naming and renaming of buildings, structures, and facilities located on school property. The School Committee also has the authority to name subsections of existing structures or facilities, such as classrooms, auditoriums, and gymnasiums.

Names and/or wording associated with school facilities shall be consistent with school district policies and promote messages aligned with the mission, vision and goals of the school district. To the extent possible, names and/or wording should be designed not to restrict the use of a space or inhibit changing the function of the space should that become necessary in the future.

When the opportunity to name or dedicate a new school or school related property, structure or facility is forthcoming, an orderly procedure will be communicated at the next available School Committee meeting. The Committee's agendas should clearly reflect the intent to consider, review, and vote on naming opportunities.
Submission of a name for a school space may be made by any resident or by the Superintendent, in writing, and should be made to the School Committee Chair. If a name is being initiated at the local school level, the Principal must take reasonable steps to include the School Council and PTA/PTO in the nomination of the name before submission to the School Committee.

The written request should specify the intent of the requestor and the reasons why this particular name would fit the facility. It should offer appropriate background information on the person or organization after which the facility will be named. An offer of a financial contribution to the School District may accompany the naming request, but the School Committee is not obligated to accept or reject a name based upon financial considerations alone. Philanthropic contributions in support of the School District are encouraged by the School Committee. The School Committee may acknowledge generous donors by designating appropriate spaces within the School District's facilities consistent with the level of financial commitment.
Following the submission of a naming request, the School Committee Chair will specify a consideration period that allows for public comment, following which the Committee will deliberate and vote on the name.

The School Committee recognizes that the death of a student, member of the staff, or prominent community member is deeply felt by the school community. As places designed primarily to support learning, school sites should not serve as the main venue for permanent memorials.

Permanent memorials within the schools shall be limited in form to perpetual awards or scholarships.

Any permanent memorials in existence before the adoption of this policy can only be removed by a vote of the School
Committee.

NOTE: School Committees must realize that even though they are no longer involved in the process of hiring school district employees other than the Superintendent and those outlined in Policy BBA - School Committee Powers & Duties, they are responsible to the students and residents of the school district they represent to insure that the highest quality individuals available are hired to meet the needs of the District. They have the additional responsibility to articulate the expectations of the District relative to personnel. This must be done in the form of District Policy. The School Committee recognizes that an efficient staff dedicated to education is necessary to maintain a constantly improving education al program.

The District's specific personnel goals are:

To develop and implement those strategies and procedures for personnel recruitment, screening, and selection that will result in the employment and retention of individuals with the highest capabilities, strongest commitment to quality education, and greatest probability of effectively implementing the system's learning program.

To adhere to Triton Regional School District's Core Values Respect Integrity Excellence for All".

To develop a general staff assignment strategy that will contribute to the learning program, and to use it as the primary basis for determining staff assignments.

To provide positive programs of staff development that contribute both to improvement of the learning program and to each staff member's career development aspirations.

To provide for a genuine team approach to education.

To develop and use for personnel evaluation positive processes that contribute to the improvement of both staff capabilities and the learning program.

Legal References

• 603 CMR 26:00

The School Committee subscribes to the fullest extent to the principle of the dignity of all people and of their labors and will take action to ensure that any individual within the District who is responsible for hiring and/or personnel supervision understands that applicants are employed, assigned, and promoted without regard to their race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, genetic information, ancestry, military status, disability, pregnancy or pregnancy related condition. Every available opportunity will be taken in order to assure that each applicant for a position is selected on the basis of qualifications, merit and ability.

Legal References

• M.G.L. 151B:4
• BESE Regulations 603 CMR 26:00

The School Committee expects members of its professional staff to be familiar with the code of ethics that applies to their profession and to adhere to it in their relationships with students, parents, coworkers, and officials of the school system.

No employee of the Committee will engage in or have a financial interest in, directly or indirectly, any activity that conflicts or raises a reasonable question of conflict with their duties and responsibilities in the school system. Nor will any staff member engage in any type of private business during school time or on school property.

Employees will not engage in work of any type where information concerning customer, client, or employer originates from any informa tion available to them through school sources.

Moreover, as there should be no conflict of interest in the super vision and evaluation of employees, at no time may any administra tor responsible for the supervision and/or evaluation of an employ ee be directly related to to, or in a romantic relationship with, that employee.

Every two years, all current employees, including School Committee members, must complete the State Ethics Commission s online training. New employees must complete this training within 30 days of beginning employment and every 2 years thereafter. Upon completing the program, employees should print out the completion certificate and keep a copy for themselves. Employees will be required to provide a copy of the completion certificate to the municipal or district Clerk through the Superintendent's office.

In order to avoid the appearance of any possible conflict, it is the policy of the School Committee that when an immediate family member, as defined in the Conflict of Interest statute, of a School Committee member or district administrator is to be hired into or promoted within the School District, the Superintendent shall file public notice with the School Committee and the Municipal or District Clerk at least two weeks prior to executing the hiring in accordance with the law.

Legal References

• M.G.L. 71:52; 268A:1 et seq.

All staff members have a responsibility to familiarize themselves with and abide by the laws and regulations of the State as these affect their work, the policies of the School Committee, and the procedures designed to implement them.

In the area of personal conduct, the Committee expects that teachers and others will conduct themselves in a manner that not only re flects credit to the school system but also sets forth a model worthy of emulation by students.

All staff members will be expected to carry out their assigned res ponsibilities with conscientious concern.

Essential to the success of ongoing school operations and the in structional program are the following specific responsibilities, which will be required of all personnel:

Faithfulness and promptness in attendance at work.

Support and enforcement of policies of the Committee and their implementing procedures and school rules in regard to students.

Diligence in submitting required reports promptly at the times specified.

Care and protection of school property.

Concern for and attention to their own and the school system's legal responsibility for the safety and welfare of students, including the need to ensure that students are under supervision at all times.

Legal References

• M.G.L. 71:37H; 264:11; 264:14

Gifts
The acceptance of gifts worth $50 or more by school personnel in a calendar year when the gift is given because of the position they hold, or because of some action the recipient could take or has taken in their public role, violates the conflict of interest law. Acceptance of gifts worth less than $50, while not prohibited by the conflict of interest law, may require a written public disclosure to be made.

In keeping with this policy, no employee of the school district will accept a gift worth $50 or more that is given because of the employee s public position, or anything that the employee could do or has done in their public position. Gifts worth less than
$50 may be accepted, but a written disclosure to the employee s appointing authority must be made if the gift and the circumstances in which it was given could cause a reasonable person to think that the employee could be improperly influenced. The value of personal gifts accepted is aggregated over a calendar year (4 gifts of $20 value is the same as 1 gift of
$80 if given in the same calendar year).

In general, homemade gifts without retail value are permissible because a reasonable person would not expect an employee would unduly show favor to the giver, so no disclosure is required. Such gifts could include homemade food items (cookies, candy, etc), handpicked flowers, and handmade gifts worth less than $10 (ten) dollars.

Class Gifts

There is a specific exception to the prohibition against accepting gifts worth $50 or more, when the teacher knows only that the gift is from the class, not from specific donors. A single class gift per calendar year valued up to $150 or several class gifts in a single year with a total value up to $150 from parents and students in a class may be accepted provided the gift is identified only as being from the class and the names of the givers and the amounts given are not identified to the recipient. The recipient may not accept an individual gift from someone who contributed to the class gift. It is the responsibility of the employee to confirm that the individual offering such gift did not contribute to the class gift.
Gifts for School Use

Gifts given to a teacher solely for classroom use or to purchase classroom supplies are not considered gifts to an individual employee and are not subject to the $50 limit. However, an employee who accepts such gifts must keep receipts documenting that money or gift cards were used for classroom supplies.

Solicitations

In spirit, the School Committee supports the many worthwhile charitable drives that take place in the community and is gratified when school employees give them their support. However, the solicitation of funds from staff members through the use of school personnel and school time is prohibited by the conflict of interest law. Therefore, no solicitations of funds for charitable purposes should be made among staff members. Staff members of course remain free to support charitable causes of their own selection.

Legal References

• M.G.L. 268A:3; 268A:23
• 930 CMR 5.00

The District will provide a drug-free workplace and certifies that it will:

1. Notify all employees in writing that the unlawful manufacture, distribution, dispensing, possession or use of a controlled substance, is prohibited in the District's workplace, and specify the actions that will be taken against employees for violation of such prohibitions.
2. Establish a drug-free awareness program to inform employees about the dangers of drug abuse in the workplace; the District's policy of maintaining a drug-free work-place; and available drug counseling, rehabilitation, and employee assistance programs; and the penalty that may be imposed on employees for drug abuse violations occurring in the workplace.
3. Make it a requirement that each employee whose employment is funded by a federal grant be given a copy of the statement as required.
4. Notify the employee in the required statement that as a condition of employment under the grant, the employee will abide by the terms of the statement, and will notify the District of any criminal drug statute conviction for a violation occurring in the workplace no later than five days after such conviction.
5. Notify the federal agency within ten days after receiving notice from an employee or otherwise receiving notice of such conviction.
6. Take one of the following actions within 30 days of receiving notice with respect to any employee who is so convicted; take appropriate personnel action against such an employee, up to and including termination; or require such employee to participate satisfactorily in a drug abuse assistance or rehabilitation program approved for such purposes by a federal, state or local health law enforcement, or other appropriate agency.
7. Make a good faith effort to continue to maintain a drug-free workplace through implementation of all the provisions of this policy.

Legal References

• The Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1988

Use of any tobacco products, including, but not limited to: cigarettes, cigars, little cigars, chewing tobacco, pipe tobacco and snuff and electronic cigarettes, electronic cigars, electronic pipes or other similar products that rely on vaporization or aerosolization, within the school buildings, school facilities, on school grounds or school buses, or at school sponsored events by any individual, including school personnel, is prohibited at all times.

Staff members who violate this policy will be referred to their immediate supervisor.

Legal References

• M.G.L. 71:37H

Through its overall safety program and various policies pertaining to school personnel, the Committee will seek to assure the safety of employees during their working hours and assist them in the maintenance of good health.
Employees offered a position as a custodian, maintenance worker or food service worker must successfully pass a pre- employment physical examination (provided at School Committee cost) prior to the date of employment.
The Superintendent may require an employee to submit to a physical examination by a physician appointed by the school system whenever that employee's health appears to be a hazard to children or others in the school system or when a doctor's certificate is legally required to verify need for sick leave.
School employees, their families and members of their household are eligible to use the confidential services provided by the municipality's employee assistance program,

Legal References

• M.G.L. 71:54; 71:55C

It shall be the policy of the school district to permit an employee to take up to 15 days of domestic violence leave from work in any 12 month period. In order to be eligible for said leave:

the employee , or a family member of the employee must be a victim of abusive behavior;

the employee must be using the leave from work to seek or obtain medical attention, counseling , victim services or legal assistance; secure housing; obtain a protective order from court; appear before a grand jury; meet with a district attorney or other law enforcement official; or attend child custody proceedings or address other issues directly related to the abusive behavior against the employee or family member of the employee; and

the employee must not be the perpetrator of the abusive behavior against such employee s family member.

Leave granted under this policy shall be unpaid. An employee seeking such leave shall exhaust all annual or vacation leave, personal leave and sick leave available to the employee, prior to requesting or taking domestic violence leave.

Except in cases of imminent danger to the health or safety of an employee, advanced notice of domestic violence leave shall be required. If such imminent danger exists the employee shall notify the employer within 3 workdays that the leave was taken. The notification may be communicated to the employer by the employee, a family member of the employee or the employee s counselor, social worker, health care worker, member of the clergy, shelter worker, legal advocate or other professional who has assisted the employee in addressing the effects of the abusive behavior. If an unscheduled absence occurs, an employer shall not take any negative action against the employee if the employee, within 30 days from the unauthorized absence or within 30 days from the employee s last unauthorized absence in the instance of consecutive days of unauthorized absences, provides any of the documentation found in (1) to (7) below. An employer may require documentation that the employee or employee s family member has been a victim of abusive behavior and that the leave is consistent with clauses (i) to (iii) as above referenced; provided, however, that an employer shall not require an employee to show evidence of an arrest, conviction or other law enforcement documentation for such abusive behavior. The documentation shall be provided to the employer within a reasonable period after the employer requests it.

An employee shall satisfy this documentation requirement by providing any one of the following documents to the employer:

a protective order, order of equitable relief or other documentation issued by a court of competent jurisdiction as a result of abusive behavior against the employee or employee s family member;

a document under the letterhead of the court, provider or public agency which the employee attended for the purposes of acquiring assistance as it relates to the employee or family member

A police report or statement of a victim or witness provided to police documenting the abusive behavior;

documentation that the perpetrator of the abusive behavior has admitted to sufficient facts to support a finding of guilt ; or has been convicted of , or has been adjudicated a juvenile delinquent by reason of any offense constituting abusive behavior;

medical documentation of treatment as a result of the abusive behavior;

a sworn statement, signed under the penalties of perjury, provided by a counselor, social worker, health care worker, member of the clergy, , shelter worker, legal advocate or other professional who has assisted the employee in addressing the effects of the abusive behavior;

a sworn statement, signed under the penalties of perjury, from the employee attesting that the employee has been a victim of or is a family member of a victim of abusive behavior.

All information related to the employee s leave shall be kept confidential and shall not be disclosed, except to the extent that disclosure is:

requested or consented to, in writing, by the employee;

ordered to be released by a court of competent jurisdiction;

otherwise required by applicable federal or state law;

required in the course of an investigation authorized by law enforcement, including, but not limited to, an investigation by the Attorney General; or

necessary to protect the safety of the employee or others employed at the workplace.

The Superintendent shall ensure that notice is provided to all employees in the next school year and beyond by appropriately amending the district's employee handbooks, by whatever title they may be known, or by direct notice about the Domestic
Violence Law and securing the employees signature acknowledging receipt of the handbook/notice. The Superintendent shall be responsible for notifying all current employees, unless they have been notified through the handbook, of this policy in a manner that they deem appropriate.

No employer shall coerce, interfere with, restrain or deny the exercise of, or any attempt to exercise, any rights provided herein or to make leave requested or taken contingent upon whether or not the victim maintains contact with the alleged abuser. No employer shall discharge or in any other manner discriminate against an employee for exercising the employee s rights under law. The taking of domestic violence leave shall not result in the loss of any employment benefit accrued prior to the date of such leave. Upon the employee s return from such leave, they shall be entitled to restoration to the employees original job or to an equivalent position. Definitions of abuse, abusive behavior, domestic violence, employees and family members may be found in the laws referenced below.

Legal References

• M.G.L. 149:52E; Section 10
• Chapter 260 of the Acts of 2014

The School System shall comply with the mandatory provisions of the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993. The Superintendent shall issue, and from time to time amend, procedures setting forth the rights and procedures granted by the Act, and shall ensure compliance with those procedures either personally or by delegation, or by some combination of personal oversight and delegation.

Legal References

• P.L. 103-3, "Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993"

The School Committee recognizes that employees of the school system have the same fundamental civic responsibilities and privileges as other citizens. Among these are campaigning for an elective public office and holding an elective or appointive office.

In connection with campaigning, an employee will not: use school system facilities, equipment or supplies; discuss his/her campaign with school personnel or students during the working day; use any time during the working day for campaigning purposes. Under no circumstances, will students be pressured into campaigning for any staff member.

Legal References

• M.G.L. 55; 71:44

Information about staff members is required for the daily administration of the school district, for implementing salary and other personnel policies, for budget and financial planning, for responding to appropriate inquiries about employees, and for meeting the School Committee's education reporting requirements. To meet these needs, the Superintendent will implement a comprehensive and efficient system of personnel records maintenance and control under the following guidelines:

A personnel folder for each present and former employee will be accurately maintained in the central administrative office. In addition to the application for employment and references, the folders will contain records and information relative to compensation, payroll deductions, evaluations, and any other pertinent information.

The Superintendent will be the official custodian for personnel files and will have overall responsibility for maintaining and preserving the confidentiality of the files within the provisions of the law.

Personnel records are considered confidential under the law and will not be open to public inspection. Access to personnel files will be limited to persons authorized by the Superintendent to use the files for the reasons cited above.

Each employee will have the right, upon written request, to review or receive copies of the contents of their own personnel file.

Employees may make written objections to any information contained in the file. Any written objection must be signed by the staff member and will become part of the employee's personnel file. Further, no negative comment will be placed in a staff member's file unless it is signed by the person making the comment and the staff member is informed of the comment and afforded the opportunity to include their written response in the file.

Lists of school district employees' names and home addresses will be released only to governmental agencies as required for official reports or by the laws.

CONTRACT REF.: All Agreements

Legal References

• Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, Sec. 438, P.L. 90-247
• Title IV, as amended
• 88 Stat. 571-574 (20 U.S.C. 1232g) and regulations
• M.G.L. 4:7; 71:42C

The School Committee will encourage the Administration to develop effective means of resolving differences that may arise among employees and between employees and administrators; reduce potential areas of grievances; and establish and maintain recognized channels of communication between the staff, Administration, and School Committee.

It is the Committee's desire that grievance procedures provide for prompt and equitable adjustment of differences at the lowest possible administrative level, and that each employee be assured opportunity for an orderly presentation and review of complaints and concerns.

Channels established will provide for the following:

That teachers and other school employees may appeal a ruling of a Principal or other Administrator to the Superintendent.

That all school employees may appeal a ruling of the Superintendent to the Committee, except in those areas where the law, another school committee policy, or civil rights grievance procedure has specifically assigned authority to the Principal and/or the Superintendent and Committee action would be in conflict with that law, school committee policy, or civil rights grievance procedure.

That all hearings of complaints before the Superintendent or Committee be conducted in the presence of the Administrator who made the ruling that is the subject of the grievance.

The process established for the resolution of grievances in contracts negotiated with recognized employee bargaining units will apply only to "grievances" as defined in the particular contract.

CONTRACT REFS: Triton Teachers Contract

Legal References

• M.G.L. 150E:5; 150E:8; 71:59; 71:59B

All professional staff positions in the school district will be created initially by the School Committee. It is the Committee's intent to activate a sufficient number of positions to accomplish the school system's goals and objectives and to provide for the equitable staffing of each school building. Although such positions may remain temporarily unfilled, only the Committee may abolish a position it has created.

Each time a new position is established by the Committee, the Superintendent will present for the Committee's approval a job description for the position, which specifies the job holder's qualifications and the job's performance responsibilities. The Superintendent will maintain a comprehensive set of job descriptions for all positions.

NOTE: Job descriptions for professional staff positions are available for review in the office of the Superintendent.

Teachers

The School Committee will adopt a salary schedule for regular teaching personnel as part of the contract negotiated with the teachers' bargaining unit. The schedule will be designed to recog nize and reward training and experience and encourage additional study for professional advancement.

Principals

Salaries will be reviewed annually prior to July 1. The School Committee, with the advice of the Superintendent, will establish levels of compensation for each position based on the circumstances, dynamics, and requirements of each position.
Consideration may be given to individuals for exceptional performance as a basis for establishing merit increases for Principals.
It is the responsibility of the Superintendent to present evidence to the School Committee to support recommendations for salary increases.

Administrators

Salaries will be reviewed annually prior to July 1. The Superintendent may, upon the request of the Committee, survey other school systems to determine salaries being paid for comparable positions in each system. The survey will include the effective date of the specified salary.

CONTRACT REF.: Triton Teachers' Agreement

Legal References

• M.G.L. 71:40; 71:42B; 71:43

Principals shall be employed by the School District under individual contracts of employment. The School Committee shall approve appropriate parameters for compensation and benefits to be used by the Superintendent in negotiating employment contracts of principals. The compensation/benefit levels may be exceeded only with the approval of the School Committee.

Initial contracts issued to Principals may be up to three years in length, and may be reissued by the Superintendent at levels of compensation/benefits, determined by the School Committee, provided that the Superintendent may employ a Principal under the terms and conditions of the previous contract of employment.

The length of second and subsequent contracts of employment for Principals shall be in accordance with state law.
As a condition of employment, each Principal must maintain current certification, adhere to the policies and goals of the School
Committee and the directives of the Superintendent, and annually must submit, with the School Council, the educational goals and school improvement plan for the school building(s) under their direction.

Legal References

• M.G.L. 71:41; 71:59B

Certain assignments require extra responsibility or extra time over and above that required of other staff members who are on the same position on the basic salary schedule. When such supplemental assignments require extra time and responsibility beyond that regularly expected of teachers, they will be rewarded with extra compensation.

Assignments that are to be accorded extra compensation will be designated by the Committee. Appointments to these positions will be made by the Superintendent for District-wide positions or by the Principal with the approval of the Superintendent for building based personnel. The amount of compensation for the position will be established by the Committee at the time the position is created.

A teacher who is offered and undertakes a supplementary pay assignment will receive a supplementary contract specifying the pay, duration and terms of the assignment. If a teacher will not be extended the assignment for the following school year but will remain on the teaching staff, they will be so notified in writing prior to the expiration of the contract. Upon termination of the assignment, the supplementary pay will cease.
REF.: Collective Bargaining Agreement

It is the responsibility of the Superintendent, with the assistance of the administrative staff, to determine the personnel needs of the school district and it is the responsibility of the Principal, in consultation with the Superintendent, to determine the personnel needs of the individual schools. In addition, School Councils may review personnel requirements as a means of evaluating the needs of a school. Any recommendations for the creation or elimination of a position must be approved by the School
Committee.
The search for good teachers and other professional employees will extend to a wide variety of educational institutions and geographical areas. It will take into consideration the characteristics of the district and the need for a heterogeneous staff from various cultural backgrounds.

Recruitment procedures will not overlook the talents and potential of individuals already employed by the school district. Any current employee may apply for any position for which they have certification and meets other stated requirements.

Openings in the schools will be posted in sufficient time, before the position is filled, to permit current employees to submit applications.

REFS: Collective Bargaining Agreements

Through its employment policies, the District will strive to attract, secure, and hold the highest qualified personnel for all pro - fessional positions. The selection process will be based upon awareness to candidates who will devote themselves to the education and welfare of the children attending the schools.

It is the responsibility of the Superintendent, and of persons to whom they delegate this responsibility, to determine the personnel needs of the school system and to locate suitable candidates. No position may be created without the approval of the School Committee. The District's goal is to employ and retain personnel who are motivated, will strive always to do their best, and are committed to providing the best educational environment for the children

It will be the duty of the Superintendent to see that persons con sidered for employment in the schools meet all certification requirements and the requirements of the Committee for the type of position for which the nomination is made.

The following guidelines will be used in the selection of personnel:

There will be no discrimination in the hiring process due to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, genetic information, ancestry, military status, disability, pregnancy or pregnancy related condition.

The quality of instruction is enhanced by a staff with a wide variation in background, educational preparation, and previous experience.

The administrator responsible for the hiring of a staff member (in the case of District-wide positions, for the position of Principals, it is the Superintendent; for building-based personnel, it is the Principal) is directed to establish a representative screening committee. The administrator has the final say in determining who will be hired but it is expected that the screening committee's input will be a factor in the decision. For those positions where the hiring authority rests with the School Committee, a representative screening committee may be established by the School
Committee, or the School Committee may direct the Superintendent to establish a screening committee to assist the Superintendent in making their recommendation to the School Committee.
NOTE: School Committees may determine the size and composition of the screening committee.

Legal References

• M.G.L. 69:6; 71:38; 71:38G; 71:39; 71:45
• Massachusetts Board of Education Requirements for Certification of Teachers, Principals, Supervisors, Directors,
• Superintendents and Assistant Superintendents in the Public Schools of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, revised
• 1994
• BESE Regulations 603 CMR 7:00, 26.00, and 44:00

The school system will employ as substitute teachers, to the extent possible, persons who meet the requirements for teacher appointments and will assign teachers substitute-teaching positions on the basis of their areas of competence. When the supply of potential substitutes in a particular subject area is too limited to meet school department needs, there will be active recruitment for substitutes in those areas. All substitute teachers will be expected to provide educational services, rather than to assume merely a student-supervisory role. They will be provided with as much support as possible by building administrators and teachers.

The School Committee will set the daily rate of pay for substitute teachers, including extended-term substitutes. The latter will be granted such additional benefits as approved by the School Committee.

The School Committee recognizes that an appropriate orientation program can aid in the assimilation of new staff members into the district and can also contribute to the continued growth of returning personnel. It will, therefore, be the responsibility of the Superintendent, or their designee, to provide for an annual orientation of all professional staff members.

The orientation of returning personnel will focus upon the changes that have occurred during the previous year and the general goals for the coming year.
Orientation of personnel new to the district may extend over a longer period of time and will provide a broadly based effort to supply information and background details which will improve the new teacher s understanding of the district's framework, including policies of the Committee, rules and regulations, and the instructional program.

The building Principal or the immediate supervisor shall orient all teachers to the evaluation procedures and standards during the first two weeks of their assignment to their respective building or program. No formal observations shall take place until such orientation has been completed and recorded.

All staff members will be encouraged in and provided with suitable opportunities for the development of increased competencies beyond those they may attain through the performance of their assigned duties and assistance from supervisors.

Opportunities for professional growth and relicensure may be provided through such means as the following:

Planned in-service programs and workshops offered within the school district from time to time; these may include participation by outside consultants.

Membership on curriculum development committees drawing personnel from within and without the school district.

Released time for visits to other classrooms and schools and for attendance at conferences, workshops, and other professional meetings.

Partial payment of tuition for pre-approved courses as outlined in the Teachers' Contract.

Participation in mentor activities designed to assist new staff members.
The Superintendent (or designee) will have authority to approve or deny professional time for conferences and visitations, and reimbursements for expenses, provided such activities are within budget allocations for the purpose.

The Superintendent, upon recommendation of the Principal, may award such status to a teacher who has served in the Principal's school for not less than one year or a teacher who has obtained such status in any other public school district in the Commonwealth. The Superintendent will base their decisions on the results of evaluation procedures conducted according to Committee policy.

At the end of each of the first three years of a teacher's employment, it will be the responsibility of the Superintendent to notify each employee promptly in writing of the decision on reappointment. Notification to a teacher not being reappointed must be made by June 15 or at an earlier date if required by a collective bargaining agreement.

A teacher who attains professional teacher status will have continuous employment in the service of the school system subject to satisfactory evaluations. A teacher with professional teacher status whose position is abolished by the School Committee may be continued in the employ of the school system in another position for which they are legally qualified.

Nothing in these provisions will be considered as restricting the Superintendent from changing teaching assignments or altering or abolishing supervisory assignments except that, by law, no teacher may be assigned to a position for which they are not legally qualified.

Established by law and Committee policy

Legal References

• M.G.L. 71:38; 71:38G; 71:38H; 71:41; 71:42; 71:42B; 71:43

The basic consideration in the assignment of professional staff members will be the needs of the students and the instructional program.
Therefore, the assignment and transfer of professional staff members will be accomplished by the Superintendent on the basis of the employee's qualifications, the needs of the school district, and the employees' expressed desires.

Care will be exercised by the Superintendent to assure that all schools are staffed with effective teachers.

Within an individual school, the building administrator will have the authority to assign classes and courses, provided this is done with full regard for the teacher's area of licensure and the policies delineated above.

CONTRACT REF.: Teachers' Agreement

Administrators

The nature of the duties and responsibilities of administrators and supervisors will require their hours of work to vary and extend as necessary to fulfill the requirements of their positions.

The working year for administrators will be established individually through their contracts.

Teachers
The working year for teachers will be established in connection with the Committee's adoption of the school calendar and in conjunction with collective bargaining agreements.

CONTRACT REFS: Triton Teachers' Contract

Legal References

• M.G.L. 71:80

In order to assure a high quality of teacher and administrator performance and to advance the instructional programs of the schools, a continuous program for teacher and administrator evaluation will be established by the School Committee. Regular reports will be made to the Superintendent concerning the outcomes of these evaluations.

The evaluation process will include:

1. The development and periodic review of techniques and procedures for evaluations.
2. Interpretation of the information gained in the evaluative process in terms of the objectives of the instructional program.
3. The application of the information gained to the planning of staff development and in-service training activities, which are designed to improve instruction and increase teacher competence.

The evaluation process will include goal setting, self-evaluation, formal/and informal observations, and conferencing.

The formal evaluations will be written and will be discussed by the supervisor and the person being evaluated. Discussions may precede and/or follow the writing of the evaluation document. Copies of the written document will be signed by both parties and incorporated into the personnel files of the teacher or administrator. The signature should indicate that the evaluation has been read and discussed.

The written evaluation should be specific in terms of the person's strengths and weaknesses. Those areas where improvement is needed should be clearly set forth and recommendations for improvement should be made. Subsequent evaluations should address themselves to any improvement or to any continuing difficulty that is observed.

CONTRACT REFS: Triton Teachers' Contract

Legal References

• M.G.L. 69:1B; 71:38; 71:38Q; 150E

In the event it becomes necessary to reduce the number of staff members, the School District will follow the procedure outlined in the current "Agreement Between the Triton Regional School Committee and the Triton Regional Teachers Association".

The District will follow all of the requirements of the law in terminating teachers in order to reduce staff.

Legal References

• M.G.L. 71:41; 71:42

Professional staff members may discontinue their service in the school district during the school year provided they submit a letter to the appropriate hiring authority.

Written notice of intent to resign is required by the Superintendent. The staff member will be notified in writing of the Superintendent's action on the resignation.

When a resignation is accepted by the Superintendent the employee may be expected to continue in service at their assigned duties for a period of 30 days after submission of the resignation.

Annually, the Superintendent will inform the Committee of the professional staff members who have indicated their intention to retire at the end of the current school year. No further School Committee action is necessary unless approval is needed for the payment of or participation in continued local benefits.

CONTRACT REF.: Triton Teachers Contract

NOTE: Under Massachusetts law (Teachers' Retirement Act), all professional personnel participate in a teachers' retirement plan, which provides several options on time of retirement and benefits granted to those who retire. It also sets limitations on the number of days a retired employee may be re-employed annually on a temporary basis by the school system. Temporary employment up to 90 days or 720 hours per calendar year is permitted at the discretion of the employer.

Legal References

• Age Discrimination in Employment Law, P.L. 95-256

The Superintendent will strive to assist personnel to perform their duties efficiently. However, the Superintendent may dismiss any employee in accordance with state law. Further, the Committee recognizes the constitutional rights of the district's employees and assures them the protection of due process of law. To guarantee such rights, a system of constitutionally and legally sound procedures will be followed in each case of suspension or dismissal of an employee.

When the Superintendent or a Principal determines that sufficient cause exists that a professional employee be suspended or dismissed from service in the school district, they will:

1. Be certain that each such case is supported by defensible records.
2. Determine if the individual is to be suspended immediately with the understanding that the suspension will be subject to restoration of salary and position if an appeal is decided in favor of the individual.
3. Follow the procedures for dismissal or suspension that are contained in applicable laws as well as those included in the current agreement with the teachers' bargaining unit.
4. Provide the individual involved with a written statement that will:
5. Indicate whether the action the Superintendent is taking is dismissal or suspension.
6. State the reason for the suspension or dismissal.
7. Guarantee that all procedures will be in accord with due process of law.
8. Inform employees who have a right to request a hearing under appropriate laws that they may be represented at such a hearing by counsel of their choice.

Legal References

• M.G.L. 71:42; 71:42D

Definition: "T utoring" means giving private instruction or help to an individual or group for which the teacher receives remunera tion other than through the School Committee.

A teacher cannot recommend that one of their own students get tutoring, and then be paid to tutor that same student in a second job.

A teacher may not tutor students who are currently in their class. Even if the teacher does not recommend that the current student receive private tutoring, the teacher should not tutor current students.

Teachers and other public employees may not approach a student, or the student's parents, seeking private tutoring work. A teacher may provide tutoring when the relationship is initiated by the parents or a student, but, if the student is, or in the future may be, under the teacher s authority, the teacher will need to provide a written disclosure.

A teacher cannot use school resources such as classrooms or materials in connection with a private tutoring business. A public school employee cannot use a school or district website to advertise private tutoring services. Schools cannot send home brochures for a particular tutoring service with the children.
Tutoring is not to be recommended for a student unless the approp riate teacher of the student involved is consulted and agrees that it will be of real help. If tutoring seems advisable, the Princi pal may give the parents a list of persons who are willing to tu - tor. This list may include teachers, but not the student's teacher of the subject in which they are to be tutored.

Tutoring for pay is not to be done in the school building.

NOTE: A teacher cannot tutor in their own district if the district is going to pay for the tutoring unless the district has included a provision in the teachers collective bargaining agreement providing a set amount of extra pay for tutoring by teachers that will be included in the teachers regular paychecks.

Legal References

• M.G.L. 268A Mass Ethics Commission FAQ for Public School Teachers

Education is a cooperative enterprise in which all employees of the school district must participate intelligently and effectively for the benefit of the students. This school district will employ support staff members in positions that function to support the education program.

All support staff positions will be established initially by the Committee. In each case, the Superintendent will submit for the Committee's consideration and action a job description or job specifications for the position.

Although positions may remain temporarily unfilled, or the number of persons holding the same type of position reduced, only the Committee may abolish a position it has created.

NOTE: Support staff job descriptions and job specifications are available for review in the Superintendent's office.

In establishing rates of pay and levels of compensation for support staff per sonnel, the School Committee will take into account the responsibil ities of the position, the qualifications needed, past experience of the individual, and years of service in the school department.
Compensation plans will be reviewed annually for all categories of staff. Such review, where applicable, will be carried out in con nection with negotiations with representatives of recognized bar gaining units. The master agreements with these units will be con sidered appendices to this manual and will have the full force of School Committee policy.

The School Committee will set the rates of pay for personnel not covered by collective bargaining agreements.

Overtime

Support staff employees will be paid overtime wages for work per formed in excess of 40 hours in a work week.

In counting hours for the purpose of allowing overtime work and pay, supervisors will consider sick leave, vacation time, and holidays as time worked.

Every effort must be made to minimize overtime by scheduling duties during the regular workday. Overtime will be authorized only by the Superintendent and only to cover emergency situations. All such work will be assigned on a fair and equitable basis.

CONTRACT REFS.: All Contracts

Legal References

• M.G.L. 71:38

Benefits in addition to basic salary are recognized by the School Committee as an integral part of the total compensation plan for staff members. The benefits extended regular full-time support staff members will be designed to promote their economic security and will include a comprehensive health insurance program.

Certain fringe benefits are established through negotiations with employee bargaining units. Because the Committee wishes to be fair with all its employees, benefits granted to employees who are not members of a bargaining unit will be generally equal to those granted employees in similar positions that are covered by a negotiated agreement.

CONTRACT REFS: Triton Teachers' Contract

Legal References

• M.G.L. 71:37B

Leaves and absences accorded to the support staff will be for the purposes of helping them maintain their physical health, take care of family and other personal emergencies, and discharge important and necessary obligations.

Support staff employees will be granted leaves in accordance with the terms of the agreements with recognized bargaining units.

Leave benefits granted to employees who are not members of a recognized bargaining unit will be comparable to those granted employees in similar positions that are covered by master agreements with employee organizations.

All requests for long-term leaves of absence will be submitted by the Superintendent, along with their recommendation, to the School Committee for its information.

CONTRACT REFS: Triton Teachers' Contract

Legal References

• M.G.L. 149:105D; 71:41A

Holidays

The school calendar, as adopted by the School Committee establishes holidays and school recess periods for the employees who work on teacher and/or student days.

Employees who work on a 12-month basis will be granted paid holidays on all legal holidays and such other holidays as designated by the School Committee. They will also be expected to report to work during school recess periods unless days during these periods are considered official and designated as paid holidays by the Committee.

Vacations

All 12-month employees will be eligible for paid-vacations in accordance with the following:

Each employee shall be granted up to 15 days per year, pro-rated on a fiscal year basis, upon the day they start work (if an employee begins on July 1 they will receive 15 days for the coming fiscal year).
Vacation time will increase to 20 days after 10 years of employment and 25 days after 15 years.

Vacation time cannot exceed the employee's current allotment plus ten (10) days.

Individuals who work per diem are not entitled to vacation. Individual employment contracts with vacation terms included are not covered by this policy.

Legal References

• M.G.L. 4:7

The School Committee will establish, and budget for, support staff positions in the school district on the basis of need.

The recruitment and selection of candidates for such positions will be the responsibility of the Principal for building based positions and Superintendent for district-wide positions. The Superintendent will confer with Principals and other Administrative personnel, as appropriate, in making a selection.

All support staff vacancies will be made known to all support staff personnel.

All candidates will be considered on the basis of their merits, qualifications, and the needs of the school district. In each instance, the Superintendent and others involved in the selection process will seek to employ the best qualified person for the job.

Vacancies in positions will be filled by the Superintendent and/or the Principal in accordance with the law and with the applicable regulations.

Legal References

• M.G.L. 71:59B

The Superintendent will make district-wide assignments and transfers of support staff members for the efficient operation of the school district.

The preferences of employees will be taken into consideration in making assignments and transfers; however, the best interests of students and the school district must be given priority.

Within an individual school, the Principal may assign support staff members to tasks appropriate to their positions and qualifications.

The work day and the work year for members of the support staff (custodians, cafeteria workers and instructional assistants) will be as set forth in the negotiated contract.

Schedules for support staff will be set by the appropriate Administrators in line with pertinent school opening and closing times and student schedules. Administrators will inform the Superintendent of the assigned schedules so that there may be continuity as needed throughout the school district.

A program of continuous observation and evaluation will be develop ed to find the right employees to fill vacancies, determine assign ments and equitable work loads, and establish wage and salary policies that encourage employees to put forth their best efforts.

The evaluation will cover the major areas of the employee's responsibilities and their job descriptions.

Each employee will be informed of the basis upon which they are to be evaluated in advance of evaluation.

CONTRACT REFS.: All support staff agreements

All full-time non-instructional personnel are required to participate in the Essex County Retirement System.

Periodically, the Superintendent will present to the Committee the names of support staff members who have indicated their intentions to retire.

Legal References

• Age Discrimination in Employment Law, P.L. 95-256
• M.G.L. 71:16F

Support staff employed by the School District may be terminated by the Principal of the building in which they serve, with the approval of the Superintendent. However, employees may request the Superintendent to review the circumstances of their termination.

In the event of failure to perform as required, the Superintendent may immedi ately suspend or terminate employment depending upon agreement language.

Support staff employees may or may not be given prior notice of their dis missal, depending upon the circumstances.

The Superintendent, or the Principal, with the approval of the Superintendent, may also suspend/remove employees from their individual assignments.

The School Committee recognizes that education is a public trust; it therefore is dedicated to providing the best possible educational opportunities for the students of this district. In negotiations, this objective will be best attained if there is a climate of mutual trust and understanding between the negotiating parties.

The School Committee believes that the best interests of public education will be served by establishing procedures that provide an orderly method for the School Committee and representatives of the staff to discuss matters of common concern.

It is further recognized that nothing in negotiations will compromise the School Committee's legal responsibilities nor will any employee s statutory rights and privileges be impaired.

All negotiations between the School Committee and recognized employee groups are conducted subject to Massachusetts
General Laws. The legal status of negotiations is defined in part by Section 2 of that chapter, as follows:

"...shall have the right of self-organization and the right to form, join, or assist any employee organization for the purpose of bargaining collectively through representatives of their own choosing on questions of wages, hours, and other terms and conditions of employment, and to engage in lawful, concerted activities for the purpose of collective bargaining or other mutual aid or protection, free from interference, restraint, or coercion. An employee shall have the right to refrain from any or all of such activities, except to the extent of making such payment of service fees to an exclusive representative as provided in section twelve."

Basic to all employer/employee negotiations is the concept of "bar gaining in good faith." It is the legal responsibility of both the School Committee and employee organizations to bargain in good faith as they conduct negotiations. However, such obligation does not compel either party to agree to a proposal or make a concession.

Legal References

• M.G.L. 150E:1 et seq.

The School Committee is responsible for negotiations with recognized employee bargaining units. However, because of the expertise and time required for negotiations, the committee may hire a negotiator to bargain in good faith with recognized bargaining units to help assure that mutually satisfactory agreements on wages, hours, and other terms and conditions of employment will be developed.

The School Committee will appoint the negotiator and the fee or salary for their services will be established in accordance with the law at the time of appointment.

The duties of the negotiator will be as follows:

To negotiate in good faith with recognized bargaining units, to arrive at a mutually satisfactory agreement on wages, hours, and working conditions of employees represented by the units.

The negotiator may recommend members of the administration to serve on the negotiation team. They will not be member of any unit that negotiates with the Committee, and their participation in negotiations must be recommended by the Superintendent and approved by the Committee.

They will direct accumulation of necessary data needed for negotiations, such as comparative information.

They will follow guidelines set forth by the Committee as to acceptable agreements and will report on the progress of negotiations.

They will make recommendations to the Committee as to acceptable agreements.

The negotiator will interpret the signed negotiated contracts to administrators and may be called upon to offer advice on various aspects of contract administration during the terms of the contracts with employee organizations.

Legal References

• M.G.L. 71:37E

The primary function of a school program is the instruction of students. Copies of the curriculum are available to all parents of students who are enrolled in the district upon written request.

Every effort will be made to inform parents/guardians of plans to teach curriculum that may be controversial. Letters of parental notification regarding curriculum content must be approved by the building principal and the superintendent or designee prior to distribution.
A request for student exemption from curriculum requirements must be submitted in writing to the principal in advance of instruction in that portion of the curriculum for which the exemption is requested. The request must state the particular conflict involved.

The principal will confer with the teacher to determine the length of time a student will be exempt. The teacher will develop an alternative activity for which the student will receive credit. The student will not be penalized in a testing situation that requires knowledge of material that the student did not receive as a result of the exemption.

The principal will inform the parent/guardian of the disposition of the request within a reasonable number of school days following receipt of the request.

The School Committee seeks to educate students in the democratic tradition, to foster recognition of individual freedom and social responsibility, to inspire meaningful awareness of and respect for the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.

Fairness in procedures will be observed both to safeguard the legitimate interests of the schools and to exhibit by appropriate example the basic objectives of a democratic society as set forth in the Constitutions of the United States and the Commonwealth.

Legal References

• Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts

The school calendar for the ensuing year will be prepared by the Superintendent and submitted to the School Committee for approval annually. The number of days or instructional hours scheduled for the school year will be determined in accordance with the following standards set by the Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education: The School Committee shall schedule a school year which includes at least 185 school days for each school in the District.

Elementary school will operate for a minimum of 180 days. Schools shall ensure that every elementary school student is scheduled to receive a minimum of 900 hours per school year of structured learning time, as defined in regulation. Time which a student spends at school breakfast and lunch, passing between classes, in homeroom, at recess, in non- directed study periods, receiving school services, and participating in optional school programs shall not count toward meeting the minimum structured learning time requirement for that student.

Secondary schools will operate for a minimum of 180 days. Schools shall ensure that every secondary school student is scheduled to receive a minimum of 990 hours per school year of structured learning time, as defined in regulation. Time which a student spends at school breakfast and lunch, passing between classes, in homeroom, at recess, in non- directed study periods, receiving school services, and participating in optional school programs shall not count toward meeting the minimum structured learning time requirement for that student.
For the information of staff, students, and parents/guardians, the calendar will set forth the days schools will be in session; holidays and vacation periods; in service days; and parent conferences.
NOTE: The category 'School Year" is designed for policies about the year for students, rather than the working year for teachers and other staff members.

Legal References

• M.G.L. 4:7; 69:1G; 71:1; 71:4; 71:4A; 71:73; 136:12
• 603 CMR 27.00

The spe cific opening and closing times of the schools will be recommended by the Superintendent and set by the Committee to meet the educational needs of each school. The length of the school day is established in the collective bargaining agreements with the various school unions.

The Superintendent is authorized to make minor changes in opening and closing times to simplify transportation scheduling; however, major changes in schedules will be subject to Committee approval.

Parents/guardians will be informed of the opening and closing times set by the Committee. To help insure the safety of all child - ren, parents/guardians will also be notified that students will not be admit ted into the school building until the start of the official day unless circumstances require earlier admittance.

Legal References

• M.G.L. 15:1G; 69:1G; 71:59
• 603 CMR 27.00

The District offers a diversified educational program compatible with the needs of the community and state standards.

The organizational plan is designed to facilitate the philosophy of educating every student, each to their fullest potential.
The structure will consist of multiple levels (for example, Primary/Elementary, Middle and Secondary levels).

The Primary/Elementary level includes schools with kindergarten through grade six. The Middle level consists of schools for grades seven and eight.
The Secondary level consists of schools with grades nine, ten, eleven, and twelve.

Special education services are integrated across each grade level in all schools.
The organization is designed to meet the standards established within the Curriculum Frameworks as required by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, Time and Learning regulations, and to serve the needs of all students.

Legal References

• 603 CMR 27.00

Constant adaptation and development of the curriculum is necessary if the District is to meet the needs of the students in its
schools. To be successful, curriculum development must be a collaborative enterprise involving staff and administrators utilizing their professional expertise and gathering input from parents/guardians and the community.

The School Committee expects its faculty and administration to regularly evaluate the education program and to recommend modifications of practice and changes in curriculum content as well as the addition or deletion of courses to the instructional program.

Legal References

• M.G.L. 69:1E
• 603 CMR 26:05

To support the classroom activities and other instructional needs of the District, various educational services as listed shall be provided. The District Student Services staff will work in cooperation with building staff and the administration to coordinate and supervise the implementation of curriculum, the instructional program, and support services to meet the needs of all students.
The Director of Student Services shall be responsible for all services for students who are not eligible for special education assistance, such as psychological services, speech correction, homebound and hospital teaching and such other programs as may be assigned.

The School Committee will rely on the professional staff to design and implement instructional programs and courses of study that will forward the educational goals of the school district.

The Superintendent will have authority to approve new programs and courses of study after they have been thoroughly studied and found to support educational goals. The Committee itself will consider, and officially adopt, new programs and courses when they constitute an extensive alteration in instructional content or approach.

The Committee wishes to be informed of all new courses and substantive revisions in curriculum. It will receive reports on changes under consideration. Its acceptance of these reports, including a listing of the high school program of studies, will constitute its adoption of the curriculum for official purposes.

Legal References

• M.G.L. 15:1G; 71:1; 69:1E

State law requires that schools: . . . shall give instruction and training in orthography, reading, writing, the English language and grammar, geography, arithmetic, drawing, music, the history and Constitution of the United States, the duties of citizenship, health education, physical education and good behavior...

The law further states that American history and civics, including the Constitution of the United States, the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights, local history and government will be taught as required subjects in the public schools.

Physical education is compulsory for all students, except that no student will be required to take part in physical education exercises if a physician certifies in writing that such exercises would be injurious to the student.

The Fundamental Skills

The business of the schools is to equip all children with the skills, tools, and attitudes that will lay the basis for learning now and in the future. This means giving highest priority to developing skills in reading, writing, speaking, listening, and solving numerical problems.

The first claim of the community's and School Committee's resources will be made for the realization of these priorities. School dollars, school talent, school time, and whatever innovation in program is required must be concentrated on these top-ranking goals. No student should be bypassed or left out of the school's efforts to teach the fundamental skills. Schooling for basic literacy must reach all students, in all neighborhoods, and from all homes.

Legal References

• M.G.L. 71:1,2,3; 71:13
• 603 CMR 26:05

The School Committee recognizes that students in pre-kindergarten through grade 12 should:

Be afforded the opportunity to be informed about the world of work.

Be aware of the many vocations available to them.

Develop a respect for the dignity of work.

Be allowed the opportunity to develop an understanding regarding the technical, consumer, occupational, recreational and cultural aspects of industry and technology; they should also be afforded the opportunity to develop skills related to such aspects through creative problem solving experiences.

Legal References

• M.G.L. 71:37K; 71:38A through 71:38F; 74:1 et seq.
• 603 CMR 4.00

Middle School Pathway Exploration Policy

Overview:

In accordance with Massachusetts state regulations (603 CMR 4.00), the Triton Regional School District has established this Middle School Pathway Exploration Policy to ensure that all middle school students are informed about, and provided opportunities to explore, career technical education (CTE) schools and programs available to them.

This policy documents how Triton Regional Middle School students are made aware of district, regional, agricultural, and other public high school CTE opportunities, as well as how those opportunities are connected to students’ academic and career planning. The policy is submitted to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) by December 31, 2025, and as amended thereafter.

Students who reside in the Triton Regional School District have the opportunity to pursue CTE programming at:

Whittier Regional Vocational-Technical High School is a Vocational-Technical school located in Haverhill, MA. Whittier provides CTE programs in Advanced Manufacturing Technology , Automotive
Collision Repair, Automotive Technology, Carpentry, Cosmetology, Culinary Arts, Dental Assisting, Design
& Visual Communications, Early Education and Care, Electrical, Engineering Technology, Health Assisting, Heating/Ventilation, Air Conditioning & Refrigeration, Masonry, Metal Fabrication, and Plumbing and Heating, Medical Assisting, Business Technology, CAD/Drafting, Electronics/Robotics, Marine Service
Technology, Hospitality Management, and Marketing Education.

Essex North Shore Agricultural & Technical School is a vocational-technical school located in Danvers, MA. They provide Agricultural programming only, for Triton students. Animal Sciences, Companion Animals, Equine Science, Veterinary Science, Plant Sciences, Arboriculture, Landscaping & Turf Management, Natural & Environmental Sciences, Sustainable Horticulture.

The district will attest annually that this policy is implemented with fidelity, and the policy will be posted on the district’s website. Copies will be provided to students and parents/guardians upon request.

Policy:

Triton Regional Middle School (TRMS), as part of the Triton Regional Public Schools district, collaborates with Triton Regional High School (TRHS) and Whittier Regional Vocational Technical High School(WRVTHS) to ensure students and families are fully informed about available Career Technical Education (CTE) opportunities. This collaboration includes sharing admissions information, highlighting program offerings, and providing students with opportunities to interact with staff and students from both schools.

Goals:

The Triton Regional School District is committed to ensuring that all students:

Develop awareness of multiple high school pathways, including CTE options.

Engage in career-connected learning opportunities beginning in middle school.

Build connections between secondary school pathways and their long-term academic, career, and personal goals.

Use the MyCAP (My Career and Academic Plan) process to guide exploration and decision-making in alignment with their strengths, interests, and values.

High School Pathway Options Available to Students:

Students residing in the Triton Regional School District may apply to the following high school programs:

Triton Regional High School (in-district) – offering comprehensive academic programs, electives, and college/career readiness pathways.

Whittier Regional Vocational High School– offering Chapter 74-approved career technical education programs.

Essex North Shore Agricultural & Technical School (Agricultural pathway only) – offering specialized agricultural and environmental programs.

These options provide students with opportunities to pursue rigorous academics, earn industry-recognized credentials, and prepare for postsecondary education and careers.

Middle School Career Exploration:

Career exploration and secondary school awareness at Triton Middle School are embedded in the district’s implementation plan for MyCAP. During the 2024-25 school year, Triton Regional Middle School, in partnership with Triton Regional High School, successfully completed the first phase of MyCAP planning with the development of a 7th-8th Grade Scope and Sequence. The launch of our MyCAP implementation for the 2025- 26 school year will engage students in structured, developmentally appropriate activities that support self- exploration, career awareness, and academic planning.

Students in 7th Grade will participate in career awareness activities including interest inventories and explore careers based on their skills, interests and strengths. As they begin to develop their future career goals, they will develop an understanding of how CTE Pathways can support their growth and development in a desired field. Students in 8th Grade will develop a Career Action Plan that addresses the specific requirements related to their career interest area, including the education and training needed. In turn, this will empower students to make educated choices about whether a CTE Pathway or the traditional high school experience best meets their long term career goals.

Middle school administrators and counselors will collaborate with CTE schools and programs to ensure accurate, timely, and equitable dissemination of information.

Middle School CTE Tour Policies:

All middle school students will be provided the opportunity to tour CTE schools and programs during regular school hours. Annually, eighth graders will be provided a tour of Whittier and 7th graders will attend presentations at Triton.

Transportation will be provided at no cost to the student, with expenses assumed by the hosting CTE school/program.

Students participating in approved tours will not be marked with an unexcused absence if attendance is confirmed by the CTE provider.

Maintenance of Records:

The Triton Regional School District will maintain documentation of:

Student participation in CTE tours which will be scheduled annually with WRVTHS. Informational presentations at TRMS for 7th graders will also be scheduled annually. These will be coordinated through our Student Services Department.
(contact:jamie.salvatore@tritonschools.org)

Application Information Sharing: Triton Middle School will distribute WRVTHS and ENSATS application information and admissions processes to all 8th-grade students and families. Notice of application availability is shared the week before October 15. Applications may be submitted beginning November 1 and must be submitted no later than the required date of the secondary CTE school.

Mailing: Upon request, Triton Middle School will provide WRVHS and ENSATS with the names of all grade 7 and 8 students, along with mailing addresses and home language information to support participation in hosted events at the secondary schools by October 15th of each year.

Key Dates and Opportunities: Receiving schools and (WRVTHS and ENSATS) when providing Triton Middle School with important information, such as lottery drawing date, open houses, information sessions, and other student opportunities, include posting a written notification with translation to: Triton Middle School Guidance Counselor: jamie.salvatore@tritonschools.org

Public Posting of Information: The Triton Public School District ensures that all CTE-related information and communications are publicly available on the district’s website by October 15 of each school year.

Ongoing Guidance Support: The Triton Middle School Guidance Department will provide updates and reminders to families about admissions timelines and opportunities. Guidance staff will remain available to answer questions and assist families throughout the process.

The district will ensure all documentation is accurate, up to date, and retained in accordance with applicable state records laws.

Secondary School CTE Access:

Triton Middle School students are provided with opportunities to tour CTE programs at:Whittier Regional
Vocational Technical High School

Open House: Open houses are valuable opportunities for students and families to explore secondary school options. They provide the chance to tour facilities, meet current students and staff, ask questions,

and learn about available programs.

Tour: Triton Middle School students may be provided with the opportunity to tour CTE programs at WRVTHS during regular school hours at the discretion of the secondary school.

Note: If tours are organized and conducted during school hours, the host school will assume responsibility for transportation coverage.

Attendance: Students will not receive an unexcused absence for participating in a CTE tour, provided the host school confirms attendance.

Providing Records to CTE Schools and Programs:

The district will provide relevant student information required during the CTE admissions process, including academic records, attendance, discipline, and other materials as specified by law and regulation. Records will be shared in a timely manner to support student applications.

Appendix: MyCAP Scope and Sequence by Grade Level:

The Triton Regional School District’s 7th grade and 8th Grade MyCAP Scope and Sequence, provides a grade- level framework that connects middle school career exploration with high school and postsecondary planning.
The scope and sequence identifies where students engage in:

Self-awareness and career awareness activities,

secondary school exploration and planning,

and preparation for transition to high school pathways, including CTE.

Legal References

• 603 CMR 4.00

Introduction

Recognizing that a child's state of health affects their ability to learn and to reach their optimum potential, the School Committee commits itself to provide a sound, comprehensive, sequential, developmentally appropriate health education program as an integral part of each student's general education. The Committee recognizes that the personal health of individuals is related to that of the family and the wider community. The Committee therefore expects that health education programs will be comprehensive in scope, and pay attention to family and community health issues as well as the health of the individual.

The Committee recognizes that there are several dimensions to health: physical health, mental health, spiritual health and community health. With regard to spiritual health, the Committee recognizes that this may be based on a wide variety of community and personal faiths and perspectives. The Committee expects any relevant instruction will be respectful of such diversity and the separation of church and state.

The Committee recognizes that healthy, respectful relationships are the foundation of many dimensions of a healthy life style.
The Committee therefore expects that the curriculum will reflect the district's core values.

The Committee is required by federal law to develop a Wellness Policy, which must cover nutrition education, physical activity, guidelines for all foods and beverages on school campuses, and other school-based activities that promote wellness. The Wellness Policy will be attached to this policy as an addendum.
The Role, Rights And Responsibilities Of Families

The Committee recognizes parents and guardians as the primary educators of their children, and that they have primary responsibility for ensuring that their children develop the healthy habits, attitudes, and relationships which make for personal, family and community health.

Health and sex education programs must be respectful of the rights of parents and guardians. In accordance with law, as it relates to sex education, schools will:

Make available to parents, guardians and other interested parties the curriculum and instructional materials on request.

Make parents and guardians aware that on written request they may withdraw their child/ren from any portion of the sex education curriculum, confident that no child so withdrawn shall be penalized by reason of such a withdrawal.
A parent/guardian who is dissatisfied with a decision of the Principal concerning the notice, access to materials, or exemption for the student under this policy, may request a review by the Superintendent. The Superintendent shall inform complainants of their opportunity for further appeal to the School Committee and the Commissioner of Education for resolution. In accordance with law, the Superintendent shall distribute a copy of this policy to each principal by September 1st of each year.

Health Education Programs

Health Education shall be incorporated into the subject matter of existing courses in the district, or, where appropriate in terms of student needs and the effectiveness of instruction, taught as isolated classes. Information and concepts shall be presented utilizing contemporary, research-based approaches, which will provide each student with knowledge, understandings, and skills relevant to the times, and world in which s/he lives. The curriculum shall support the development of each child s capacity to make considered, disciplined, safe, and healthy decisions necessary for the development and maintenance of a healthy life style.

Instruction in health education shall be aligned with but not be limited to the National Health Education Standards and the Massachusetts Health Education Curriculum Framework.

The School Committee is committed to a sound, comprehensive, research-based health education program as an integral part of each student's general education. Health education will be taught as a separate academic discipline in grades K through 6 and as a separate class in other grades.

Staff responsible for instruction will analyze relevant health data to ensure that the health education program is addressing the needs of students.
The School Committee, in an effort to promote and maintain a relevant approach to the instruction of health education, will continue to stress the need for periodic curriculum and staff development.

Healthy Sexual Relationships

The goal of health education programs as they relate to sexual health is to assist students and support families in the development of students towards healthy, respectful relationships including sexual relationships, in youth and adulthood, and ultimately responsible parenthood.

The objectives of such programs are as follows:

To provide students with the knowledge and skills to enable them to make healthy choices regarding their relationships, including sexual relationships, and the responsibilities of parenthood.

To reduce unplanned parenthood.

To reduce the incidence of sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV.

To increase high school completion, academic achievement, and graduation rates, and the identification of post- graduation goals.

To respect the right of families to take sole responsibility for sexuality health education, while ensuring that, in the context of nationally adopted standards, all students have access to age appropriate health and sexuality education including but not limited to forming healthy relationships, unwanted sex, unplanned parenthood, sexually transmitted diseases, and the responsibilities of parenthood.
A comprehensive, developmentally appropriate, K-12 sexuality health education program/s will be integrated within the overall health education program. The sexuality health education program shall be research-based and include, but not be limited to: human reproductive biology; the development of healthy, respectful relationships; personal responsibility for self and others; the merits of abstinence, the responsibilities of parenthood, and contraception as a means of avoiding pregnancy and promoting personal and community health.

The Committee recognizes the importance of counseling and support for adolescents in coming to terms with their sexuality, and expects that school counselors and school nurses, along with community-based programs will have an important role to play in the development of resilient youth able to make considered decisions about their long term health, welfare and life opportunities.

Legal References

• M.G.L. 71:1; 71:32A

Exemption will be granted from a specific portion of health education curriculum on the grounds that the material taught is contrary to the religious beliefs and/or teachings of the student or the student's parent/guardian.

A request for exemption must be submitted in writing to the Principal in advance of instruction in that portion of the curriculum for which the exemption is requested. The request must state the particular conflict involved.

The Principal will confer with the teacher to determine the length of time a student will be exempt. The teacher will develop an alternative activity for which the student will receive credit.

The Principal will inform the parent/guardian of disposition of the request within a reasonable number of school days of receipt of the request.

Legal References

• M.G.L. 71:1

In accordance with state and federal law, the District shall provide age-appropriate, developmentally appropriate, evidence- based alcohol, tobacco, and drug prevention education programs in grades K-12.

The alcohol, tobacco, and drug prevention program shall address the legal, social, and health consequences of alcohol, tobacco, and drug use, with emphasis on nonuse by school-age children. The program also shall include information about effective techniques and skill development for delaying and abstaining from using, as well as skills for addressing peer pressure to use alcohol, tobacco, or drugs.

The objectives of this program, as stated below, are rooted in the Committee's belief that prevention requires education, and that the most important aspect of the policies and guidelines of the District should be the education of children and youth on healthy decision-making: To prevent, delay, and/or reduce alcohol, tobacco, and drug use among children and youth.

To increase students understanding of the legal, social, and health consequences of alcohol, tobacco, and drug use.

To teach students self-management skills, social skills, negotiation skills, and refusal skills that will help them to make healthy decisions and avoid alcohol, tobacco, and drug use.

The curriculum, instructional materials, and outcomes used in this program shall be recommended by the Superintendent and approved by the School Committee.

This policy shall be posted on the district's website and notice shall be provided to all students and parents in accordance with state law. Additionally, the district shall file a copy of this policy with DESE in accordance with law in a manner requested by DESE.

Legal References

• M.G.L. 71:1, 71:96

In accordance with law, the School Committee has adopted this policy on the rights of parents and guardians of our students in relation to curriculum that primarily involves human sexual education or human sexuality issues.

At the beginning of each school year, all parents/guardians of students in our schools will be notified in writing of the courses and curriculum we offer that primarily involve human sexual or human sexuality issues. The Superintendent of Schools will determine the administrator(s) responsible for sending the notice(s). Parents/guardians of students who enroll in school after the start of the school year will be given the written notice at the time of enrollment. If planned curricula change during the school year, to the extent practicable, parents/guardians will be notified of this fact in a timely manner before implementation.

Each such notice to parents/guardians will include a brief description of the curriculum covered by this policy, and will inform parents/guardians that they may:

Exempt their child from any portion of the curriculum that primarily involves human sexual education or human sexual issues, without penalty to the student, by sending a letter to the school Principal requesting an exemption. Any student who is exempted by request of the parent/guardian under this policy may be given an alternative assignment.

Inspect and review program instruction materials for these curricula, which will be made reasonably accessible to parents/guardians and others to the extent practicable. Parents/guardians may arrange with the Principal to review the materials at the school and may also review them at other locations that may be determined by the Superintendent of Schools.
A parent/guardian who is dissatisfied with a decision of the Principal concerning notice, access to instructional materials, or exemption for the student under this policy may send a written request to the Superintendent for review of the issue. The Superintendent or designee will review the issue and give the parent/guardian a timely written decision, preferably within two weeks of the request. A parent/guardian who is dissatisfied with the Superintendent's decision may send a written request to the School Committee for review of the issue. The School Committee will review the issue and give the parent/guardian a timely written decision, preferably within four weeks of the request. A parent/guardian who is still dissatisfied after this process may send a written request to the Commissioner of Education for review of the issue in the dispute.

The Superintendent of Schools will distribute a copy of this policy to each Principal by September 1 of each year.

Legal References

• M.G.L. 71:32A

The goals of this school district's special education program are to allow each child to grow and achieve at their own level, to gain independence and self-reliance, and to return to the mainstream of school society as soon as possible.

The requirements of law and regulation will be followed in the identification of children with special needs, in referrals for their evaluation, in prescribing for them suitable programs and in assessing their educational progress. In keeping with state requirements, all children with special needs between the ages of three to twenty-two who have not attained a high school diploma or its equivalent will be eligible for special education.

The School Committee believes that most children with special needs can be educated in the regular school program if they are given special instruction, accommodations and the support they need. These children should also be given the opportunity to participate in the school district's non-academic and extracurricular activities.

The Committee recognizes that the needs of certain children are so great that special programs, special classes or special
schools may be necessary. When appropriate programs, services, or facilities are not available within the public schools, the Committee will provide these children with access to schools where such instruction and accommodations are available.
It is the desire of the Committee that the schools work closely with parents/guardians in designing and providing programs and services to children with special needs. Parents/guardians will be informed, and conferred with, whenever a child is referred for evaluation. In event of any disagreement concerning diagnosis, program plan, special placement, or evaluation, the parents/guardians will be afforded the right of due process.

The Committee will secure properly trained personnel to work with the children with special needs. Since the financial commitment necessary to meet the needs of all of these children is extensive, the Committee will make every effort to obtain financial assistance.

Legal References

• The Individuals with Disabilities Ed. Act (PL 108-446, adopted 12/03/04)
• Rehabilitation Act of 1973
• M.G.L. 71B:1 et seq.
• 603 CMR 28:00 inclusive

In keeping with the intention of the state of Massachusetts to offer educational opportunities to all students that will enable them to lead fulfilling and productive lives, the District shall provide appropriate educational opportunities to all resident students in accordance with the requirements of state and federal statutes.

Legal References

• Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 504

Parents/guardians request to observe their child(ren), current program, or a potential placement must be made at least five days in advance with the Director of Student Services or designee and/or Principal.

The Director of Student Services or designee shall contact the parent/guardian(s) for initial scheduling conversation within five
(5) days of receipt of the parents request.

When a parent/guardian requests an observation of a special needs student or program, the Special Education Coordinator or designee will seek approval from the Director of Student Services and the building principal before it is processed. Such approval may only be withheld for those reasons outlined within law and DESE regulation.

The Director of Student Services or designee and/or Principal will work with the classroom teacher and the observer to set up the specifics of the observation (including, but not limited to, scheduling and placement of the observer in the classroom).
The number, frequency, and duration of observation periods will be determined on an individual student basis in accordance with law and regulation. The start and end time of observation periods and a schedule of observation periods will be stated in advance. In order to minimize classroom or student disruption, the length of individual observation periods may be limited.

If the observer is not the parent/guardian, the parent/guardian must sign a release for the individual to observe.

The number of observers at any one time may be limited.

The observer will be informed that they are not to interfere with the educational environment of the classroom. If their presence presents a problem, they will be asked to leave. This notice is particularly important, since the presence of parent/guardians can influence both the performance of their child(ren) and those of others.

The observer will be asked to submit their report of the observation in advance of any follow-up TEAM meeting.

The observer will be informed that they are there to evaluate the appropriateness of a specific educational program to meet the needs of an individual child. They are not there to evaluate a teachers ability to perform their contractual job duties.

The observer will be instructed regarding the disclosure of confidential or personally identifiable information relating to other children. Staff must be mindful of removing materials which may be part of students records from plain view. In the event that removal is not possible the observer may be asked to sign a non-disclosure agreement.

A school administrator, or designee, also will observe at the same time and take notes as to what is observed, paying particular attention to note anything that is non-typical concerning the period. This observation summary will be placed in the student's file and provided to the parent/guardian(s) prior to any follow-up TEAM meeting.

NOTE: The following quotes from the DESE Advisory are important points of understanding to the implementation of this policy.

School districts and parents have reported that, typically, observations are between one and four hours. While useful as a general rule, the Department recommends that district policies and practices specify that the duration and extent of observations will be determined on an individual basis. Districts should avoid rigid adherence to defined time limits regardless of the student's needs and settings to be observed. The complexities of the child s needs, as well as the program or programs to be observed, should determine what the observation will entail and what amount of time is needed to complete it. Discussion between school staff and the parent or designee is a good starting point for resolving the issue.

The observation law states that districts may not condition or restrict program observations except when necessary to protect:

the safety of children in the program during the observation;

the integrity of the program during the observation;

and children in the program from disclosure by an observer of confidential or personally identifiable information they may obtain while observing the program.

Legal References

• MGL 71B:3
• Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Technical Assistance Advisory SPED 2009-2 dated
• January 8, 2009

Title 1 funds shall be used to provide educational services that are in addition to the regular services provided for District students. By adoption of this policy, the School Committee ensures equivalence in the provision of curriculum materials and supplies.

Legal References

• Title I, Elementary and Secondary Education Act, as amended

The District shall provide suitable research-based language instructional programs for all identified English learners in grades
Kindergarten through 12 in accordance with the requirements of state and federal statutes and Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) regulations and guidance.

The District shall identify students whose dominant language may not be English through

• home language surveys that identify a primary home language is other than English
• observations
• intake assessments
• recommendations of parents/guardian, teachers and other persons Identified students shall be assessed annually to determine their level of proficiency in the English language.

The District shall certify to DESE each year those students whose dominant language is not English, including specification of the number of non-English languages identified as dominant languages and the number and percent of students who speak each non-English language as their dominant language.
The District shall provide additional information as required by DESE to comply with federal law.

Legal References

• P.L. 114-95 Every Student Succeeds Act
• 42 U.S.C. 2000d (Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964)
• 603 CMR 14.00

The schools may furnish homebound instruction to those students who are unable to attend classes for at least two consecutive weeks due to a physical injury, medical situation, or a severe emotional problem. The instruction is designed to provide maintenance in the basic academic courses so that when a student returns to school they will not be at a disadvantage because of the illness or the hospitalization.

To qualify for the program, the student needs a written statement from a medical doctor requesting the homebound instruction, stating the reasons why, and estimating the time the student will be out of school. This statement needs to be sent to the Director of Student Services.

Homebound instruction is offered in basic elementary subjects and in secondary subjects which do not require laboratories and special equipment, subject in all cases to the availability of qualified teachers. Certified teachers shall be assigned to homebound instruction by the Superintendent or designee.

The Massachusetts General Law requires the School Committee to determine that a Home Schooling program meet with the minimum standards established for public schools in the Commonwealth prior to approving such a program.

When a parent or guardian of a student below the age of 16 wants to establish a home-based educational program for their child, the following procedures shall be followed in accordance with the law:

Prior to removing the child from public school:

The parent/guardian must submit written notification of establishment of the home-based program to the appropriate administrator 14 days before the program is established, and resubmit notification on an annual basis as long as the child or children are being educated in a home-based environment.

The parent/guardian must certify in writing, on a form provided by the District, the name, age, place of residence, and number of hours of attendance of each child in the program.
The Superintendent shall give the notice to produce records required by law if there is probable cause to believe the program is not in compliance with the law. Factors to be considered by the Superintendent or School Committee in deciding whether or not to approve a home education proposal may be:

The proposed curriculum and the number of hours of instruction in each of the proposed subjects.

The competency of the parents to teach the children,

The textbooks, workbooks and other instructional aids to be used by the children and the lesson plans and teaching manuals to be used by the parents.

Periodic standardized testing of the children to ensure educational progress and the attainment of minimum standards.
A student being educated in a home-based program within the District may have access to public school activities of either a curricular or extracurricular nature upon approval of the Superintendent.
A student, with the approval of the School Committee, may be awarded a high school diploma if they have satisfied the

Dept. of Elementary and Secondary Education's competency requirements and has met the District's educational standards for graduation.

Legal References

• M.G.L. 69:1D; 76:1, Care and Protection of Charles
• Care and Protections of Charles - MASS. Supreme Judicial Court 399 Mass. 324 (1987)

Some children have great difficulty coping with the conventional school program and as a result will drop out of school. Some children require more support and direct supervision than is reasonably available in conventional school settings. And, some children, along with a highly structured academic experience, require a special focus on life skills and an appropriate vocational involvement.

The School Committee will provide alternative education programs where these needs have been identified, where establishment of such programs is feasible, and where the proposed programs fall within the function normally associated with the public school system.

These alternative educational programs will seek to provide an ap propriate academic, social, and vocational experience to aid these young people either to reenter the regular school system, move into another educational setting, or prepare them for successful employment.

Legal References

• M.G.L. 71:37I; 71:37J
• 603 CMR 17.00

The school system shall make available summer sessions as a supplement to the instruction offered during the school year, when funding for such programs is available. The focus of the program will be remedial work.

To attend summer school, students must have the approval of their classroom and/or special subject teachers.
Students at all instructional levels may attend approved summer schools for remedial, enrichment, or make-up purposes. Credit to wards graduation requirements may be granted high school students in line with regulations of the School District.
All summer programs will be subject to annual approval by the School Committee.

Legal References

• M.G.L. 71:28

The School Committee believes that materials appropriate to the needs of the school program must be available to each student and teacher. These will be furnished by the School Committee subject to budgetary constraints.

The task of selecting instructional materials for programs will be delegated to the professional staff of the school system.
Because instructional programs and materials are of great importance, only those that meet the following criteria will be approved by the Committee:

They must present balanced views of international, national, and local issues and problems of the past, present and future.

They must provide materials that stimulate growth in factual knowledge, literary appreciation, aesthetic and ethical values.

They must help students develop abilities in critical reading and thinking.

They must help develop and foster an appreciation of cultural diversity and development in the United States and throughout the world.

They must provide for all students an effective basic education that does not discriminate on the basis of race, age, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity, physical disabilities or sexual orientation.

They must allow sufficient flexibility for meeting the special needs of individual students and groups of students.

Legal References

• M.G.L. 30B:7; 71:48; 71:49; 71:50
• BESE regulations 603 CMR 26.00

Material that is challenged usually belongs to one of the three basic categories: religion, ideology, or profanity/obscenity. Board policies regarding these areas shall be as follows:

Religion -- Factual, unbiased material on religions has a place in school libraries.
Ideologies -- Libraries should, with no thought toward swaying reader judgment, make available a balanced collection of primary and factual material, on the level of their students on various ideologies or philosophies which exert or have exerted a strong force, either favorably or unfavorably, in government, current events, politics, education and other phases of life.

Profanity/obscenity -- Materials shall be subjected to a test of literary merit and reality in context using the criteria established.

When a problem concerning instructional resources in a school arises, the disposition of the problem will be made in a reasonable period of time using District adopted procedures.

In accordance with the statement of philosophy, no questioned materials shall be removed from the school pending a final decision. Pending the outcome of the request for reconsideration, however, access to questioned materials can be denied to the students of the parents making the complaint, if they so desire.

If the decision of the School Committee is that the questioned instructional resource be retained, the District will not convene a Review Committee relative to the same complaint for a period of three years. If a substantially different point of view is advanced, it will be investigated. (The period of three years does not apply in this instance).
If an individual or a group undertakes action to keep material from the shelves by checking it out and failing to return it, or by taking turns in keeping it checked out so that it is not available for student use, the Superintendent shall request, in writing, the return of the material. If it is not returned within thirty (30) days, a bill for the current replacement cost of the item shall be rendered to the party holding the item.

After the School Committee has adopted new materials or approved certain methods, that decision will not be reconsidered for a period of three years beginning with the end of the school year when the adoption is made.

The School Committee endorses the School Library Bill of Rights, as adopted by the American Library Association, which asserts that the responsibility of the school library is to:

Provide materials that will enrich and support the curriculum, taking into consideration the varied interests, abilities, and maturity levels of the students served.

Provide materials that will stimulate growth in factual knowledge, literary appreciation, aesthetic values, and ethical standards.

Provide a background of information that will enable students to make intelligent judgments in their daily lives.

Provide materials on opposing sides of controversial issues so that young citizens may develop under guidance the practice of critical reading and thinking.

Provide materials representative of the many religious, ethnic, and cultural groups and their contributions to our American heritage.

Place principle above personal opinion and reason above prejudice in the selection of materials of the highest quality in order to assure a comprehensive collection appropriate for the users of the library.

Initial purchase suggestions for library materials may come from all personnel--teachers, coordinators, and administrators.
Students will also be encouraged to make suggestions. The librarian will recommend materials to be included in the school library. Final approval and authority for distribution of funds will rest with the building Principal subject to the approval of the Superintendent.

Gifts of library books will be accepted in keeping with the above policy on selection. Complaints about library books will be hand led in line with Committee policy on complaints about instructional materials.

Legal References

• 603 CMR 26:05

The primary objective of the library/media center is to implement its resources to enrich and to support the educational program of the school.

Definition of Library Resources

Library resources are those print, non-print, and digital materials found in school libraries which support curricular and personal information needs.

Criteria for Selection of Library Resources

The criteria for selection of library resources in the District are:

Needs of the individual student
Based on knowledge of students
Based on requests of parents and students

Needs of the individual school
Based on knowledge of the curriculum of the school
Based on requests from the professional staff

Provision of a wide range of materials on many levels of difficulty with a diversity of appeal and the presentation of different points of view.

Provision of materials of high artistic quality.

Provision of materials with superior format.

Reputable, unbiased, professionally prepared selection aids are consulted as guides.

In accordance with the District's policy of providing instructional materials on opposing sides of controversial issues, it should be noted that neither the media centers nor the District serve as advocates for the ideas expressed in any materials, nor does the presence of any material indicate automatic endorsement of the ideas expressed therein.

Disclosure of Information/Privacy of Circulation Records

Circulation records shall not be made available to anyone except pursuant to such process, order, or subpoena as may be authorized by law.

Re-evaluation (Weeding) of Library Resources

The continuous review of library/media center materials is necessary as a means of maintaining a useful and active collection.
As new materials are selected and added, some older materials are withdrawn. The responsibility for determining which materials are to be withdrawn rests with the professional staff.

Among the reasons for withdrawing an item are the following:

Curricular changes have rendered superfluous some materials (or multiple copies of materials) formerly used but no longer in demand.

Some materials contain factual material that is no longer accurate nor current.

Some materials intended for recreational reading have become dated or unattractive and are no longer in demand.
(Some such books, which are deemed standards or classics, will be retained even though they rarely circulate).

Some materials have become worn out, damaged or physically deteriorated and have lost utility and/or appeal.

Some materials have been superseded by newer items, which present the same information, but in superior format.

Withdrawn library/media center materials are processed in one or more of the following ways:

Made available to be used as resource or supplementary material by teachers.

Offered to other media centers in the District, as it is possible that a material, which lacks utility in one building, may have some usefulness in another.

Contributed to appropriate charitable or educational agencies.

Discarded, when warranted.

Continuing evaluation is closely related to the goals and responsibilities of library/media centers and is a valuable tool of collection development. This procedure is not to be used as a convenient or expedient means to remove materials presumed to be controversial or likely to be disapproved by segments of the community. Materials are not to be proscribed or removed because of actual or potential partisan or doctrinal disapproval, nor because of the origin, background or views of those contributing to their creation.

The School Committee supports the right of students, employees, and community members to have reasonable access to various information formats and believes it is incumbent upon users to utilize this privilege in an appropriate manner.

Safety Procedures and Guidelines

The Superintendent, in conjunction with the Director of Technology, shall develop and implement appropriate procedures to provide guidance for access to digital resources. Guidelines shall address teacher supervision of student computer or tablet use, ethical use of digital resources and issues of privacy versus administrative review of electronic files and communications. In addition, guidelines shall prohibit utilization of digital resources for prohibited or illegal activities and for the use of other programs with the potential of damaging or destroying programs or data.

Internet safety measures shall be implemented that effectively address the following:

Controlling access by minors to inappropriate matter on the Internet as defined by the Children's Internet Protection Act
(CIPA) and the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA);

Safety and security of minors when they are using e-mail, instant messaging applications, and other forms of direct electronic communications;

Preventing unauthorized access, including hacking, viruses, and other unlawful activities by minors online;

Unauthorized disclosure, use and dissemination of personal information regarding minors.
The School District shall provide reasonable public notice to address and communicate its internet safety measures.

Empowered Digital Use

All students and faculty must agree to and sign an Empowered Digital Use form prior to the student or staff member being granted independent access to digital resources and district networks. The required form, which specifies guidelines for using digital resources and district networks, must be signed by the parent or legal guardian of minor students (those under 18 years of age) and also by the student. This document shall be kept on file as a legal, binding document. In order to modify or rescind

the agreement, the student's parent/guardian (or the student who is at least 18 years old) must provide the Director of Technology with a written request.

Employee Use

Employees shall use district email, district devices, and district networks only for purposes directly related to educational and instructional purposes.

Community Use

On recommendation of the Superintendent in conjunction with the Director of Technology, the district shall determine when and which computer equipment, software, and information access systems will be available to the community. All guests will be prompted to, and must accept the district's Access to Digital Resources Policy before accessing the district network.

Disregard of Rules and Responsibility for Damages

Individuals who refuse to sign required Empowered Digital Use documents or who violate district rules governing the use of district technology or networks shall be subject to loss or restriction of the privilege of using equipment, software, information access systems, and network.

Individuals shall reimburse the district for repair or replacement of district property lost, stolen, damaged, or vandalized while under their care.
Note: FCC regulations that went into effect April 20, 2001, implementing The Children's Internet Protection Act (47 U.S.C.

Purpose

The School Committee recognizes the need for students to be prepared to contribute to and excel in a connected, global community. To that end, the district provides ongoing student instruction that develops digital citizenship skill sets for using technology as a tool. Information and communication technology are an integrated part of our curriculum across subjects and grades in developmentally appropriate ways and are aligned with the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks and standards, including seeking knowledge and understanding; thinking critically and solving problems; listening, communicating, and interacting effectively; and engaging and competing in a global environment.
Availability

The Superintendent or designee shall implement, monitor, and evaluate the district's system/network for instructional and administrative purposes.

All users shall acknowledge that they understand that using digital devices, whether personal or school owned, and the school district network is a privilege and when using them in accordance with School District guidelines they will retain that privilege.

The Superintendent or designee shall develop and implement administrative guidelines, regulations, procedures, and user agreements, consistent with law and policy, which shall include but not be limited to the following:

Digital devices, software, and networks shall be used in school for educational purposes and activities.

An individual s personal information (including home/mobile phone numbers, mailing addresses, and passwords) and that of others shall be kept private.

Individuals will show respect for themselves and others when using technology including social media.

Users shall give acknowledgment to others for their ideas and work.

Users shall report inappropriate use of technology immediately.

These procedures shall be reviewed annually by district administration together with students and teachers and shall provide a springboard for teaching and learning around topics such as internet safety, digital citizenship, and ethical use of technology.

PURPOSE

The School District has established a district-wide web page that links users to web pages for the district's individual schools.
The School District maintains these web pages for educational purposes only, in furtherance of the educational mission of the School District. All published pages and corresponding links to other sites must relate to the district's educational mission.

SUPERVISION AND APPROVAL OF WEB PAGES

The Superintendent (or their designee) may select the person or persons ("the Webmaster") responsible for overseeing the school district's web pages and maintaining the web pages in a manner consistent with this policy and the school district's
Access to Digital Resources Policy. The Webmaster must approve all links from the district web pages to other sites on the Internet. The Webmaster will review the links to ensure that the links are related to the district's educational mission.

Staff members may publish web pages related to their class projects or courses on their school's web site. Staff members must submit their material to the Webmaster for approval before the material can be published. Staff members may not publish or link to personal web pages as part of the school district web site.

Student or staff work (e.g. voice, likeness, quotes, written material, musical pieces and graphic or other artwork) may be published on the district's web pages, as detailed below. All work that is published will be accompanied by a copyright notice written by the Webmaster that prohibits copying the work without the written consent of the copyright holder.

CONTENT STANDARDS

All web page materials are expected to be accurate, grammatically correct and free of spelling errors. Student work may deviate from this standard depending upon the age and grade level of the student. Web pages should be well-organized and professional in appearance. Web pages must not contain copyrighted or trademarked material belonging to others unless written permission to display such material has been obtained from the owner and the owner is credited on the school's web page.

SAFETY PRECAUTIONS

In general
Identifying information about students, such as first and last names, personal phone numbers or home addresses, will not be published. First names or first names and the first letter of the student's last name may be used where appropriate.

Student photographs
Student photographs may be published only with the written consent of the student's parent or guardian.
Student photographs will not be accompanied by identifying information about the student(s).

Student work
Student work, e.g. voice, likeness, quotes, written material, musical pieces, and graphic or other artwork, may be published only with the written consent of the student's parent or guardian.

Staff photographs, identifying information and work
Photographs of staff members, accompanied by the staff member's full name, may be published only with the staff member's written consent.
Staff work, e.g. voice, likeness, quotes, written material, musical pieces and graphic or other artwork, may be published only with the staff member's written consent.

The Superintendent and the School Principals will annually remind staff members and orient new staff members concerning the importance of maintaining proper decorum in the online, digital world as well as in person. Employees must conduct themselves in ways that do not distract from or disrupt the educational process. The orientation and reminders will give special emphasis to:

Improper fraternization with students using social media or other electronic means.

Teachers may not friend or follow current students on social media.

All electronic contact with students should be through the district's computer and telephone system, except in emergency situations.

Team, class, or student organization pages, accounts, or groups will be created only in conjunction with the coach or faculty advisor. All groups must include the appropriate administrator as a member. Access to the page will remain with the coach or faculty advisor.

All contact and messages by coaches and faculty advisors with team members shall be sent to all team members, except for messages concerning medical or academic privacy matters, in which case the messages will be copied to the appropriate administrator.

Teachers will not give out their private cell phone or home phone numbers without prior approval of the District.

Inappropriate contact via phone or electronic device is prohibited.

The inappropriateness of posting items with sexual content

The inappropriateness of posting items exhibiting or advocating the use of drugs and alcohol

Examples of inappropriate behavior from other districts, as behavior to avoid

Monitoring and penalties for improper use of district computers and technology

The possibility of penalties, including dismissal from employment, for failure to exercise good judgment in online conduct.

The Superintendent or designees will periodically conduct internet searches to see if teachers have posted inappropriate materials online. When inappropriate use of computers and websites is discovered, the School Principals and Superintendent

will promptly bring that inappropriate use to the attention of the staff member and may consider and apply disciplinary action up to and including termination.

The Superintendent or designee will establish regulations to assure that:

All students have parent/guardian permission for trips;

All trips are properly supervised;

All safety precautions are observed;

All trips contribute substantially to the educational program;

Nursing service is provided if students with serious health needs are on the trip (as determined by the nurse); and

Academic arrangements are made for students not participating in the field trip.

All out-of-state and/or extended (overnight) trips and excursions, except those required for student participation in tournament competition or contests, must have advance approval of the Triton Regional School Committee. Fund-raising activities for such trips will be subject to approval by the Superintendent.

Field Trips during the School Day

The Triton Regional School Committee encourages instructional field trips during the school day which are planned, prepared for, and followed up on in order to bring the school and community closer together. Field trips should provide real-life experiences that enrich the curriculum for students and can bring about better public relations.
Preliminary Approval Requests

Preliminary approval requests must be submitted by the individual(s) coordinating the field trip to the Principal and must include:

A statement of the educational objectives of the trip;

A proposed budget including cost to students and sources of finance;

An estimate of the number of students and adults participating.

Final Approval Requests

Final approval requests must be submitted by the individual(s) coordinating the field trip and must include, at least 30 days prior to trip:

A detailed itinerary of the trip including educational activities, accommodations, and travel arrangements;

Planned adult supervision;

A detailed budget including receipts and disbursements anticipated;

Procedures for emergency notification to Superintendent and parents/guardians in the event an emergency should occur while on the trip;

Procedures for students to use if separated from group while on the trip;

Nursing service for students with serious health needs, as determined by the nurse; and

Assurance that all the above details have been provided to the parents/guardians and students, and that written approval for the trip has been granted from the parent/guardian of each student involved with all pertinent and emergency information.

All students and employees must adhere to Triton Regional School District rules, regulations, code of conduct, and policies during all field trips.

Community resources are those individuals or groups who are invited into the schools to present supplementary information and ideas to the classroom course of study. These experiences afford students the opportunity to benefit from community viewpoints. Care should be taken in selecting these speakers so that they are individuals who respect diversity in thinking and varying views and who are not attempting to inappropriately influence points of view.

It is the policy of the Triton Regional School Committee to encourage volunteer efforts in the schools. Parents/guardians, business representatives, senior citizens, and other community volunteers are recognized as important sources of support and expertise to enhance the instructional program and vital communication links with the community. Volunteers may be used when their time and talents support district and/or school goals and objectives.

Volunteer orientation will be coordinated in cooperation with Principals.

Background Checks will be required of all volunteers who may have direct and unmonitored contact with children.

The Triton Regional School Committee recognizes the schools' obligation to give periodic reports of a student's progress and grades. The Triton Regional School Committee further recognizes that these reports are a vital form of communication between the schools and parents/guardians. The Triton Regional School Committee also believes that all progress reports must be based upon full information that is accurately and honestly reported with the proper maintenance of confidentiality.

Each school will report a pupil s progress to the student and to their parent/guardian. The report will be clear, concise and accurate, and will provide a basis for understanding among teachers, parents/guardians, and students for the benefit of the individual pupil. The Committee directs the administration to develop progress report forms or cards in accordance with this policy.

A report depicting the student's progress will be issued periodically following an evaluation by the appropriate teacher, teachers, or other professional personnel.

In addition to the periodic reports, parents/guardians will be notified when a student's performance requires special notification.

Grading will be based on improvement, achievement, capability of the student, and the professional judgment of the teacher and Principal.

Major changes in the reporting system shall be preceded by a cooperative study and evaluation by teachers, principals, parents/guardians, and the Superintendent.

The School Committee is dedicated to the best total and continuous development of each student enrolled. The professional staff is expected to place students at the grade level best suited to them academically, socially, and emotionally.

In evaluating student achievement, each teacher will make use of all available information, including results of teacher-made tests and other measures of skill and content mastery, standardized test results, and teacher observation of student performance. The principal will direct and aid teachers in their evaluations and review grade assignments in order to ensure uniformity of evaluation standards.

Students will normally progress annually from grade to grade. Exceptions may be made when, in the judgment of the professional staff, such exceptions are in the best educational interest of the students involved. Exceptions will only be made after prior notification and explanation to each student's parent/guardian, but the final decision will rest with the building principal.

In order to graduate from Triton Regional High School with a high school diploma, a student must satisfactorily complete the local graduation requirements and earn the competency determination in English, mathematics, an approved science subject, and beginning with the Class of 2027, US History.

Credit is defined as: Triton uses the Carnegie Unit to measure credits. To receive credit for a class, a student's final grade must be a 60 or above. 1 Carnegie Unit, or CU, represents approximately 120 hours of contact time with an instructor over a full academic year. Courses that meet on a part-time basis receive anywhere from .5 to .1 CU dependent upon contact time.

Local Graduation Requirements:

In order to graduate from Triton Regional High School a student must have earned at least 22 credits. Course requirements are the following: 4 credits of English
4 credits of Mathematics
3 credits of lab-based Science. Must include Biology. Engineering Technology may count as a lab-based Science credit.
3 credits of History/Social Science. Must include: US History 1 AND either US History 2, or AP US History
2 credits of World Language including two years of the same language
1.30 credits of Physical Education. Students must take Physical Education each school year.
1.55 credits of Physical Education are required for the classes of 2025 and 2026.
2 credits of Arts - 1 credit must be in Visual or Performing Arts. 1 credit may be in Practical Arts.
0.5 credit of Financial Literacy beginning with the class of 2027

For transfer students, prior credits from other schools will be determined by the Principal in consultation with the Director of Guidance. For non-transfer students, credits from institutions other than Triton Regional High School will only be granted with advanced approval from the Principal.

Credit for Study Abroad: Students who are away for a term or year to participate in a student exchange program or otherwise study abroad may receive credits toward high school graduation when (1) study plans are approved by the school administration in advance; and (2) the institution where the study occurred submits a record of the student's work. In these instances, the

Principal and the student's guidance counselor will evaluate the work and assign credit for it according to standards prevailing in Triton Regional High School.

Competency Determination:

State law requires students to satisfy the requirements of the “competency determination” (CD) in order to graduate from high school. G.L. c. 69, s. 1D (i). Ballot Question 2 in November of 2024, amended the competency determination requirements.

Beginning with the graduating Class of 2026, to earn their competency determination a graduating student must: 1) show satisfactory completion of relevant coursework aligned to the standards measured by the high school English language arts, mathematics, and science MCAS assessments administered in 2023 and beginning with the Class of 2027, completion of one year of US History; and 2) show a mastery of skills in English language arts, mathematics, sciences, and beginning with the Class of 2027, US History.

1. Coursework Requirements English Language Arts - The equivalent of two years of high school English language arts courses. To satisfy this course requirement, the English Language Arts courses must be taken in grades 9-12.

English 9 CPII
English 9 CPI
English 9 H
English 10 CPII
English 10 CPI
English 10 H
Multigrade English H
Integrated English CPII
English 11 CPII
English 11 CPI
English 11 H
AP English Language and Composition
Journalism CP
English 12 CP
English 12 H
AP English Literature and Composition
ELL Newcomers
ELL Level 1
ELL Level 2
Essentials English

Mathematics - The equivalent of one year of both Algebra I and Geometry courses, or the equivalent of one year of both Integrated Math I and Integrated Math II. Whether to follow an Algebra/Geometry or Integrated Math I/II course sequence is determined by the district, but the equivalent length of the courses must still be met.
8th Grade Algebra 1
Integrated Math I
Foundations of Algebra CPII
Algebra 1 CPII
Algebra 1 CPI

Algebra 1 H
Integrated Math II
Foundations of Geometry CPII
Geometry CPII
Geometry CPI
Geometry H
Essentials Math
Science - The equivalent of one year of any one of the following disciplines: Biology, Physics, Chemistry, or Technology/Engineering. To satisfy this course requirement, the science course must be taken in grades 9-12.
Biology CP
Biology H
Chemistry in the Community CP
Chemistry CP
Chemistry H
Physics CP
Physics H
Engineering Technology I
U.S. History (beginning with the graduating class of 2027) - The equivalent of a one-year United States history course. To satisfy this course requirement, the U.S. History course must be taken in grades 9-12.
United States History 1 (1763 - 1900) CP
United States History 1 (1763 - 1900) H
United States History 2 (1900 - Present) CP
United States History 2 (1900 - Present) H
AP United States History

A student earns full credit and shows mastery of skills in one of the above courses by earning a 60 or above or a course grade of meeting or exceeding expectations in accordance with the District’s grading policy.

1. Mastery of Skills

A student shows mastery of the skills, competencies, and knowledge in ELA, Math, Science, and U.S. History by successfully completing the following in accordance with the district’s grading policy:

1. the final assessment for a course; or
2. a capstone or portfolio project; or
3. an equivalent measure

The skills, competencies, and knowledge in ELA, Math, Science, and U.S. History science are as follows: English Language Arts - the skills, competencies and knowledge that a student needs to demonstrate mastery are those identified for 10th grade in the relevant Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks
English Language Arts and Literacy, including the standards for reading literature, reading informational text, writing, speaking and listening.
Math - the skills, competencies and knowledge that a student needs to demonstrate mastery are those identified in the Algebra I/Geometry/Integrated Math I/Integrated Math II standards as listed in the 2017
Massachusetts Mathematics Curriculum Framework.
Science - the skills, competencies and knowledge that a student needs to demonstrate mastery are those identified in the relevant Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks for the relevant courses identified above.

U.S. History - the skills, competencies and knowledge that a student needs to demonstrate mastery are those identified in the relevant Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks for the relevant courses identified above.

Students with Disabilities:

The CD requirements does not impact the entitlements that students with disabilities have under IDEA or M.G.L. c. 71B.
Consistent with federal law, in order to graduate a student with a disability who has been found eligible under the IDEA or M.G.L. c. 71B, the student must meet the local graduate requirements, the competency determination applicable to all students, and satisfy the FAPE requirement. Students with disabilities placed in out-of-district placements must meet the requirements of the CD policy of the placing school district. In meeting this standard, the District will consider any specialized supports, modifications, or alternative demonstration methods consistent with the Individual Education Program (IEP) process.

English Learners:

The District has certified that the following ESL courses as meeting the ELA requirement for the CD: ELL Newcomers
ELL Level 1
ELL Level 2

The District certifies that these courses explicitly integrate grade-appropriate ELA standards with English Language Development (ELD) standards, using instructional scaffolds that are appropriate to students’ English proficiency levels.

Late-Enrolling Students:

Students who enroll in the District after their ninth-grade year will be afforded the opportunity to earn the CD. For late-enrolling students, the district will conduct a transcript review, course-taking, and may, in limited instances, consider a qualifying MCAS score. Regardless of the mechanism for determining the student’s eligibility for the CD, the District will ensure that state requirements related to equivalent course length, relevant coursework, and a demonstration of mastery are met. In the limited circumstance where a district is unable to document a student’s prior coursework, the regulations allow for a student to earn the CD by: 1. Attaining a qualifying score of at least “Meeting Expectations” or “Exceeding Expectations” achievement levels on the relevant high school MCAS assessment; or 2. Meeting the standard for a substituted equivalent that the district certifies satisfies the same academic standards.

Appeals Process:

A student or parent guardian may appeal the Competency Determination to the Superintendent or designee. The appeal process will include a review of the student’s transcript and any other relevant information submitted by the appellant, and will determine whether the criteria for competency determination, as set forth in this policy, have been met. The appeals shall be decided within 30 calendar days.

Diploma Requests for Previously Enrolled Students:

The District will offer eligible students in the classes of 2003 through 2024 who did not earn a diploma as a result of failing to meet the state’s CD requirement an opportunity to determine their current eligibility for a diploma pursuant to the district’s CD requirements. An eligible student is one who:

1. Was previously enrolled in the district; and
2. Previously met the criteria for a Certificate of Attainment (i.e., they met local graduation requirements but did not receive a high school diploma because they did not earn a CD); and
3. Was not previously reported as a graduate in any district’s Student Information Management System (SIMS) submission.

The District will send written communication to either the last known email address and/or mailing address of the eligible students of the opportunity to determine their current eligibility for a diploma pursuant to the district’s current CD requirements.

The Triton Regional School Committee considers comprehensive and objective evaluation of the effectiveness of the curriculum to be of primary importance. The Superintendent or designee will provide for the translation of the stated instructional goals into objectives and for appraisal of their implementation in order to: Determine educational needs and provide information for planning;

Indicate instructional strengths and weaknesses;

Check on the suitability of programs in terms of community requirements;

Show the relationship between achievement and the system's stated goals; and

Provide data for public information.

Elements of this evaluation process may include:

Testing programs such as nationally standardized general achievement tests, nationally standardized tests in specific subject areas, and tests administered by other agencies;

Study of school achievement records;

Study of students' high school and dropout records;

Use of outside services, participation in regional research studies, contracted evaluation services, evaluation services at cost to the Triton Regional School District must be approved in advance by the Triton Regional School Committee;

Teacher and parent evaluation of student behavior;

State Department of Education specialists and services;

Evaluation by the regional accrediting association; and

Evaluation by other agencies.
An evaluation of the curriculum and its effectiveness will be made periodically and reported to the Committee by the Superintendent.

In this policy, "surveys, analyses, or evaluations" refer to methods of gathering data for research purposes.

Without the prior written consent of the student's parent/guardian, or of the student if they are at least 18 years of age, no student shall be required as part of any program wholly or partially funded by the U.S. Department of Education to submit to any survey, analyses, or evaluation that reveals information concerning:

Political affiliations or beliefs of the student or student's parent;

Mental or psychological problems of the student or student's family;

Sex behavior or attitudes;

Illegal, anti-social, self-incriminating, or demeaning behavior;

Critical appraisals of others with whom respondents have close family relationships;

Legal References

• ly recognized privileged relationships, such as with lawyers, doctors, or ministers;
• Religious practices, affiliations, or beliefs of the student or parents; or
• Income, other than as required by law to determine eligibility for school programs or for receiving financial assistance
• under such program.
• All instructional materials, including teachers' manuals, films, tapes, or other supplementary material which will be used in
• connection with any such survey, analysis, or evaluation shall be available upon request for inspection by the student's
• parent/guardian. For the purpose of this policy, "instructional material" does not include academic tests or assessments.
• A parent may inspect, upon request, a survey created by a third party before the survey is administered or distributed to a
• student.
• The Superintendent or designee will be responsible for implementing any procedures necessary to protect the privacy of
• participating students and to provide parents with access to surveys within a reasonable time before administration or
• distribution.
• The School District will notify parents of this policy at least annually at the beginning of the school year and within a reasonable
• time of any substantive change in policy. Where practical, the District will also directly notify parents annually at the beginning of
• the school year when surveys, analyses, or evaluations are scheduled or anticipated. Parents shall have the opportunity to opt
• their child out of participation in any survey, analysis, or evaluation. Students who are 18 years of age or older may opt out of
• such surveys, analyses, or evaluations.
• Parents or eligible students who believe their rights have been violated may file a complaint with the Family Policy Compliance
• Office of the U.S. Department of Education.
• LEGAL REFERENCES:
• Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment, 20 U.S.C.

It is the desire of the School Committee that the best available strategies for bringing about learning be utilized in the District's
schools. The instructional staff shall be expected to keep abreast of new and promising instructional ideas and practices developed in schools throughout the nation and to apply those which have potential for improving the learning program in the District's schools.

An educational climate shall be established which shall be conducive to rational thought, inquiry, and respect for the dignity of the individual. This educational climate will assist students in learning how to think rather than what to think and shall provide students the opportunity to identify, express, and defend their opinions without penalty or fear of reprisal or ridicule.

Nothing in this policy shall limit a parent/guardian's right to file a complaint to challenge the use of teaching activity or presentation.

An important goal of the Triton Regional School District is to help prepare students for intelligent and conscientious participation as citizens in our democratic society. One step toward meeting this goal is to introduce students to reasoned and dispassionate approaches to the analysis of contemporary social and political issues. To ensure that these issues can be examined in an atmosphere as free from emotion and prejudice as the times permit, the Triton Regional School Committee establishes the following guidelines for discussion of controversial issues in the schools.
Teacher-Planned Classroom Discussions

Controversial issues selected by teachers for classroom discussion must relate directly to the objectives and content of courses approved by the Triton Regional School Committee for inclusion in the curriculum;

The teachers' right to introduce controversial issues in classroom presentations does not include the right of advocacy.
Teachers must refrain from using their positions to express partisan points of view;

The approach to discussion of these issues in the classroom must be objective and scholarly with minimum emphasis on opinion and maximum emphasis on intelligent analysis;

Teachers must ensure that the reasoned arguments of all sides of an issue are given equal presentation and emphasis in classroom discussions;

Teachers may invite visitors from outside the schools to give presentations on controversial issues when the visitors offer qualifications and resources not available in the schools. All visitors are to be guided by the standards of language usage that prevail in the classrooms and by the standards of scholarly inquiry set forth above. Whenever possible, teachers who invite visitors to present one side of an issue will also invite visitors to present the other side(s); and

In all cases teachers must obtain from the appropriate principal permission to invite visitors for classroom presentations.
Permission must be requested at least 48 hours before the scheduled time of presentation.

Student-Initiated Forums on Controversial Issues

Student groups may request permission to conduct forums on controversial issues in the schools. The Principal may grant such requests under the following conditions: Preparation for presentation of a forum will not cause any student or teacher to miss class and will not cause the cancellation of any class without prior approval;

Adequate advance planning must be conducted for each forum. A request to hold a forum must be received by the Principal at least three weeks before the scheduled date of presentation. For each request the Principal may appoint, after consultation with the requesting student group, an adult advisory group consisting of parents and faculty members; and

The standards for approach to discussion, style of presentation, and use of visitors as defined above will apply to student-initiated forums.

Requests from Groups or Individuals Outside the Schools

No permission will be granted non-school groups or individuals to make presentations on controversial issues in the schools during school hours. Requests for after-school or evening use will be processed in accordance with the Committee's policy on community use of school facilities.

No permission will be granted outsiders for distribution of literature on controversial issues to students in general or to class groups.

The Principal may grant an outside group or individual permission to post one notice of a public meeting for discussion of issues if the language of that notice conforms to the standards that prevail in the community. The Principal will determine the appropriate bulletin board for such notices.

The United States Constitution and the Constitution of the State of Massachusetts and related court rulings clearly establish the concept of "church and state separation" and the "preclusion of sectarian instruction in public schools."

In order to help staff members abide by the spirit and letter of the law, and to avoid compromising any student's religious or conscientious beliefs or freedoms, the following guidelines have been established:

The observance of religious holidays is not the responsibility of the public schools.

While it is recognized that many activities are initiated with the approach of major holidays in order to capitalize on the readiness and interest that is generated at these times, it should be understood that such occasions frequently have religious underpinnings. Care should be taken to relate only to secular aspects of these holidays.

Music programs given at times close to religious holidays should not use religious aspect of these holidays as the underlying motive or theme. Although religious music is appropriate in the schools to the extent that it is sung or presented for musical rather than religious content, its use should not violate the secular nature of the school. Pageants, plays, recitals, and other literary or dramatic activities should not be used to convey religious messages. While the holidays represent a valid source of ideas for meaningful school art experiences, teachers should avoid assigning or encouraging art work that promotes religious aspects of such holidays. If, however, individual students choose to use a religious personage, event, or symbol as the vehicle for an artistic expression, they should be allowed to take this action.

The above statements should not be interpreted to preclude the factual and objective teaching about religions, religious holidays, and religious differences. Such instruction will be permitted in the schools since insights in this area can enhance the mutual understanding needed by all the people in a pluralistic society.

Legal References

• 603 CMR 26:05

Each classroom shall be equipped with a U.S. flag not less than two feet long and appropriately displayed. Such flag shall have been manufactured in the United States. In addition, a flag shall be displayed, weather permitting, on school grounds every day.

During the homeroom period or morning meeting each morning, the Pledge of Allegiance will be given.

Everyone is urged to rise and participate. People in corridors or areas where there are no flags should show proper respect by remaining still and silent.

Legal References

• M.G.L. 71:69

The Triton Regional School District is committed to a policy of educating children by helping them to develop an awareness and appreciation for the religious convictions of all people in our diverse society. It is essential that staff, students, parents, and citizens respect the right of each individual to practice their respective religion without fear of embarrassment, harm or inconvenience.

In demonstrating belief in this principle, the Triton Regional School District shall utilize every opportunity to develop religious harmony within the school and community by adjusting instructional activities and refraining from testing, issuing homework, and scheduling extracurricular activities or programs (including field trips, class photos, etc.) on recognized religious holidays.

No animal shall be brought to school without prior permission of the building Principal.

The School District is committed to providing a high quality educational program to all students in a safe and healthy environment.

School Principals, in consultation with the Health Services Providers in each building, shall utilize the Department of Public
Health publication Guidelines for Animals in Schools or on School Grounds" and review student health records to determine which animals may be allowed in the school building. The decision of the Principal shall be final.
Educational Program

Use of animals to achieve specific curriculum objectives may be allowed by the building Principal provided student health and safety is not jeopardized and the individual requesting that the animal be brought to school is responsible for adhering to the
"Guidelines for Animals in Schools or on School Grounds" and any other conditions established by the Principal to protect the health and well-being of students.

Student Health

The health and well-being of students is the District's highest priority. Animals may cause an allergic reaction or otherwise impair the health of students. No animals may be brought to school or kept in the school, classroom, office or common area that may negatively impact the health of any student who must utilize that area. Animals that cause an allergic reaction or impair the health of students shall be removed from the school immediately so that no student shall have their health impaired and each student shall have full access to available educational opportunities.

Animals Prohibited from School

Rabies is a growing problem and any fur-bearing animal is susceptible to this very serious fatal disease. Infected animals can transmit this disease to students and staff. Based on the Massachusetts Departments of Health and Education recommendations the following animals are prohibited from schools within the School District.

Wild Animals and Domestic Stray Animals - Because of the high incidence of rabies in bats, raccoons, skunks, foxes and other wild carnivores, these animals should not be permitted in school buildings under any circumstances (including dead animals).

Fur-Bearing Animals (pet dogs*, cats, wolf-hybrids, ferrets, etc.) - These animals may pose a risk for transmitting rabies, as well as parasites, fleas, other diseases and injuries.

Bats - Bats pose a high risk for transmitting rabies. Bat houses should not be installed on school grounds and bats should not be brought into the school building.

Poisonous Animals - Spiders, venomous insects and poisonous snakes, reptiles and lizards are prohibited for safety reasons.

*Exception: Guide, Hearing and Other Service Dogs or Law Enforcement Dogs - These animals may be allowed in school or on school grounds with proof of current rabies vaccination.

Exceptions may be made with the prior approval of the Superintendent of Schools.

Service Animals (Guide or Assistance Dogs)
The School Committee does not permit discrimination against individuals with disabilities, including those who require the assistance of a service animal. The District will comply with Massachusetts law concerning the rights of persons with guide or assistance dogs and with federal law and will permit such animals on school premises and on school transportation.

For purposes of this policy, a service animal includes any dog that has been individually trained to do the work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability. The regulations further state that a public entity shall make reasonable modifications in policies, practices, or procedures to permit the use of a miniature horse by an individual with a disability if the horse has been individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of the individual with the disability.
Service animals perform some of the functions and tasks that individuals with disabilities cannot perform themselves. Service animals are not pets. There are several kinds of service animals that assist individuals with disabilities. Examples include, but are not limited to, animals that:

assist individuals who are blind or have severe sight impairments as seeing eye dogs or guide dogs;

alert individuals with hearing impairments to sounds;

pull wheelchairs or carry and pick-up items for individuals with mobility impairments; and

assist mobility-impaired individuals with balance.

The District shall not assume or take custody or control of, or responsibility for, any service animal or the care or feeding thereof. The owner or person having custody and control of the animal shall be liable for any damage to persons, premises, property, or facilities caused by the service animal, including, but not limited to, clean up, stain removal, etc.

If, in the opinion of the School Principal or authorized designee, any service animal is not in the control of its handler, or if it is not housebroken, the service animal may be excluded from the school or program. The service animal can also be excluded if it presents a direct and immediate threat to others in the school. The parent or guardian of the student having custody and control of the animal will be required to remove the service animal from District premises immediately.

If any student or staff member assigned to the classroom in which a service animal is permitted suffers an allergic reaction to the animal, the person having custody and control of the animal will be required to remove the animal to a different location designated by the Building Principal or designee and an alternative plan will be developed with appropriate District staff. Such plan could include the reassignment of the person having custody and control of the animal to a different classroom. This will also apply if an individual on school transportation suffers an allergic reaction. In this case, an alternate plan will be developed in coordination with appropriate school, District, and transportation staff including the involvement of the parents/guardian of the student.

When a student will be accompanied by a service animal at school or in other District facilities on a regular basis, such staff member or such student's parent or guardian, as well as the animal s owner and any other person who will have custody and control of the animal will be required to sign a document stating that they have read and understood the foregoing.

The Superintendent of Schools or their designee shall be responsible for developing procedures to accommodate a student's use of an assistance animal in District facilities and on school transportation vehicles.

Legal References

• 28 CFR, Part 35

Introduction

The purpose of this policy is to establish expectations regarding the use of therapy dogs in schools.
The policy below is consistent with the intention of the district to support the academic, social and emotional needs of all students.
The Therapy Dog

A therapy dog is trained to provide affection and comfort to people in hospitals, retirement homes, nursing homes, schools, hospices, disaster areas, and to people with learning difficulties. Therapy dogs may reduce stress and anxiety, and support emotional regulation.

Unlike service animals, therapy dogs do not have the same rights of access to facilities to which there is general public access under the Americans with Disabilities Act unless they are prescribed by a doctor to serve an individual.

District Expectations
Therapy dogs used in schools shall be:

introduced with the approval of the Principal

trained and certificated as a therapy dog

checked by a veterinarian on at least an annual basis to certify good health

accompanied by a trained adult when working with students

introduced into faculty rooms with the agreement of the faculty

insured within the district's general insurance

Parents and guardians shall be informed if a therapy dog is working in a school, and shall have the opportunity to withdraw their student/s from contact with the animal.

The school nurse shall in confidence inform the dog handler of those students who may be allergic to the presence of the dog.

After touching a therapy dog, students shall wash their hands, and take any other health-related measures as may be determined by the school nurse from time to time.

Individual students who may benefit from contact with a therapy dog shall be identified through the student study team process or by IEP teams.

The therapy dog handler shall be responsible for the grooming, cleanliness, feeding and toileting of the animal.

Educational Opportunity

Many individuals do not know how to approach or touch animals or read their body language; particularly dogs and horses. The presence of a therapy dog in school provides opportunity for students to learn how to interact with and care for an animal - transferable skills - and feel confident in their presence.

Policy Review

This policy shall be reviewed within twelve months of the initial introduction of a therapy dog into a district school.

In recognition of the diversified characteristics and needs of our students and with the keen desire to be responsive to them, the School Committee will make every effort to protect the dignity of the students as individuals. It also will offer careful considera - tion and sympathetic understanding of their personal feelings, par ticularly with reference to their race, color, sex, gender identity, religion, na tional origin, sexual orientation, homeless status, physical and intellectual differences, pregnancy or pregnancy related condition.

To accomplish this, the Committee and its staff will make every ef fort to comply with the letter and the spirit of the Massachusetts equal educational opportunities law which prohibits discrimination in public school ad missions and programs.

This will mean that every student will be given equal opportunity in school admission, admissions to courses, course content, student services, and extracurricular and athletic activities.

All implementing provisions issued by the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education in compliance with this law will be followed.

Legal References

• Title VI, Civil Rights Act of 1964
• Title VII, Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended by the Equal Employment Opportunity Act of 1972
• Executive Order 11246, as amended by E.O. 11375
• Title IX, Education Amendments of 1972
• M.G.L. 76:5; 76:16 (Chapter 622 of the Acts of 1971)
• BESE regulations 603 CMR 26:00
• BESE regulations 603 CMR 28.00
• The McKinney-Vento Act and Title I Part A as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015

Generally, students will be required to attend school in the town in which they reside, unless the Superintendent has granted special permission.
Special permission may be granted for the following reasons: If the change involves a hardship case or if there are medical considerations.

If the change appears to be in the interests of the child, of the schools, or for disciplinary and administrative reasons.

If the legal residence of a child changes from one town to another during the school year and the parents/guardians wish the child to remain in his former school; permission will not extend beyond the current school year.

To permit secondary school students to take courses not offered in their assigned schools.
School bus transportation will not be provided for students attend ing schools outside their community unless they can be accom modated on existing bus routes and schedules or a hardship is involved; or unless specific permission is granted by the Superintendent.

Legal References

• M.G.L. 71:37C; 71:37D; 71:37I; 71:37J
• 603 CMR 17.00
• 603 CMR 26.00

In an attempt to permit children to enter school at the time most appropriate for them individually, the School Committee establishes the following policy on entrance age:

Children who will be five years of age prior to September 1 of the school year during which they wish to enroll will be eligible to enter kindergarten for that school year.
The admission of children whose birthdays fall after September 1 of school will be solely at the school's discretion.
Initial admission of children to the first grade (or other grades) will involve a consideration of both chronological age and the readiness of the children to do the work of those grades.

Legal References

• M.G.L. 76:1
• 603 CMR 8.00

Introduction

The purpose of this policy on the admission of students to elementary schools is to ensure that:

the rights of families living within the district are no less than families resident outside the District;

appropriate priorities are established in relation to town residency, a student's entitlement to special education services, and sibling status in the admission of students; and

the developmental needs of students are met.

This policy addresses admissions of both residents and non-resident students to the Triton elementary schools.

Residence

Families may use only one residence on the school admission application, and must follow all guidelines outlined in policy JFAA with regard to documenting their residency. The address must be that of the permanent residence of the child; i.e., where the child is expected to live at weekends and during school holidays as well as during the week. Children who spend part of their week with one parent and part with the other, at different addresses, must use the address at which they spend most of their time. The provision of a false address will result in the disqualification of the application if the application is for a school outside the catchment area/town of the permanent residence. If a family moves from one town in the district to another town in the district a student may continue to attend their current school until the end of the given school year

School Choice

Consistent with the rights of residents from outside the District to request a place under the School Choice regulations, families resident in the district have a right to request admission to a school other than their local

elementary school.

Admission Arrangements
Every student seeking admission to school for the first time must present a birth certificate or equivalent proof of age acceptable to the Principal and proof of vaccination and immun izations as required by the state and the School Committee. Proof of residency per policy JFAA of legal guardianship may also be required by the school administration.

The District will place an announcement in the media on or about March 1st each year informing residents of their responsibility to enroll children of school age in school.
Families who wish to enroll their child in a district school other than the school that serves the town in which they live must apply for admission to no later than May 15.

By June 1 of each year, the Principal of each elementary school will review the places available, enroll town residents, and in consultation with the Superintendent of Schools, make a determination as to how many places the school has available for non-area students at each grade level.

In the event of there being more children seeking admission from within the town than there are places as determined by the target class size, the Principal shall consult with the Superintendent of Schools, who will review the situation in the context of class sizes at the relevant grade level across the town.
The Superintendent of Schools shall have discretion, in consultation with the Principal, to admit students beyond the target class size if, in so doing, the educational opportunities of other students in the class will not be jeopardized.

Intra District Choice:

After establishing the number of places available for out of town (but residing within another Triton town) students at each grade level, the students will be enrolled as outline below. Note: Children of educators who reside within Newbury, Rowley, or Salisbury but work in another Triton Elementary school outside their town of residence may be prioritized

Siblings of current enrolled students in that school, with priority given to children of educators working in that school;

Children of educators who reside within the Triton Towns

Other applicants

Decisions on out of town applications will be made in mid-June.

Once admitted to school outside the town of residence a student shall not have the right to return to their local school during the school year in question

Inter District Choice (State School Choice Program):

Out of district applications will be considered after decisions on Intra applications have been made, normally by July 1st.

Out of district students will be enrolled in the following order:

siblings (in accordance with the 1994 amendment to the School Choice Law)

other applicants

Once admitted to a school under the School Choice statute (MGL Ch76, S 12B) a child shall be entitled to remain enrolled at a school within the school system until their high school graduation unless there is a lack of funding for the program as a result of state action to discontinue the program or the student is removed for misconduct after due process under relevant laws and regulations, or the School Committee redistricts students.

General Information:

Where the number of applications for a particular grade level is greater than the number of places available, the available places will be filled by a lottery conducted by the Principal. The lottery drawing shall be conducted in public, with at least three days notice, and be drawn by a person who shall not be a member of the staff of the school, and shall have no interest in the outcome.

Families whose child/ren attends a school outside the town of residence shall be responsible for the transport of their child/ren to and from the out-of-town school. Families are responsible for ensuring that their children arrive at school punctually, and will be required to reapply for admission towards the end of any school year in which punctuality has in the view of the administration prejudiced the learning and participation of the student. In such cases the administration shall have given the family notice of its concerns orally and in writing and reasonable opportunity to meet attendance expectations. Families will confirm this responsibility by signing the admission application form.

If student numbers in a particular class are such as to cause concern that the addition of a further student would be prejudicial to the interests of students previously enrolled, the Superintendent of Schools will review the situation with the Principal and the family. In these circumstances consideration will be given, within the resources available, to the District providing additional support for such teachers as may be affected, additional support may include but not be limited to the provision of supplementary adult support in the classroom, supplementary clerical support, or periodic release for grading and preparation purposes.

A change of school for a student with an IEP or 504 Plan requires a meeting of the IEP/504 team to review the service implications of a change of placement. The IEP/504 team shall include a representative of the administration of the potentially receiving school.

Once admission arrangements for the year have been completed, Principals will maintain a waiting list.
If places become available as a result of students transferring out of the school between June 1 and the opening of school, the available places will be allocated by lottery.

SUMMARY

On or about March 1Encouragement to enroll posted
By June 1In-town admissions completed (Resident)
By mid-JuneOut of town admissions completed (Intradistrict Choice)
After mid-June/by July 30
Out of district School Choice admissions completed
(Interdistrict Choice)

Legal References

• M.G.L. 15:1G; 76:1; 76:5; 76:15; 76:15A
• 603 CMR 26:01; 26:02; 26:03

In order to register and attend schools in the Triton Regional School District, a student must actually reside within Newbury, Rowley, or Salisbury, Massachusetts. Under Massachusetts law, school districts are only required to enroll students who live within the school district. Specifically, M.G.L. c. 76, Section 5, provides as follows:

“No school committee is required to enroll a person who does not actually reside in the town unless said enrollment is authorized by law or by the school committee. Any person who violates or assists in the violation of this provision may be required to remit full restitution to the town of the improperly-attended public schools.”

Residency is defined as where a person has his/her permanent home. Although a student’s residency is often established by the parents’ or legal guardian’s actual residence, in the case of divorced parents and split families the determination can be more complex. In those cases, a student’s actual residence is determined by the municipality that is the center of the student’s domestic, social and civil life. In examining the student’s actual residence, a school district should consider where the student sleeps each school night, eats his or her meals, the address listed on the parents’, legal guardian’s, or student’s driver’s license, car registration, or voter registration; and/or participation in extracurricular and/or civic activities within one of the towns. Students who are merely visiting the Triton Regional School District towns are not eligible to attend the Triton Regional School
District. Temporary residency solely for the purpose of attending one of Triton Regional School District’s schools is not considered “residency.”

Verification:

To register with the Triton Regional School District, his/her parent or legal guardian must provide sufficient documentation to verify proof of primary residency as part of the initial registration process. The documents required are listed on page 3. The Triton Regional School District also reserves the right to verify residency at both the time of the enrollment and throughout any academic year. Since family situations can change, the Triton Regional School District reserves the right to request additional, updated information when warranted.

In determining residency, the Triton Regional School District reserves the right to request a variety of additional documentation and to conduct an investigation into where a student actually resides, including home visits to verify residency. If the student is found not to be actually residing in one of the Triton Regional School District towns, the student will be disenrolled and will need to enroll in the town in which they actually reside. Factors that may trigger an investigation include, but are not limited to, the following: changes in residency not

reported immediately to the school; mail returned due to an invalid address; incomplete or contradictory information regarding the student’s residency; or reports, including anonymous reports of suspected residency violations.

The Triton Regional School District must be notified if a student moves during the school year. Parents and/or legal guardians found in violation of these requirements will face strict penalties, including but not limited to immediate disenrollment of the student from school; per diem charges for the education and related services accessed as a non-resident which are based on the per pupil costs to the District, and possible legal action.

Students who qualify to attend schools within the Triton Regional School District under the McKinney-Vento Act
(homeless) and the Every Student Succeeds Act (foster care), will be immediately enrolled within the requirements of those laws. Students who enroll in the District’s School Choice Program (M.G.L. c. 76,

The school district will enroll and place students who have left Commonwealth charter schools by adhering to the same policies and procedures in place for any other student enrolling in the school district including, but not limited to, examination of the course of study and level of academic attainment of the student when determining the student's appropriate grade placement or eligibility for high school graduation.

To the same extent provided for other students enrolling in the school district, students who enroll in the school district from a Commonwealth charter school shall be subject to the graduation requirements of the school district, may have certain graduation requirements waived, and may make-up certain graduation requirements.

Legal References

• Chapter 12, Section 11 of the Acts of 2010

As required by law, the District will work with homeless children, youth, and unaccompanied youth (collectively "homeless students") and their families or legal guardians to provide stability in school attendance and other services. Special attention will be given to ensuring the enrollment and attendance of homeless students not currently attending school. Homeless students will be provided district services for which they are eligible, including Head Start and comparable pre-school programs, Title I, similar state programs, special education, bilingual education, vocational and technical education programs, gifted and talented programs, school nutrition programs, summer programming, and extracurricular activities.

Homeless students are defined as lacking a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence, including: Sharing the housing of other persons due to loss of housing or economic hardship or similar reason;

Living in motels, hotels, trailer parks or camping grounds due to the lack of alternative adequate accommodations;

Living in emergency or transitional shelters;

Being abandoned in hospitals;

Awaiting foster care placement;

Living in public or private places not designed for or ordinarily used as regular sleeping accommodations for human beings;

Living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, transportation stations or similar settings; and

Migratory children living in conditions described in the previous examples.
Students Remaining in Schools of Origin
It is presumed to be in the best interest of homeless students to remain in their schools of origin, i.e. the school that the student was attending at the time they became homeless, or the last school the student attended prior to becoming homeless.
Homeless students may continue to attend their school of origin for as long as they remain homeless or until the end of the academic year in which they obtain permanent housing. For homeless students who complete the final grade level served by the school of origin, the term "school of origin" shall also include the receiving school in the same school district educating students at the next grade level.
Homeless students are entitled to transportation comparable to that provided for all other students attending school in the district. The district will transport students who are sheltered or temporarily residing within the district to the students' school of

origin. For homeless students attending a school of origin located outside the district in which the student is sheltered or temporarily residing, the district in which the school of origin is located will coordinate with the district in which the student is sheltered or temporarily residing to provide the transportation services necessary for the student, and these districts will divide the cost equally. Formerly homeless students who find permanent housing mid-school year will continue to receive transportation services until the end of the school year.
Students Enrolling in District Where Sheltered or Temporarily Residing
Parents or guardians may elect to enroll homeless students in the school district in which the student is sheltered or temporarily residing, rather than having the student remain in the school of origin. Enrollment changes for homeless students should take place immediately.

If homeless students are unable to provide written proof of their shelter or temporary residence in the district, the homeless liaison will work with the family seeking enrollment to determine homelessness. Information regarding a homeless student's living arrangement shall be considered a student education record, and not directory information. Records containing information about the homeless student's living arrangement may not be disclosed without the consent of the parent or satisfaction of another student-privacy related exemption.
If the student does not have immediate access to immunization records, the student shall be permitted to enroll under a personal exception. Students and families should be encouraged to obtain current immunization records or immunizations as soon as possible, and the district liaison is directed to assist. Emergency contact information is required at the time of enrollment consistent with district policies, including compliance with the state's address confidentiality program when necessary. After enrollment, the district will immediately request available records from the student's previous school.
Attendance rights by living in attendance areas, other student assignment policies, or intra and inter-district choice options are available to homeless families on the same terms as families who reside in the district. Accordingly, the district will provide transportation services to school in a manner comparable to the transportation provided for all other students in the district.
Dispute Resolution

If the district disagrees with a parent or guardian's decision to keep a student enrolled in the school of origin and considers enrollment in the district where the student is sheltered or temporarily residing to be in the student's best interest, the district will explain to the parent, in writing and in a language the parent can understand, 1 the rationale for its determination and provide parent with written notice of their rights to appeal the district's determination to the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education 2. During the pendency of any such appeal, the student should remain enrolled in the school selected by the parent or guardian, receiving transportation to school and access to other available services and programs. The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's Advisory on Homeless Education Assistance contains additional information about educating homeless students and the appeal process. This advisory is available at the following link: http://www.doe.mass.edu/mv/haa/mckinney-vento.docx.
Homeless Liaison
The Superintendent shall designate an appropriate staff person to be the district's liaison for homeless students and their families. The district's liaison for homeless students and their families shall coordinate with local social service agencies that provide services to homeless children and youths and their families; other school districts on issues of transportation and records transfers; and state and local housing agencies responsible for comprehensive housing affordability strategies. This coordination includes providing public notice of the educational rights of homeless students in locations such as schools, family

shelters and soup kitchens. The district's liaison will also review and recommend amendments to district policies that may act as barriers to the enrollment of homeless students. The liaison shall ensure district staff receive professional development and other support on issues involving homeless students.

Legal References

• The McKinney-Vento Act and Title I Part A, as Amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015

To facilitate the placement, enrollment, graduation, data collection and provision of special services for students transferring into or out of the District because of their parents or guardians being on active duty in the U.S. Armed Services, the District supports and will implement its responsibilities as outlined in the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children.
The District believes it is appropriate to remove barriers to educational success imposed on children of military families resulting from frequent moves required by parents' or guardians' military deployment.

Definitions

Children of military families: School aged children, enrolled in kindergarten through 12th grade, in the household of an active duty member of the uniformed service of the United States, including members of the National Guard and Reserve serving on active duty.

Deployment: The period one month before the service members departure from their home station on military orders through six months after return to their home station.

Education(al) records: Of ficial records, files, and data directly related to a student and maintained by the school including, but not limited to, records encompassing all the material kept in the student's cumulative folder.

Eligible students are those who are children of military families as well as children of veterans who have been severely injured and medically discharged, and children of active duty personnel who died on active duty. Children of retired active duty personnel are also eligible to receive services for one year following the discharge due to sever injury, or the retirement or death of an active military parent. The Compact does not apply to children of inactive Guard or Reserves, veterans and retired personnel not included above, or the U.S. Department of Defense personnel and other federal civil service employees and contract employees.

The District's responsibilities to eligible students include the following:

Sending schools must send either official or unofficial records with the moving students and District receiving schools must use those records for immediate enrollment and educational placement.

Upon enrollment of an eligible student, the receiving school must request official records and the sending schools shall respond within 10 days with the records.

Immunization requirements of the District may be met within 30 days from the date of enrollment (or be in progress).

Receiving schools must initially honor placement of students in all courses from the sending school. These include, but are not limited to, Honors, International Baccalaureate, Advanced Placement, vocational-technical, and career pathway courses if those courses are offered in the receiving school and space is available. The receiving schools must also initially honor placement of like programs to those of the student in the sending state, including, but not limited to, Gifted and Talented programs, and English as a Second Language programs. Receiving schools are not precluded from performing subsequent evaluation to ensure the appropriate placement and continued enrollment of the student in courses and programs.

In compliance with federal law, the district will assume financial and programmatic responsibility for the special education programs of students with existing IEP's drafted in other states.

As appropriate, the District will exercise the right to waive prerequisites for all courses and programs, while also maintaining its right to re-evaluate the student to ensure continued enrollment, also as deemed appropriate.

Students of active duty personnel shall have additional excused absences, as necessary, at the discretion of the District for visitations relative to leave or deployment.

An eligible student living with a noncustodial parent or other person standing in loco parentis shall be permitted to continue to attend the school in which they were enrolled while living without the custodial parent/guardian without any tuition fee imposed.

The District high school will accept exit or end-of-year exams required from the sending state, national norm-referenced tests, or alternate testing instead of testing requirements for graduation in the District (receiving state.) If this is not possible, the alternative provision of the Interstate Compact shall be followed in order to facilitate the on-time graduation of the student in accordance with Compact provisions.

Legal References

• M.G.L. 15E
• Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children

The purpose of this policy is to ensure the educational stability of students in foster care. Educational stability has a lasting impact on students' academic achievement and wellbeing, and the School Committee is committed to supporting all efforts to ensure that students in foster care have access to high-quality, stable educational experiences from preschool (if offered) through high school graduation.

Irrespective of the location of a foster care placement, students in foster care will continue to attend their school of origin, unless after a collaborative decision-making process it is determined to be in the student's best interest to enroll in and attend school in the district in which the student resides in foster care. The law also requires that when it is not in the student's best interest to remain in the school of origin, the student is immediately enrolled and attending in a new school district, even if records normally required for enrollment cannot be quickly produced.

The District has designated a point of contact for students in foster care. The District and the point of contact will collaborate with DCF to ensure that students can access transportation and other services to which they may be entitled.

Best Interest Determination
Decisions about whether a student in foster care should continue to attend the school of origin should be made collaboratively by DCF, the student (as appropriate), the student's family and/or foster family (or if different, the person authorized to make educational decisions on behalf of the student), the school and district of origin, and (when appropriate) the local district where the student is placed. Best interest determinations should focus on the needs of each individual student and account for unique factors about the student and their foster care placement. Every effort should be made to reach agreement regarding the appropriate school placement of a student in foster care; however, DCF will finalize the best interest determination if the relevant parties cannot agree on the best school for the student to attend.

The District can seek review of DCF's decision by utilizing a Foster Care School Selection Dispute Resolution Process established by DESE and DCF. Decisions made through this process are not subject to review. Under the law, to promote educational stability, students should continue to attend their schools of origin while best interest determinations are being made.

Transportation

The district of origin must collaborate with DCF on how transportation will be arranged and provided to ensure that students in foster care who need transportation to remain in their school of origin will receive such transportation while they are in foster care.

Transportation options may include using Title I funds, establishing regional collaborations among districts, coordinating with existing routes for transportation, seeking help from foster parent(s), etc. Absent other agreements between the district and DCF, the district of origin is responsible for providing transportation to and from the school of origin.

Immediate Enrollment

If it is in the best interest of a student in foster care to leave the school of origin, the student must be immediately enrolled in the district in which they reside in foster care. During enrollment of students in foster care, DCF representatives will present the district with a form indicating that the student is in foster care, along with a state-agency identification badge.

If the student does not have immediate access to immunization records, the student shall be permitted to enroll under a personal exception. Students and families should be encouraged to obtain current immunization records or immunizations as soon as possible, and the district liaison is directed to assist. Emergency contact information is required at the time of enrollment consistent with district policies, including compliance with the state's address confidentiality program when necessary. After enrollment, the district will immediately request available records from the student's previous school.

Attendance rights by living in town, other student assignment policies, or intra and inter-district choice options are available to students in foster care (homeless families) on the same terms as families who reside in the district. Accordingly, the district will provide transportation services to school in a manner comparable to the transportation provided for all other students in the district.

Legal References

• Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)
• Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008 (Fostering Connections Act)

It is the policy of this School District not to admit non-resident students under the terms and conditions of the Interdistrict School
Choice Law. This decision must be reaffirmed annually prior to June 1st by a vote of the School Committee following a public hearing. In the event the School Committee votes to participate, the following local conditions would apply:

That by May 1 of every school year, the administration will determine the number of spaces in each school available to choice students.

That by June 1 of every school year a public meeting will be held to review participation in the school choice program.

That resident students be given priority placement in any classes or programs within the district.

That the selection of non-resident students for admission be in the form of a random drawing when the number of requests exceeds the number of available spaces. There will be two drawings for this purpose. The first will take place during the last week of the current school year but no later than July 1st. The second will be conducted during the week immediately preceding the opening of the next school year and will be based on the possibility of unexpected additional openings.

Any student who is accepted for admission under the provisions of this policy is entitled to remain in the district until graduation from high school except if there is a lack of funding of the program.

The School Committee affirms its position that it shall not discriminate in the admission of any child on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity, age, homelessness, sexual orientation, ancestry, athletic performance, physical handicap, special need, pregnancy, pregnancy related condition, academic performance or proficiency in the English language.

Legal References

• M.G.L. 71:6; 71:6A; 76:6; 76:12; 76:12B
• BESE Regulations 603 CMR 26.00

Regular and punctual school attendance is essential for success in school. The Committee recognizes that parents/guardians of children attending our schools have special rights as well as responsibilities, one of which is to ensure that their children attend school regularly, in accordance with state law.

Therefore, students may be excused temporarily from school attendance for the following reasons: illness or quarantine; bereavement or serious illness in family; weather so inclement as to endanger the health of the child; and observance of major religious holidays.

A child may also be excused for other exceptional reasons with approval of the Principal or designee.

A student's understanding of the importance of day-to-day schoolwork is an important factor in the shaping of their character.
Parents/guardians can help their children by not allowing them to miss school needlessly.

Accordingly, parents/guardians will provide a written explanation for the absence or tardiness of a child. This will be required in advance for types of absences where advance notice is possible. At each grade level, it is expected that an age-appropriate system is developed, implemented, and monitored so that parents, students, and teachers will work cooperatively to ensure that the student has sufficient opportunity to complete any missed work.

In instances of chronic or irregular absence reportedly due to illness, the school administration may request a physician's statement certifying such absences to be justified.

Student Handbook language will contain further details about what constitutes an Excused or Unexcused Absence.

Student Absence Notification Program

Each Principal or designee will notify a student's parent/guardian as soon as possible, and generally within 2 hours of the beginning of the day, but no later than within 3 days of the student's absence in the event the parent/guardian has not informed the school of the absence.
Each Principal or designee shall send a warning email or letter to the parent/guardian of any student who has missed seven (7) excused or unexcused school days (a school day shall be equal to two (2) or more class periods in the same day) within the school year. This notification shall serve to inform the parent/guardian of the student's attendance status and may be accompanied by the suggested next steps to support improved attendance.

Each Principal or designee shall make a reasonable effort to meet with any student, and that student's parent/guardian, who has missed nine (9) or more excused or unexcused school days (a school day shall be equal to two (2) or more class periods in the same day) in a school year. The meeting shall be to develop action steps to improve student attendance and shall be developed jointly by the Principal or designee, the student, and the student's parent/guardian. The parties may seek input from other relevant school staff and/or officials from relevant public safety, health and human service, housing, and nonprofit agencies.

Dropout Prevention

A student who has not graduated from high school and has been absent from school for over ten (10) consecutive days of unexcused absence shall not be considered permanently removed from school unless the Principal has sent notice to the student, and that student's parent/guardian. The notice shall be sent within five (5) days of the tenth consecutive day of absence and shall offer at least 2 dates and times within the next ten (10) days for an exit interview with the Superintendent or designee, the student, and the student's parent/guardian. The notice shall be in both English and the primary language of the home, if applicable. The notice shall include contact information for scheduling the exit interview and shall indicate the parties shall reach an agreement on the date/time of the interview within the ten (10) day timeframe. The timeframe may be extended at the request of the parent/guardian and no extension shall exceed 14 days.

The Superintendent or designee may proceed with any interview without a parent/guardian present, provided the Superintendent has documented a good faith effort to include the parent/guardian.
The Superintendent or designee shall convene a team of school staff to participate in the exit interview and shall provide information to the student and, if applicable, the student's parent/guardian on the detrimental effects of early withdrawal from school and the alternative education programs and services available to the student.

Legal References

• M.G.L. 76:1; 76:1B; 76:16; 76:18; 76:20

Denial of Admission

Denial of admission means the withholding of the privilege of enrolling in a school of the District.

The following shall be the grounds for denial of admission to school or for diversion to an appropriate alternative program:

Graduation from the twelfth grade of any school or receipt of any document evidencing completion of the equivalent of a secondary curriculum;

Failure to meet the requirements of age by a student who has reached the age of six years at a time after the beginning of the school year, as fixed by the School Committee as provided in Massachusetts General Laws;

Not being a resident of the District and the District has opted not to participate in the School Choice Law;

Failure to comply with the provisions of the Massachusetts School Entry Immunization Law.

Legal References

• M.G.L. 71:37H; 76:12; 76:12A; 76:12B
• 603 CMR 26:00

The School Committee has the responsibility to afford students the rights that are theirs by virtue of guarantees offered under the federal and state constitutions and statutes. In connection with rights there are responsibilities that must be assumed by students.

Among these rights and responsibilities are the following:

Civil rights including the rights to equal educational opportunity and freedom from discrimination; the responsibility not to discriminate against others.

The right to attend free public schools; the responsibility to attend school regularly and to observe school rules essential for permitting others to learn at school.

The right to due process of law with respect to suspension, expulsion, and decisions the student believes injure their rights.

The right to free inquiry and expression; responsibility to observe reasonable rules regarding these rights.

The right to privacy, which includes privacy in respect to the student's school records.

It is the School Committee's belief that as part of the educational process students should be made aware of their legal rights and of the legal authority of the School Committee to make, and delegate authority to its staff to make, rules regarding the orderly operation of the schools.

Students have the right to know the standards of behavior that are expected of them, and the consequences of misbehavior.

The rights and responsibilities of students, including standards of conduct, will be made available to students and their parents through handbooks distributed annually.

Legal References

• M.G.L. 71:37H; 71:82 through 71:86

As appropriate to the age of students, class, or school organizations and school government organizations, such as student councils may be formed to offer practice in self, government and to serve as channels for the expression of student's ideas and opinions.

The Committee will take into consideration student opinions in establishing policies that directly affect student programs, activities, privileges and other areas of student sensitivity.

Students will be welcomed at Committee meetings and granted privileges of speaking in line with the privileges extended to the general public.

Student Advisory Committee

As required by state law, the Committee (designee) will meet at least once every other month while school is in session with its student advisory committee, which is composed of five students elected by the high school student body. The Chairperson or designee of the student advisory committee shall be an ex-officio non-voting member of the School Committee without the right to attend executive sessions unless such right is expressly granted by the School Committee.

Legal References

• M.G.L. 71: 38M

The School Committee believes that all students deserve every opportunity to achieve academic success in a safe, secure learning environment. Good citizenship in schools is based on respect and consideration for the rights of others. Students will be expected to conduct themselves in a way that the rights and privileges of others are not violated. They will be required to respect constituted authority, to conform to school rules and to those provisions of law that apply to their conduct.

Each Principal shall include prohibited actions in the student handbook or other publication to be made available to students and parents.

Principals and staff shall not use academic punishment of any form as a consequence to inappropriate behaviors/actions by students.

The Principal may, as a disciplinary measure, remove a student from privileges, such as extracurricular activities and attendance at school-sponsored events, based on the student's misconduct. Such a removal is not subject to the remainder of this policy, law, or regulation.

The Superintendent shall provide each Principal with a copy of the regulations promulgated by DESE and shall have each Principal sign a document acknowledging receipt thereof, which shall be placed in their personnel file.

Suspension

In every case of student misconduct for which suspension may be imposed (except for offenses referenced in the note at the end of this policy), a Principal shall consider ways to re-engage the student in learning; and avoid using long-term suspension from school as a consequence until alternatives have been tried. Alternatives may include the use of evidence-based strategies and programs such as mediation, conflict resolution, restorative justice, and positive behavioral interventions and supports.

Notice of Suspension:

Except for emergency removal or an in-school suspension of less than 10 days, a Principal must provide the student and the parent oral and written notice, and provide the student an opportunity for a hearing and the parent an opportunity to participate

in such hearing before imposing suspension as a consequence for misconduct. The Principal shall provide both oral and written notice to student and parent in English and in the primary language of the home if other than English. The notice shall include the rights enumerated in law and regulation. To conduct a hearing without a parent present, the Principal must be able to document reasonable efforts to include the parent.

Emergency Removal

A Principal may remove a student from school temporarily when a student is charged with a disciplinary offense and the continued presence of the student poses a danger to persons or property, or materially and substantially disrupts the order of the school, and, in the Principal's judgment, there is no alternative available to alleviate the danger or disruption. The Principal shall immediately notify the Superintendent in writing of the removal including a description of the danger presented by the student.
The temporary removal shall not exceed two (2) school days following the day of the emergency removal, during which time the Principal shall: Make immediate and reasonable efforts to orally notify the student and the student's parent of the emergency removal, the reason for the need for emergency removal, and the other matters required in the notice as referenced in the applicable regulation; Provide written notice to the student and parent as required above; Provide the student an opportunity for a hearing with the Principal that complies with applicable regulations, and the parent an opportunity to attend the hearing, before the expiration of the two (2) school days, unless an extension of time for hearing is otherwise agreed to by the Principal, student, and parent; Render a decision orally on the same day as the hearing, and in writing no later than the following school day, which meets the requirements of applicable law and regulation.

A Principal shall also ensure adequate provisions have been made for the student's safety and transportation prior to removal.

In School Suspension not more than 10 days consecutively or cumulatively

The Principal may use in-school suspension as an alternative to short-term suspension for disciplinary offenses.

The Principal may impose an in-school suspension for a disciplinary offense under this provision, provided that the Principal follows the process set forth in regulation and the student has the opportunity to make academic progress as required by law and regulation.

Principal's Hearing Short Term Suspension of up to 10 days

The hearing with the Principal shall be to hear and consider information regarding the alleged incident for which the student may be suspended, provide the student an opportunity to dispute the charges and explain the circumstances surrounding the alleged incident, determine if the student committed the disciplinary offense, and if so, the consequences for the infraction.

At a minimum, the Principal shall discuss the disciplinary offense, the basis for the charge, and any other pertinent information.

The student also shall have an opportunity to present information, including mitigating facts, that the Principal should consider in determining whether other remedies and consequences may be appropriate as set forth in law and regulation.

The Principal shall provide the parent, if present, an opportunity to discuss the student's conduct and offer information, including mitigating circumstances, that the Principal should consider in determining consequences for the student.
The Principal shall, based on the available information, including mitigating circumstances, determine whether the student committed the disciplinary offense, and, if so, what remedy or consequence will be imposed.

The Principal shall notify the student and parent of the determination and the reasons for it, and, if the student is suspended, the type and duration of suspension and the opportunity to make up assignments and such other school work as needed to make academic progress during the period of removal, as required by law and regulation. The determination shall be in writing and may be in the form of an update to the original written notice.

If the student is in a public preschool program or in grades K through 3, the Principal shall send a copy of the written determination to the Superintendent and explain the reasons for imposing an out-of-school suspension, before the short-term suspension takes effect.

Principal's Hearing Long Term Suspension of more than 10 days but less than 90 days (consecutive or cumulative)

The hearing with the Principal shall be to hear and consider information regarding the alleged incident for which the student may be suspended, provide the student an opportunity to dispute the charges and explain the circumstances surrounding the alleged incident, determine if the student committed the disciplinary offense, and if so, the consequences for the infraction.
At a minimum, in addition to the rights afforded a student in a short-term suspension hearing, the student shall have the following rights: In advance of the hearing, the opportunity to review the student's record and the documents upon which the Principal may rely in making a determination to suspend the student or not; The right to be represented by counsel or a lay person of the student's choice, at the student's/parent's expense; The right to produce witnesses on their behalf and to present the student's explanation of the alleged incident, but the student may not be compelled to do so; The right to cross-examine witnesses presented by the school district; The right to request that the hearing be recorded by the Principal, and to receive a copy of the audio recording upon request. If the student or parent requests an audio recording, the Principal shall inform all participants before the hearing that an audio record will be made and a copy will be provided to the student and parent upon request.

The Principal shall provide the parent, if present, an opportunity to discuss the student's conduct and offer information, including mitigating circumstances, that the Principal should consider in determining consequences for the student.

The Principal shall, based on the evidence, determine whether the student committed the disciplinary offense, and, if so, after considering mitigating circumstances and alternatives to suspension as required by law and regulation, what remedy or consequence will be imposed, in place of or in addition to a long-term suspension. The Principal shall send the written determination to the student and parent by hand-delivery, certified mail, first-class mail, email to an address provided by the parent for school communications, or any other method of delivery agreed to by the Principal and the parent.

If the Principal decides to suspend the student, the written determination shall: Identify the disciplinary offense, the date on which the hearing took place, and the participants at the hearing; Set out the key facts and conclusions reached by the Principal; Identify the length and effective date of the suspension, as well as a date of return to school; Include notice of the student's opportunity to receive education services to make academic progress during the period of removal from school as required by law and regulation; Inform the student of the right to appeal the Principal's decision to the Superintendent or designee, but only if the Principal has imposed a long-term suspension. Notice of the right of appeal shall be in English and the primary language of the home if other than English, or other means of communication where appropriate, and shall include the following information: The process for appealing the decision, including that the student or parent must file a written notice of appeal with the Superintendent within five (5) calendar days of the effective date of the long-term suspension; provided that within the five (5) calendar days, the student or parent may request and receive from the Superintendent an extension of time for filing the written notice for up to seven (7) additional calendar days; and that the long-term suspension will remain in effect unless and until the Superintendent decides to reverse the Principal's determination on appeal.

If the student is in a public preschool program or in grades K through 3, the Principal shall send a copy of the written determination to the Superintendent and explain the reasons for imposing an out-of-school suspension before the suspension takes effect.

Superintendent's Hearing

A student who is placed on long-term suspension following a hearing with the Principal shall have the right to appeal the Principal's decision to the Superintendent.

The student or parent shall file a notice of appeal with the Superintendent within the time period noted above (see Principal's hearing Suspension of more than 10 days). If the appeal is not timely filed, the Superintendent may deny the appeal, or may allow the appeal in their discretion, for good cause.

The Superintendent shall hold the hearing within three (3) school days of the student's request, unless the student or parent requests an extension of up to seven (7) additional calendar days, in which case the Superintendent shall grant the extension.

The Superintendent shall make a good faith effort to include the parent in the hearing. The Superintendent shall be presumed to have made a good faith effort if they have made efforts to find a day and time for the hearing that would allow the parent and Superintendent to participate. The Superintendent shall send written notice to the parent of the date, time, and location of the hearing.

The Superintendent shall conduct a hearing to determine whether the student committed the disciplinary offense of which the student is accused, and if so, what the consequence shall be. The Superintendent shall arrange for an audio recording of the hearing, a copy of which shall be provided to the student or parent upon request. The Superintendent shall inform all participants before the hearing that an audio record will be made of the hearing and a copy will be provided to the student and parent upon request. The student shall have all the rights afforded the student at the Principal's hearing for long-term suspension.

The Superintendent shall issue a written decision within five (5) calendar days of the hearing which meets the requirements of law and regulation. If the Superintendent determines that the student committed the disciplinary offense, the Superintendent may impose the same or a lesser consequence than the Principal, but shall not impose a suspension greater than that imposed by the Principal's decision. The decision of the Superintendent shall be the final decision of the school district with regard to the suspension.

Expulsion

Expulsion is defined as the removal of a student from school for more than ninety (90) school days, indefinitely, or permanently as allowed by law for possession of a dangerous weapon; possession of a controlled substance; assault on a member of the educational staff; or a felony charge or felony delinquency complaint or conviction, or adjudication or admission of guilt with respect to such felony, if a Principal determines that the student's continued presence in school would have a substantial detrimental effect on the general welfare of the school.

Any student expelled from school for such an offense shall be afforded an opportunity to receive educational services and make academic progress.

Academic Progress

Any student who is suspended or expelled shall have the opportunity to earn credits, make up assignments, tests, papers, and other school work as needed to make academic progress during the period of his or her removal from the classroom or school.
The Principal shall inform the student and parent of this opportunity in writing, in English and in the primary language of the home, when such suspension or expulsion is imposed.

Any student who is expelled or suspended from school for more than ten (10) consecutive days, whether in school or out of school, shall have an opportunity to receive education services and make academic progress toward meeting state and local requirements, through the school-wide education service plan.

The Principal shall develop a school-wide education service plan describing the education services that the school district will make available to students who are expelled or suspended from school for more than ten (10) consecutive days. The plan shall include the process for notifying such students and their parents of the services and arranging such services. Education services shall be based on, and be provided in a manner consistent with, the academic standards and curriculum frameworks established for all students under the law.

The Principal shall notify the parent and student of the opportunity to receive education services at the time the student is expelled or placed on long-term suspension. Notice shall be provided in English and in the primary language spoken in the student's home if other than English, or other means of communication where appropriate. The notice shall include a list of the specific education services that are available to the student and contact information for a school district staff member who can provide more detailed information.

For each student expelled or suspended from school for more than ten (10) consecutive days, whether in-school or out-of- school, the school district shall document the student's enrollment in education services. For data reporting purposes, the school shall track and report attendance, academic progress, and such other data as directed by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

Reporting

The school district shall collect and annually report data to the DESE regarding in-school suspensions, short- and long-term suspensions, expulsions, emergency removals, access to education services, and such other information as may be required by the DESE.

The Principal of each school shall periodically review discipline data by selected student populations, including but not limited to race and ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic status, English language learner status, and student with a disability status in accordance with law and regulation.
NOTE: The DESE regulations on student discipline and this policy, consistent with law, set forth the minimum procedural requirements applicable to the suspension of a student for a disciplinary offense other than: possession of a dangerous weapon; possession of a controlled substance; assault on a member of the educational staff; or a felony charge or felony delinquency complaint or conviction, or adjudication or admission of guilt with respect to such felony, if a Principal determines that the student's continued presence in the school would have a substantial detrimental effect on the general welfare of the school, as provided in M.G.L. c. 71, S. 37H or 37H. The Principal, pursuant to the previously referenced statute may remove a student who has committed any of the disciplinary offenses above referenced from school for more than 90 days in a school year. Except that the removal from school for such offenses is subject to the provision of continuing educational services needed to make academic progress and, the requirement that all school districts regardless of the type of offense shall report school discipline data and analysis to DESE. Also, the prohibited actions above referenced are subject to the provision that allows the Commissioner to investigate each school that has a significant number of students suspended and expelled for more than 10 cumulative days in a school year and to make recommendations thereon.

Legal References

• M.G.L. 71:37H; 71:37H 1/2; 71:37H 3/4; 76:17
• 603 CMR 53.00

Student dress codes should support equitable educational access and should not reinforce gender stereotypes. All students are required to be dressed in a manner that is compatible with an effective learning environment, and more specifically, a manner that does not interfere with the health, safety, and welfare of themselves and other students. Student dress codes and administrative enforcement will be enforced in a non-discriminatory manner consistent with the laws that protect students on the basis of race, gender, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, household income, gender identity, or cultural observance.

The primary responsibility for a student’s attire resides with the student and their parents or guardians. The Triton Regional
School District supports students’ freedom of expression (including through attire) and does not seek to abridge that expression, provided that such expression does not cause any disruption or disorder within the school. The school district and individual schools are responsible for seeing that student attire does not interfere with the health or safety of any student and that student attire does not contribute to a hostile or intimidating atmosphere for any student.
Basic Principle - Certain body parts must be covered for all students: Clothes must be worn in a way such that genitals, buttocks, nipples, and chest are fully covered with opaque material. All items being worn by students, including those listed in the “must wear” section below must meet this basic principle.
Students MUST Wear: *
Shirt
Bottom (pants/sweatpants/shorts/skirt/dress/leggings)
Shoes (activity-specific shoe requirements are permitted - sports for example)
Shirts, pants, and dresses must have fabric in the front, back, and on the sides
Clothing that covers all undergarments (visible waistbands/straps allowed)

• Courses that include attire as part of the curriculum (for example, professionalism, public speaking, and job readiness) may include assignment-specific dress requirements.
• Nothing in this policy should be read to restrict assignment/activity-specific, class-specific, or special occasion dress (e.g., physical education, extracurricular athletics, or ‘hat day’ at the elementary level) or require specific clothing for a field trip).

Students CANNOT Wear: Violent language or images
Images or language depicting drugs or alcohol (or any illegal item or activity) or the use of the same

Hate speech, profanity, pornography
Hoods, helmets, or anything else that obscures the face or prevents identification of students in person or on security cameras (except as a religious observance)
Images or language that create a hostile or intimidating environment based on any protected class
Visible underwear. Visible waistbands or straps on undergarments worn under other clothing are not a violation
Bathing suits
Shoes with wheels in the heel

Hats may be allowed, but that will vary by school and be at the Principal’s discretion.

Dress Code Enforcement at Schools:

If a student is not adhering to the dress code guidelines school administration will discreetly and respectfully address this with the student during non-instructional time when possible.

This list is not meant to be all-inclusive. Fads and styles change quickly and require the judgment of the school administration and staff in the areas of health, safety, and when clothing may cause any disruption or disorder within the school or to the educational process.

Failure to comply with the student dress code will be enforced consistently with comparable behavior and conduct violations as outlined in the school student handbook.

The authority for enforcing School Committee requirements of student conduct on buses will rest with the Principal.

To ensure the safety of all students who ride in buses, it may occasionally be necessary to revoke the privilege of transportation from a student who abuses this privilege. Parents of children whose behavior and misconduct on school buses endangers the health, safety, and welfare of other riders will be notified that their children face the loss of transportation privileges in accordance with regulations approved by the School Committee.

Rules regarding student conduct on school buses will be included in the student handbooks. Students are expected to follow school rules at all times when riding on buses.

Within the school setting, students enjoy the constitutional right of freedom of expression, including the right to express their views in student publications, provided such expression does not cause, or threaten to cause by reasonable forecast by school officials, any disruption or disorder in the school. Additionally, such constitutional right of freedom of expression does not include expression which is obscene, defamatory, or advocates violence or illegality where such advocacy is imminently likely to incite the commission of such acts to the detriment of school security, or which can reasonably be forecast to cause substantial disruption or material interference with school activities.

The School Committee will at least annually review their support of student publications, and encourage student publications not only because they offer an educational activity through which students gain experience in reporting, writing, editing, and understanding responsible journalism, but also because they provide an opportunity for students to express their views subject to the limitations as contained in this policy.

Student publications will be encouraged to comply with the rules for responsible journalism. Students shall affix their names to all articles or editorials written by or contributed to by them. The Superintendent will establish guidelines that are in keeping with this policy and provide for review of student publications prior to their distribution, to address matters that are not protected forms of expression.

Each student publication shall contain the following: "Pursuant to state law, no expression made by students in the exercise of such rights shall be deemed to be an expression of school policy and no school officials shall be held responsible in any civil or criminal action for any expression made or published by the students."

Distribution of Literature

The time, place and manner of distribution of literature will be reasonably regulated by the Principal.

Legal References

• M.G.L. 71:82

Gang Activity

The goal of the Triton Regional School Committee is to keep the students free from the threats or harmful influence of any gang. For purposes of this policy, gang is defined as any group, secret society, organization, or association that advocates drug use, violence, ethnic intimidation, or disruptive or illegal behavior. The Principal or their designee shall maintain supervision of school premises to deter intimidation of students and confrontations between members of different gangs.
The Superintendent shall establish open lines of communication with local law enforcement agencies to share information and provide mutual support in this effort within appropriate legal guidelines.

The Superintendent shall provide in-service training to help staff members identify gangs and gang symbols, recognize early manifestations of disruptive activities, and respond appropriately. Staf f members shall be informed about conflict management techniques and alerted to intervention measures and community resources that may help students.

Symbols

The School Committee finds that gang symbols are inherently disruptive to the educational process, and therefore prohibits the presence of any insignia, apparel, jewelry, accessory, notebook or other school supply, or manner of grooming which by virtue of its color, arrangement, trademark, or any other attribute denotes membership in gangs. The School Committee further prohibits any demonstration of gang membership using hand gestures, graffiti, or printed materials. The Principal or their designee shall apply this policy as the needs arise. A student may be suspended or expelled for failure to comply with the provisions of this policy.

Prevention Education
The School Committee realizes that students may become involved in gangs without understanding the consequences of such membership. Early intervention is a key component of efforts to break the cycle of such memberships. Therefore, gang violence prevention information shall be made available in the middle and high schools as appropriate.

Secret Societies

Fraternities, sororities, and/or secret societies shall not receive Triton Regional School District or building recognition in any manner.

A student may be suspended or expelled for failure to comply with the provisions of this policy.

In accordance with Massachusetts General Laws, the School Committee hereby deems that no student, employee or school organization under the control of the School Committee shall engage in the activity of hazing a student while on or off school property, or at a school sponsored event regardless of the location. No organization that uses the facilities or grounds under the control of the School Committee shall engage in the activity of hazing any person while on school property.

Any student who observes what appears to them to be the activity of hazing another student or person should report such information to the Principal including the time, date, location, names of identifiable participants and the types of behavior exhibited. Students and employees of the District are obligated by law to report incidents of hazing to the police department.

Any student who is present at a hazing has the obligation to report such an incident. Failure to do so may result in disciplinary action by the school against that student and could involve suspension from school for up to three days.
Any student who participates in the hazing of another student or other person may, upon the approval of the Principal, be suspended from school for up to ten (10) school days.

Any student determined by the Principal to be the organizer of a hazing activity may be recommended for expulsion from school but will receive no less disciplinary action than that of a participant.
In all cases relating to hazing, students will receive procedural due process.

Legal References

• M.G.L. 269:17, 18, 19

CH. 269, S.17. CRIME OF HAZING; DEFINITION; PENALTY

Whoever is a principal organizer or participant in the crime of hazing as defined herein shall be punished by a fine of not more than one thousand dollars or by imprisonment in a house of correction for not more than one hundred days, or by both such fine and imprisonment.

The term "hazing" as used in this section and in sections eighteen and nineteen, shall mean any conduct or method of initiation into any student organization, whether on public or private property, which willfully or recklessly endangers the physical or mental health of any student or other person. such conduct shall include whipping, beating, branding, forced calisthenics, exposure to the weather, forced consumption of any food, liquor, beverage, drug or other substance, or any other brutal treatment or forced physical activity which is likely to adversely affect the physical health or safety of any such student or other person, or which subjects such student or other person to extreme mental stress, including extended deprivation of sleep or rest or extended isolation.

CH. 269, S.18. DUTY TO REPORT HAZING

Whoever knows that another person is the victim of hazing as defined in section seventeen and is at the scene of such crime shall, to the extent that such person can do so without danger or peril to himself or others, report such crime to an appropriate law enforcement official as soon as reasonably practicable. Whoever fails to report such crime shall be punished by a fine of not more than five hundred dollars.

CH. 269, S.19. HAZING STATUTES TO BE PROVIDED; STATEMENT OF COMPLIANCE AND DISCIPLINE POLICY
REQUIRED

Each secondary school and each public and private school or college shall issue to every group or organization under its authority or operating on or in conjunction with its campus or school, and to every member, plebe, pledgee or applicant for membership in such group or organization, a copy of this section and sections seventeen and eighteen.

An officer of each such group or organization, and each individual receiving a copy of said sections seventeen and eighteen shall sign an acknowledgement stating that such group, organization or individual has received a copy of said sections

seventeen and eighteen.
Each secondary school and each public or private school or college shall file, at least annually, a report with the regents of higher education and in the case of secondary schools, the School Committee of education, certifying that such institution has complied with the provisions of this section and also certifying that said school has adopted a disciplinary policy with regards to the organizers and participants of hazing. The School Committee of regents and in the case of secondary schools, the School
Committee of education shall promulgate regulations governing the content and frequency of such reports, and shall forthwith report to the attorney general any such institution which fails to make such a report.

The School Committee is committed to providing a safe, positive, and productive educational environment where students can achieve the highest academic standards. No student shall be subjected to harassment, intimidation, bullying, or cyber-bullying.
Bullying is the repeated use by one or more students or school staff members of a written, verbal, or electronic expression, or a physical act or gesture, or any combination thereof, directed at a target that: causes physical or emotional harm to the target or damage to the target s property; places the target in reasonable fear of harm to him/herself, or of damage to his/her property; creates a hostile environment at school for the target; infringes on the rights of the target at school; or materially and substantially disrupts the education process or the orderly operation of a school.
[MJ1] "Cyber-bullying" means bullying through the use of technology or any electronic communication, which shall include, but shall not be limited to, any transfer of signs, signals, writing, images, sounds, data or intelligence of any nature transmitted in whole or in part by a: wire radio electromagnetic photo-electronic or photo-optical system, including, but not limited to, electronic mail, internet communications, instant messages or facsimile communications.
Cyber-bullying shall also include the creation of a web page or blog in which the creator assumes the identity of another person or knowingly impersonates another person as author of posted content or messages, if the creation or impersonation creates any of the conditions enumerated in the definition of bullying.Cyber-bullying shall also include the distribution by electronic means of a communication to more than one person or the posting of material on an electronic medium that may be accessed by one or more persons if the distribution or posting creates any of the conditions enumerated in the definition of bullying.
For the purpose of this policy, whenever the term bullying is used it is to denote either bullying or cyber- bullying.
Bullying is prohibited: On school grounds;

On property immediately adjacent to school grounds; At school-sponsored or school-related activities; At functions or programs whether on or off school grounds
At school bus stops; On school buses or other vehicles owned, leased or used by the school district; or, Through the use of technology or an electronic device owned, leased or used by the school district; Bullying and cyber-bullying are prohibited at a location, activity, function or program that is not school-related or through the use of technology or an electronic device that is not owned, leased or used by the school district if the act or acts in question: create a hostile environment at school for the target; infringe on the rights of the target at school; and/or materially and substantially disrupt the education process or the orderly operation of a school.

Prevention and Intervention Plan
The Superintendent and/or his/her designee shall oversee the development of a prevention and intervention plan, in consultation with all district stakeholders, which may include teachers, school staff, professional support personnel, school volunteers, administrators, community representatives, local law enforcement agencies, students, parents, and guardians, consistent with the requirements of this policy, as well as state and federal laws. The bullying prevention and intervention plan shall be reviewed and updated at least biennially.
The Principal is responsible for the implementation and oversight of the bullying prevention and implementation plan within his or her school.

Legal References

• 603 CMR 49.00
• M.G.L. 71:37O; 265:43, 43A; 268:13B; 269:14A
• Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's Model Bullying Prevention and
• Intervention Plan

A student shall not, regardless of the quantity, use or consume, possess, buy or sell, or give away any beverage containing alcohol; any tobacco product, including vapor/E-cigarettes; marijuana; steroids; or any controlled substance. The School
Committee prohibits the use or consumption by students of alcohol, tobacco products, or drugs on school property, at any school function, or at any school sponsored event.

Additionally, any student who is under the influence of drugs or alcoholic beverages prior to, or during, attendance at or participation in a school-sponsored activity, will be barred from that activity and may be subject to disciplinary action.

Verbal Screening: The school district shall utilize, in accordance with law, a verbal screening tool approved by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to screen students for substance abuse disorders. The tool shall be administered by trained staff on an annual basis at grades 7 and 9.

Parents/guardians shall be notified prior to the opening of school each year. Parents/guardians shall have the right to opt out of the screening by written notice prior to or during the screening.

All statements made by a student during a screening are confidential and shall not be disclosed except in the event of immediate medical emergency or in accordance with law. De-identified results shall be reported to the Department of Public Health within 90 days of the completion of the screening process.

This policy shall be posted on the district's website and notice shall be provided to all students and parents/guardians of this policy in accordance with state law. Additionally, the district shall file a copy of this policy with DESE in accordance with law in a manner requested by DESE.

Legal References

• M.G.L.71:2A; 71:96; 71:97; 272:40A

The Triton Regional School District recognizes that digital technology can be and is used in powerful ways to support the learning that takes place in a classroom setting. Transitioning to a one-to-one learning environment has provided students with a far greater opportunity to utilize learning technologies that are provided by the district. For students to be successful, digital technology should be used as an enhancement to learning when in the classroom setting, and not for other purposes.

Laptops and tablets are often the most appropriate learning tools for students to have accessible within the classroom. The Triton Regional School District provides every student a device that has been deemed to be an appropriate learning tool through the one-to-one program. The usage of other digital devices will remain at the discretion of the teacher based upon the learning objectives for their course. Teachers will be given the autonomy to determine when another device is a more appropriate tool for the learning taking place.

Student use of digital devices in the school and classroom will vary by school and grade level.

At the high school, all devices will begin the class period away and on silent unless prompted by a teacher that it is an appropriate time to take the device out for usage. Any form of headphones (wired or unwired) will be removed and put away prior to the start of class unless instructed otherwise by a teacher. Any use of personal digital devices in the classroom (e.g. cell phone or portable music device) is to be at the teacher’s discretion.
Smart watches may be worn so long as they are on "Do Not Disturb" and not actively receiving communications.

At the elementary and middle school levels, the use of personal digital devices in the classroom (e.g. cell phone or portable music device) is prohibited by default. Smart watches may be worn so long as they are on "Do Not Disturb" and not actively receiving communications. It is expected that any devices brought to school will remain in the students' backpack/locker and powered off. While there will be times when a teacher may ask and/or allow students to use personal devices, students will have ample advanced warning so students and/or families can prepare accordingly.

The superintendent will ensure that the student handbook clearly outlines the enforcement of this policy, including consequences for not following the expectations as set forth herein.

The School Committee wishes to preserve educational opportunities for those students who may become pregnant and/or take on parenting responsibilities.
Pregnant students are permitted to remain in regular classes and participate in extracurricular activities with non-pregnant students throughout their pregnancy, and after giving birth are permitted to return to the same academic and extracurricular program as before the leave.

The school district does not require a pregnant student to obtain the certification of a physician that the student is physically and emotionally able to continue in school.

Every effort will be made to see that the educational program of the student is disrupted as little as possible; that health counseling services, as well as instruction, are offered; that return to school after leave is encouraged; and that every opportunity to complete high school is provided.

LEGAL REFERENCES: M.G.L. 71:84

Title IX: 20 U.S.C.

Searches by Staff

The right of inspection of students' school lockers is inherent in the authority granted school committees and administrators.
This authority may be exercised as needed in the interest of safeguarding children, their own property and school property.

Nevertheless, exercise of that authority by school officials places unusual demands upon their judgment so as to protect each child's constitutional rights to personal privacy and protection from coer cion and to act in the best interest of all students and the schools.
Searches by school officials of students' automobiles or the student will be conducted in a way that protects the students' rights con sistent with the responsibility of the school district to provide an atmosphere conducive to the educational process.

Interrogations by Police

The schools have legal custody of students during the school day and during hours of approved extracurricular activities. It is the res ponsibility of the school administration to make an effort to pro tect each student's rights with respect to interrogations by law en forcement officials. Therefore:

When law enforcement officials find it necessary to question students during the school day or periods of extracurricular activities, the school Principal or their designee will be present when possible. An effort will be made to contact the student's parent or guardian so that the responsible individual may be notified of the situation.

If custody and/or arrest are involved, the Principal will request that all procedural safeguards, as prescribed by law, be observed by the law enforcement officials.

The School Committee recognizes that there may be conditions in the school district that are in need of improvement and that students should have some means by which their concerns may be effectively expressed, considered, and dealt with fairly.
Such means, if well conceived and understood in advance, can do much to maintain harmonious relationships among the schools and the students and community. Every attempt will be made to seek a satisfactory solution to any concerns in a friendly and informal manner.
Students and/or their parents/guardians, who believe that a student has received unfair treatment, may bring forward their grievance through the appropriate channels. Appeals of disciplinary cases will be required to follow the district's policy on student discipline. Any applicable provisions of the Massachusetts General Laws or federal law will be followed by school officials in conducting hearings. Appeals regarding civil rights will be handled in accordance with applicable school committee policies and the specific civil rights grievance procedure(s).

The School Committee supports the concept of providing a varied athletic and co-curricular program. These activities permit students to explore new interests, to master new skills, and to gain experience in both cooperating with and competing against other students.

The Superintendent and Administration should establish and distribute regulations governing these activities. These regulations should be consistent with the following guidelines:

To be eligible to participate a student must not be on suspension, social or academic probation as defined in the Student
Handbook;

The student must not have any outstanding obligations;

Students' academic responsibilities and commitments take precedence over participation in Athletics and Co-curricular activities;

The creation or disbanding of teams and/or organizations shall be within the authority of the School Committee, following a recommendation by the Superintendent. Athletics and Co-curricular programs shall be considered as part of the planning provided for under Policy DB, Program Planning and Budget Preparation, and these programs shall be justified with appropriate records, objectives, and evaluative information as is required for other district programs.

Proposals for new athletic and/or co-curricular activities will be presented for approval to the School Committee before initiating the activity.

To demonstrate sustainable interest in the activity, athletic and/or co-curricular activities shall be self-supporting for the first two years of existence. A budget shall be presented to the Superintendent prior to consideration by the School Committee.

Legal References

• M.G.L. 71:47
• 603 CMR 26:06

Student Organizations

Student organizations in the District shall be encouraged when they meet the criteria of contributing to student self-esteem and performance and should operate within the framework of state statutes, School Committee policies, and administrative procedures.

Each building Principal shall develop general guidelines for the establishment and operation of student organizations within the particular school. Among other provisions, such guidelines shall require the approval of the Principal prior to the formation of any club or organization in the school and the assignment of at least one faculty or designated adult advisor to each approved student organization. Within such guidelines will be provisions for a periodic review of all student organizations.

The formation of any student organization that may engage in activities of a controversial nature shall require approval by the principal and superintendent.

All student organizations shall be required to open membership to all interested and/or eligible students. Disruptive groups, secret societies, and/or gangs shall not receive recognition in any manner under this policy.
All forms of hazing in initiations shall be prohibited in a student organization. No initiation shall be held for a student organization which will bring criticism to the school district or be degrading to the student.

The faculty or designated adult advisor must attend every meeting of the student organization whether conducted on school premises or at another location.

Student Organizations - High Schools

In addition to the above requirements, all clubs or organizations at the high school level will relate to the subject matter covered by the curriculum. The Principal is responsible for determining that the purpose of a student organization is related to the curriculum. The Principal is authorized to deny requests by unauthorized student organizations desiring to meet or form in a particular school, the Principal shall inform the group of the reasons for the denial. The students and/or group may submit a written request to the appropriate District administrator for review of the Principal's decision.

Legal References

• 603 CMR 26.00

While the School Committee recognizes that fundraising activities have become a part of the school environment at all levels, the Committee wishes to ensure that students are not exploited by the process.

The Committee supports student involvement in the sale of tickets to scheduled athletic events, school dramatic and musical performances, and other school events where sales are required. Also, student publications which require the sale of advertising to sustain themselves and serve the student body and/or the community may involve students in such sales.

Charitable fundraising activities, especially those that are part of a community service event or program are encouraged provided such proposals are submitted to and approved by both the building Principal and the Superintendent.

Other fundraising activities that wish to involve students in the fundraising process shall be submitted to the Superintendent for approval.

For safety reasons and because the School Committee recognizes that community members receive requests for support from many worthy causes, activities such as canning and door-to-door sales are strongly discouraged.

No money collections of any kind may be held in the schools without the specific consent of the Superintendent.

Student funds may be raised to finance the activities of authorized student organizations. Student activity funds are considered a part of the total fiscal operation of the District and are subject to policies established by the School Committee and the Office of the Superintendent. The funds shall be only for the benefit of students and managed in accordance with sound business practices, which include accepted budgetary, accounting, and internal control practices. The Superintendent shall ensure that, annually, all Principals and student organizations receive a copy of this policy as well as a copy of established procedures for control of receipts and expenditures that meet or exceed DESE guidelines.

In compliance with Massachusetts General Law, the School Committee:

Authorizes the Principals to accept money for recognized student activity organizations, which currently exist, or as from time to time may be revised. All funds received for student activities must be deposited into the Student Activity Agency
Account and no funds shall be directly deposited to a Student Activity Checking Account except from the Student Activity
Agency Account.

Authorizes the District Treasurer to establish and maintain a Student Activity Agency Account(s) which is to be audited as part of the District's annual audit. The interest that is earned on such accounts shall be maintained in the Agency
Account and distributed annually among the Student Activity Checking Accounts as directed by the procedures established by the Superintendent.

Authorizes Student Activity Checking Accounts for use by the Principals with specific maximum balances ($25,000 High
School, $6,000 Middle School, $3,000 for each Elementary School) established annually for each school by vote of the School Committee. Payments for expenditures shall be made, whenever possible, by check, debit, or EFT directly from the Student Activity Checking Account. Reimbursements to personal credit card holders shall require the prior authorization of the Superintendent. Signatory authorization for Student Activity Checking Accounts shall be restricted to the Principal and (Superintendent or Treasurer). Student Activity Checking Accounts shall be audited annually in accordance with DESE guidelines.

Directs Principals to provide the Treasurer with a bond in an amount agreeable to the Treasurer.

Shall annually, prior to the start of each school year, vote to establish or change the maximum balance that may be on deposit in each Student Activity Checking Account.
For accounts with maximum balance limits that exceed $25,000.00, the School Committee shall consider, in accordance with DESE guidelines, that an audit be conducted by an outside audit firm every three years.
Graduating Class Funds

Funds held on behalf of graduating classes are to be held within the Student Activity Checking Account for the High School.
Such funds shall be designated by the class' Year of Graduation.

Once a class has graduated from High School, their funds should be removed from the High School Student Activity Checking
Account no later than two years from the date of graduation. It is the responsibility of the class officers to arrange for these funds to be removed from the High School Activity Checking Account. When requested, and once all outstanding financial obligations of the graduating class have been met, the remaining balance should be removed from the fund by check transfer payable to the Class of XXXX. Checks payable to individual members of the graduating class are not permitted.

Should the class officers not request to have their funds removed from the Student Activity Checking Account within two years of their graduating, the funds will be forfeited by the class and transferred into the General Sub-fund portion of the Student Activity
Agency Account. These funds will then be allocated by a vote of the School Committee.

Class officers should be given a copy of this policy during the course of their senior year to ensure their knowledge of their obligations to perform under this policy.

Inactive Student Activities

When a student activity ceases to be active for a period of three years or more the Principal or other authorized administrator shall require the following actions:

Obtain written notice from the faculty advisor or student officer that the activity will cease to be a viable account. If unable to obtain such notification the Principal shall request action to close the account from the School Committee.

Identify in writing all assets of the student activity. The disposition of any assets shall be determined by the School
Committee and may not benefit specific individuals.

Annually notify all students of the required actions if an activity ceases to exist.

Student Activity Deficits

Individual student activity accounts are not permitted to be in a deficit position. Whenever a deficit exists that is not the result of timing, the Superintendent shall recommend remedial action to the School Committee in a timely manner.

NOTE: DESE audit guidelines for Student Activity Checking Accounts require an annual audit. In regional districts these accounts may be a part of the annual audit by a third party auditor. In municipal districts the audits may be conducted by a district or municipal employee but not by the Principal, Treasurer, Superintendent, or any authorized signatory on the accounts.
Districts with large numbers of schools may rotate the schools through the audit process.

Legal References

• M.G.L. 71:47

All student trips which include late night or overnight travel must have prior approval of the School Committee. Initial approval by the School Committee is required before engaging students in fundraising activities. The School Committee will also consider the educational value of the trip in relation to the cost prior to granting initial approval. Overnight trips should offer significant educational benefits to students that clearly justify the time and expense of the trip. Such trips should be appropriate for the grade level.

Final approval will not be granted until all preparations for the trip have been completed including, but not limited to, all logistical details involving transportation, accommodation arrangements and fundraising efforts. The School Committee requires that final approval be sought no less than 30 days prior to the scheduled trip dates.

Teachers and other school staff are prohibited from soliciting for privately run trips through the school system and in the schools.
The School Committee will only review for approval school-sanctioned trips. The School Committee will not review or approve trips that are privately organized and run without school sanctioning.

Legal References

• M.G.L. 69:1B, 71:37N

Transportation

The use of vans or private automobiles for trips planned to include late night or overnight student travel is prohibited. Late night or overnight trips will use commercial motor coaches.

Trips planned to include late night or overnight student travel will include a pre-trip check of companies, drivers, and vehicles.
CORI and/or background checks will be conducted in accordance with Massachusetts General Laws and School Committee
Policy.

The Superintendent or designee will ensure that the selected carrier is licensed for passenger transportation by the Federal
Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). The District will not contract with any carrier that has a safety rating of conditional or unsatisfactory . FMCSA ratings are available at https://ai.fmcsa.dot.gov/SMS/.
The contract with the carrier will prohibit the use of subcontractors unless sufficient notice is given to the District that allows verification of the subcontractor's qualifications.

Trip Scheduling

Overnight accommodations should be made in advance with student safety and security in mind. Whenever possible, trip schedulers should avoid planning student travel between the hours of midnight and 6:00 a.m., due to the increased risk of vehicular accidents during this time period.

Whenever possible, overnight trips should be scheduled on weekends or during school vacations to minimize lost classroom time. Non-academic field trips are considered optional school programs and do not count toward meeting structured learning time requirements. (Refer to the Massachusetts Dept. of Elementary and Secondary Education publication Student Learning
Time Regulations Guide)

Trip itineraries must leave enough time for drivers to rest in conformity with federal hour-of-service requirements and common sense.

Trip scheduling should take into account the likelihood of delays due to weather, traffic, stragglers, and other unanticipated factors.

If substantially all members of a class are participating in a trip, the school should provide appropriate substitute activities for any students not participating.

Fundraising

The amount of time to be devoted to fundraising should be reasonable and commensurate with students obligations for homework, after-school activities, and jobs.

Group fundraising activities are preferred. Students should not be assigned individual fundraising targets.

If students are charged individual fees for participation, every effort should be made to provide scholarships where needed.
Additional Resources

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA)
www.fmcsa.dot.gov

United Motorcoach Association Student Motorcoach Travel Safety Guide (includes Motorcoach Safety Checklist)

www.uma.org/consumer/student-transportation/

Department of Defense s approved list of motor carriers
www.defensetravel.dod.mil/Docs/BusAgreementPOCs.pdf

Legal References

• M.G.L. 69:1B; 71:37N; 71:38R
• 603 CMR 27.00

The School Committee believes that students will benefit from the experiences in self-discipline and team effort made possible through participation in inter-school sports.

Participation in interscholastic athletics will be subject to ap proval by the School Committee and will be in accordance with regu - lations and recommendations of the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association.

At the high school level, interscholastic athletic competition will include a variety of sports. Students will be allowed to partici - pate in individual sports on the basis of their abilities and de sire. Additionally, intramural athletic activities will be offered as an outgrowth of class instruction in physical education.

The School Committee is aware that team participation in athletic contests by members of the student body requires that "away games" be scheduled. It also recognizes that there is a need to regulate certain aspects of student participation in such contests. There fore, the Superintendent will establish regulations to ensure the safety and well being of students and staff members who participate in these activities.

Before participating in any interscholastic sport, both the parent/guardian and the student must sign and turn in the Triton
Athletic Participation Approval Form to their coach. Additionally, proof of medical insurance must be provided. Physical examinations by a certified physician must take place prior to a student participating in an interscholastic sport. A written report stating the fitness of the student to participate signed by a physician will be required.

Legal References

• M.G.L. 71:47; 71:54A
• 603 CMR 26.00

The purpose of this policy is to provide information and standardized procedures for persons involved in the prevention, training management and return to activity decisions regarding students who incur head injuries while involved in extracurricular athletic activities. The requirements of the law apply to all public middle and high schools, however configured, serving grades six through high school graduation. In addition to any training required by law, the following persons shall complete one of the head injury safety training programs approved by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) as found on its website: coaches; certified athletic trainers; trainers; volunteers; school and team physicians; school nurses; athletic directors; directors responsible for a school marching band; employees or volunteers; and students who participate in an extracurricular activity and their parents.

Upon the adoption of this policy by the School Committee, the Superintendent shall ensure that DPH receives an affirmation on school district letterhead that the District has developed policies and the School Committee has adopted a final policy in accordance with law. This affirmation shall be updated by September 30, 2013 and every two years thereafter upon review or revision of its policies.

The Superintendent shall maintain or cause to be maintained complete and accurate records of the district's compliance with the requirements of the Concussion Law, and shall maintain the following records for three years or, at a minimum, until the student graduates, unless state or federal law requires a longer retention period:

Verifications of completion of annual training and receipt of materials;

DPH Pre-participation forms and receipt of materials;

DPH Report of Head Injury Forms, or school based equivalents;

DPH Medical Clearance and Authorization Forms, or school based equivalents; and

Graduated reentry plans for return to full academic and extracurricular athletic activities.
This policy also applies to volunteers who assist with extracurricular athletic activities. Such volunteers shall not be liable for civil damages arising out of any act or omission relating to the requirements of law, unless such volunteer is willfully or intentionally negligent in their act or omission.

Most student athletes who sustain a concussion can fully recover as long as their brain has time to heal before sustaining another hit; however, relying only on an athlete's self-report of symptoms to determine injury recovery is inadequate as many high school athletes are not aware of the signs and symptoms or the severity concussive injuries pose, or they may feel

pressure from coaches, parents, and/or teammates to return to play as quickly as possible. One or more of these factors will likely result in under-diagnosing the injury and a premature return to play. Massachusetts General Laws and Department of Public Health regulations make it imperative to accurately assess and treat student athletes when concussions are suspected.

Student athletes who receive concussions may appear to be fine on the outside, when in actuality they have a brain injury and are not able to return to play. Incurring a second concussion can prove to be devastating to a student athlete. Research has shown that young concussed athletes who return to play before their brain has healed are highly vulnerable to more prolonged post-concussion syndrome or, in rare cases, a catastrophic neurological injury known as Second Impact Syndrome.

The following protocol will discuss and outline what a concussion is, the mechanism of injury, signs and symptoms, management and return to play requirements, as well as information on Second Impact Syndrome and past concussion syndrome. Lastly, this policy will discuss the importance of education for our athletes, coaches and parents and other persons required by law.

This protocol should be reviewed on a yearly basis with all staff to discuss the procedures to be followed to manage sports- related concussions. This protocol will also be reviewed on a yearly basis by the athletic department as well as by nursing staff.
Any changes in this document will be approved by the School Committee and given to athletic staff, including coaches and other school personnel in writing. An accurate synopsis of this policy shall be placed in the student and faculty handbooks.
Note: Extracurricular Athletic Activity means an organized school sponsored athletic activity generally occurring outside of school instructional hours under the direction of a coach, athletic director or marching band leader including, but not limited to, Alpine and Nordic skiing and snowboarding, baseball, basketball, cheer leading, cross country track, fencing, field hockey, football, golf, gymnastics, horseback riding, ice hockey, lacrosse, marching band, rifle, rugby, soccer, skating, softball, squash, swimming and diving, tennis, track (indoor and outdoor), ultimate frisbee, volleyball, water polo, and wrestling. All interscholastic athletics are deemed to be extracurricular athletic activities.

Legal References

• M.G.L. 111:222
• 105 CMR 201.000

What is a Concussion?

A concussion is defined as a transient alteration in brain function without structural damage, but with other potentially serious long-term ramifications. In the event of a concussion, the brain sustains damage at a microscopic level in which cells and cell membranes are torn and stretched. The damage to these cells also disrupts the brain at a chemical level, as well as causing restricted blood flow to the damaged areas of the brain, thereby disrupting brain function. A concussion, therefore, is a disruption in how the brain works; it is not a structural injury. Concussions are difficult to diagnose because the damage cannot be seen. A MRI or CT Scan cannot diagnose a concussion, but they can help rule out a more serious brain injury to a student athlete.
Because concussions are difficult to detect, student athletes must obtain medical approval before returning to athletics following a concussion.
Mechanism of Injury:

A concussion is caused by a bump, blow or jolt to the head or body. Any force that causes the brain to bounce around or twist within the skull can cause a concussion. A bump, blow or jolt to the head or body can be caused by either indirect or direct trauma. The two direct mechanisms of injury are coup-type and contrecoup-type. Coup-type injury is when the head is stationary and struck by a moving object such as another player s helmet, a ball, or sport implement, causing brain injury at the location of impact. Contrecoup-type injury occurs when the head is moving and makes contact with an immovable or slowly moving object as a result of deceleration, causing brain injury away from the sight of impact. Indirect forces are transmitted through the spine and jaw or blows to the thorax that whip the head while the neck muscles are relaxed. Understanding the way in which an injury occurred is vital in understanding and having a watchful eye for athletes who may exhibit symptoms of a concussion so these student athletes can receive the appropriate care.

Signs and Symptoms:

Signs (what you see):

Confusion

Forgets plays

Unsure about game, score, opponent

Altered coordination

Balance problems

Personality change

Slow response to questions

Forgets events prior to injury (retrograde amnesia)

Forgets events after injury (anterograde amnesia)

Loss of consciousness (any duration)

Symptoms (reported by athlete):

Headache

Fatigue

Nausea or vomiting

Double vision/ blurry vision

Sensitivity to light (photophobia)

Sensitivity to noise (tinnitus)

Feels sluggish

Feels foggy

Problems concentrating

Problems remembering

Trouble with sleeping/ excess sleep

Dizziness

Sadness

Seeing stars

Vacant stare/ glassy eyed

Nervousness

Irritability

Inappropriate emotions

If any of the above signs or symptoms are observed after a suspected blow to the head, jaw, spine or body, they may be indicative of a concussion and the student athlete must be removed from play immediately and not allowed to return until cleared by an appropriate allied health professional.

Management and Referral Guidelines:

When an athlete loses consciousness for any reason, the athletic trainer will start the EAP (Emergency Action Plan) by activating EMS; check ABCs (airway, breathing, circulation); stabilize the cervical spine; and transport the injured athlete to the appropriate hospital via ambulance. If the athletic trainer is not available, the coach should immediately call EMS, check ABCs and not move the athlete until help arrives.

Any athlete who is removed from the competition or event and begins to develop signs and symptoms of a worsening brain injury will be transported to the hospital immediately in accordance with the EAP. W orsening signs and symptoms requiring immediate physician referral include:

Amnesia lasting longer than 15 minutes

Deterioration in neurological function

Decreasing level of consciousness

Decrease or irregularity of respiration

Decrease or irregularity in pulse

Increase in blood pressure

Unequal, dilated, or unreactive pupils

Cranial nerve deficits

Any signs or symptoms of associated injuries, spine or skull fracture, or bleeding

Mental-status changes: lethargy, difficulty maintaining arousal, confusion, agitation

Seizure activity

Vomiting/ worsening headache

Motor deficits subsequent to initial on-field assessment

Sensory deficits subsequent to initial on-field assessment

Balance deficits subsequent to initial on-field assessment

Cranial nerve deficits subsequent to initial on-field assessment

Post-Concussion symptoms worsen

Athlete is still symptomatic at the end of the game

After a student athlete sustains a concussion, the athletic trainer will use the Standardized Assessment for Concussion
(SAC) to assess and document the student athlete s concussion. The athletic trainer will also report on the student athlete's signs and symptoms by using the Signs and Symptoms Check-List. On the signs and symptoms checklist, the athletic trainer will also check pulse and blood pressure of each student athlete with a suspected concussion. After the initial evaluation of a concussion, all signs and symptoms will be tracked on the computer using the ImPact Test.
Any athlete who is symptomatic but stable is allowed to go home with their parent(s)/guardian(s) following the head injury.

If the head injury occurs at practice, parent(s)/guardian(s) will immediately be notified and must come and pick up the student athlete and talk to the certified athletic trainer in person.

If the injury occurs at a game or event the student athlete may go home with the parent/guardian(s) after talking with the certified athletic trainer.

Parent(s)/guardian(s) will receive important information regarding signs and symptoms of deteriorating brain injury/function prompting immediate referral to a local emergency room as well as return to play requirements.
Parent(s)/guardian(s), as well as student athletes, must read and sign the Concussion Information and Gradual
Return to Play form and bring it back to the certified athletic trainer before starting with the return to play protocol.

Gradual Return to Play Protocol:

Student athletes, with the consent of their parent(s)/guardian(s), will start taking the ImPact Test (or other approved test identified by the School District). The ImPact Test is a tool that helps manage concussions, determine recovery from injury, and is helpful in providing proper communication between coaches, parents and clinicians. The ImPact Test is a neurocognitive test that helps measure student athletes symptoms, as well as test verbal and visual memory, processing speed and reaction time. It is mandatory for all student athletes to take the ImPact Test for a baseline score in accordance with Massachusetts State Law.
The law states that all public schools must develop safety protocols on concussions and all public schools must receive information on past concussion history. The ImPact Test appears to be a promising tool in monitoring a student athlete s prior concussions, as well as any future concussions.

Each student athlete will complete a baseline test at the beginning of their sport season. All student athletes and club cheerleading members will undergo ImPact testing. Student athletes will be re-tested every other year. If a student athlete plays more than one sport during the academic year, their test will remain valid. For example, if a soccer student athlete also plays basketball in the winter, the student athlete will not have to take the ImPact Baseline Test again in the winter. If a student athlete posts scores below the norm, the student athlete will be re-tested at another time with either the certified athletic trainer or school nurse. Student athletes cannot begin practice until a valid baseline score is obtained during their designated time to take the test.

At the beginning of every sport season, student athletes are required to complete a concussion history form and return it to the athletic department. This information will be recorded in the student information system for tracking purposes.

Following any concussion the athletic trainer must notify the athletic director and school nurses.

Following a concussion the student athlete will take a post-injury test within 24 to 48 hours following the head injury.
STUDENT ATHLETES WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO MOVE ON TO FUNCTIONAL/PHYSICAL TESTING UNTIL THEIR IMPACT TEST IS BACK TO THE BASELINE SCORE AND ASYMPTOMATIC. After a student athlete takes their first post-injury test, the student athlete will not be re-tested again for 5 days.

If, after the first post-injury ImPact test, the athlete is not back to their baseline the parent/guardian(s) will be notified, and the student athlete will be referred to their healthcare provider and must have the Concussion Information and Gradual Return to Play form signed by a physician, physician assistant, licensed neuropsychologist or nurse practitioner stating when the athlete is allowed to return to play.

Following a post-injury test, the certified athletic trainer will take the Concussion Information and Gradual Return to Play form signed by the parent(s)/guardian(s) and fill in the date of all post-injury tests taken by each student athlete.

The certified athletic trainer will also document the date on which the athlete is asymptomatic and sign the document agreeing that all the above statements are true and accurate.

Once the athlete starts on the exertional post concussion tests, the parent(s)/guardian(s) will be notified and the athlete will be sent home with all signed documents relating to head injury. At this time the parent/guardian(s) must bring the student athlete to a licensed physician, licensed neuropsychologist, licensed physician assistant, nurse practitioner or other appropriately trained or licensed healthcare professional to be medically cleared for participation in the extracurricular activity.

Student athletes who continue to exhibit concussion symptoms for a week or more must be evaluated by a physician before returning to play.

Once a student athlete's post-injury test is back at the student athlete s baseline score, the student athlete will go through 5 days of Exertional Post Concussion Tests. The student athlete must be asymptomatic for all functional and physical tests to return to play (RTP). All tests will be administered by a certified athletic trainer.
Exertional Post Concussion Tests: Test 1: (30% to 40% maximum exertion): Low levels of light physical activity. This will include walking, light stationary bike for about 10 to 15 minutes. Light isometric strengthening (quad sets, UE light hand weights, ham sets, SLR s, resistive band ankle strengthening) and stretching exercises.

Test 2: (40% to 60% maximum exertion): Moderate levels of physical activity. Treadmill jogging, stationary bike, or elliptical for
20 to 25 minutes. Light weight strength exercises (resistive band exercises UE and LE, wall squats, lunges, step up/downs.
More active and dynamic stretching.

Test 3: (60% to 80% maximum exertion). Non-contact sports specific drills. Running, high intensity stationary bike or elliptical 25 to 30 minutes. Completing regular weight training. Start agility drills (ladder, side shuffle, zig-zags, carioca, box jumps, and hurdles).

Test 4: (80% maximum exertion). Limited, controlled sports specific practice and drills.

Test 5: Full contact and return to sport with monitoring of symptoms.

School Nurse Responsibilities:

Assist in testing all student athletes with baseline and post-injury ImPact testing.

Participate and complete the CDC training course on concussions. A certificate of completion will be recorded by the nurse leader yearly.

Complete symptom assessment when student athlete enters Health Office (HO) with questionable concussion during school hours. Repeat in 15 minutes.

Observe students with a concussion for a minimum of 30 minutes.

If symptoms are present, notify parent/guardian(s) and instruct parent/guardian(s) that student must be evaluated by an MD.

If symptoms are not present, the student may return to class.

If symptoms appear after a negative assessment, MD referral is necessary.

Allow students who are in recovery to rest in HO when needed.

Develop plan for students regarding pain management.

School nurse will notify teachers and guidance counselors of any students or student athletes who have academic restrictions or modifications related to their concussion.

Educate parents and teachers about the effects of concussion and returning to school and activity.

If injury occurs during the school day, inform administrator and complete accident/incident form.

Enter physical exam dates and concussion dates into the student information system.
School Responsibilities:

Review and, if necessary, revise, the concussion policy every 2 years.

Once the school is informed of the student's concussion, a contact or point person should be identified (e.g. the guidance counselor, athletic director, school nurse, school psychologist or teacher).

Point person to work with the student on organizing work assignments, making up work and giving extra time for assignments and tests/quizzes.

Assist teachers in following the recovery stage for student.

Convene meeting and develop rehabilitative plan.

Decrease workload if symptoms appear.

Recognize that the student's ability to perform complex math equations may be different from the ability to write a composition depending on the location of the concussion in the brain.

Educate staff on the signs and symptoms of concussions and the educational impact concussions may have on students.

Include concussion information in student handbooks.

Develop a plan to communicate and provide language-appropriate educational materials to parents with limited English proficiency.
Athletic Director Responsibilities:

Provide parents, athletes, coaches, and volunteers with educational training and concussion materials yearly.

Ensure that all educational training programs are completed and recorded.

Ensure that all students meet the physical exam requirements consistent with 105 CMR 200.000 prior to participation in any extracurricular athletic activity

Ensure that all students participating in extracurricular athletic activity have completed and submitted their pre- participation forms, which include health history form, concussion history form, and MIAA form.

Ensure that athletes are prohibited from engaging in any unreasonably dangerous athletic technique that endangers the health or safety of an athlete, including using a helmet or any other sports equipment as a weapon.

Ensure that all head injury forms are completed by parent/guardian(s) or coaches and reviewed by the coach, athletic trainer, school nurse and school physician.

Inform parent/guardian(s) that, if all necessary forms are not completed, their child will not participate in athletic extracurricular activities.
Parent/Guardian Responsibilities:

Complete and return concussion history form to the athletic department.

Inform school if student sustains a concussion outside of school hours. Complete new concussion history form following new injury.

If student suffers a concussion outside of school, complete head injury form and return it to the school nurse.

Complete a training provided by the school on concussions and return certificate of completion to the athletic department.

Watch for changes in your child that may indicate that your child does have a concussion or that your child s concussion may be worsening. Report to a physician:

Loss of consciousness

Headache

Dizziness

Lethargy

Difficultly concentrating

Balance problems

Answering questions slowly

Difficulty recalling events

Repeating questions

Irritability

Sadness

Emotionality

Nervousness

Difficulty with sleeping
Encourage your child to follow concussion protocol.

Enforce restrictions on rest, electronics and screen time.

Reinforce recovery plan.

Request a contact person from the school with whom you may communicate about your child s progress and academic needs.

Observe and monitor your child for any physical or emotional changes.

Request to extend make up time for work if necessary.

Recognize that your child will be excluded from participation in any extracurricular athletic event if all forms are not completed and on file with the athletic department.

Student and Student Athlete Responsibilities:

Complete Baseline ImPact Test prior to participation in athletics.

Return required concussion history form prior to participation in athletics.

Participate in all concussion training and education and return certificate of completion to the athletic department prior to participation in athletics.

Report all symptoms to athletic trainer and/ or school nurse.

Follow recovery plan.

REST.

NO ATHLETICS.

BE HONEST!

Keep strict limits on screen time and electronics.

Don t carry books or backpacks that are too heavy.

Tell your teachers if you are having difficulty with your classwork.

See the athletic trainer and/or school nurse for pain management.

Return to sports only when cleared by physician and the athletic trainer.

Follow Gradual Return to Play Guidelines.

Report any symptoms to the athletic trainer and/or school nurse and parent(s)/guardian(s) if any occur after return to play.

Return medical clearance form to athletic trainer prior to return to play.

Students who do not complete and return all required trainings, testing and forms will not be allowed to participate in sports.

Coach & Band Instructor Responsibilities:

Participate in Concussion Education Course offered by the National Federation of State High School Associations
(NFHS) on a yearly basis. Complete certificate of completion and return to the athletic department.

Ensure all student athletes have completed ImPact baseline testing before participation.

Ensure all student athletes have returned concussion history and health history form prior to participation in athletics.

Complete a head injury form if their player suffers a head injury and the athletic trainer is not present at the athletic event. This form must be shared with the athletic trainer and school nurse.

Ensure all students have completed a concussion educational training and returned their certificate of completion prior to participation in athletics.

Remove from play any student athlete who exhibits signs and symptoms of a concussion.

Do not allow student athletes to return to play until cleared by a physician and athletic trainer.

Follow Gradual Return to Play Guidelines.

Refer any student athlete with returned signs and symptoms back to athletic trainer.

Any coach, band instructor, or volunteer coach for extracurricular activities shall not encourage or permit a student participating in the activity to engage in any unreasonably dangerous athletic technique that unnecessarily endangers the health of a student athlete, including using a musical instrument, helmet or any other sports equipment as a weapon.
Post Concussion Syndrome:

Post Concussion Syndrome is a poorly understood condition that occurs after a student athlete receives a concussion. Student athletes who receive concussions can have symptoms that last a few days to a few months, and even up to a full year, until their neurocognitive function returns to normal. Therefore, all school personnel must pay attention to and closely observe all student athletes for post concussion syndrome and its symptoms. Student athletes who are still suffering from concussion symptoms are not ready to return to play. The signs and symptoms of post concussion syndrome are:

Dizziness

Headache with exertion

Tinnitus (ringing in the ears)

Fatigue

Irritability

Frustration

Difficulty in coping with daily stress

Impaired memory or concentration

Eating and sleeping disorders

Behavioral changes

Alcohol intolerance

Decreases in academic performance

Depression

Visual disturbances

Second Impact Syndrome:

Second impact syndrome is a serious medical emergency and a result of an athlete returning to play and competition too soon following a concussion. Second impact syndrome occurs because of rapid brain swelling and herniation of the brain after a second head injury that occurs before the symptoms of a previous head injury have been resolved. The second impact that a student athlete may receive may only be a minor blow to the head or it may not even involve a hit to the head. A blow to the chest or back may create enough force to snap the athlete s head and send acceleration/deceleration forces to an already compromised brain. The resulting symptoms occur because of a disruption of the brain s blood autoregulatory system which leads to swelling of the brain, increasing intracranial pressure and herniation.

After a second impact a student athlete usually does not become unconscious, but appears to be dazed. The student athlete may remain standing and be able to leave the field under their own power. Within fifteen seconds to several minutes, the athlete s condition worsens rapidly, with dilated pupils, loss of eye movement, loss of consciousness leading to coma and respiratory failure. The best way to handle second impact syndrome is to prevent it from occurring altogether. All student athletes who incur a concussion must not return to play until they are asymptomatic and cleared by an appropriate health care professional.

Concussion Education:

It is extremely important to educate coaches, athletes and the community about concussions. On a yearly basis, all coaches must complete the online course called Concussion In Sports: What You Need to Know . This course is offered by the National
Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS). Student athletes also need to understand the importance of reporting a concussion to their coaches, parents, athletic trainer and other school personnel. Every year student athletes and parents will participate in educational training on concussions and complete a certificate of completion. This training may include:

CDC Heads-Up Video Training, or

Training provided by the school district

The school district may also offer seminars, speakers, and discussion panels on the topic of concussions. Seminars offer an opportunity for the certified athletic trainer, athletic director and nurse leader to speak about concussions on the field at practices and games and to discuss the protocol and policy that the district has enacted. Providing education within the community will offer the residents and parents of athletes an opportunity to ask questions and voice their concerns on the topic of brain injury and concussions. When it comes to concussions, everyone needs to be aware of the potential dangers and remember that a

concussion is a brain injury. Whenever anyone has a doubt about a student athlete with a concussion, SIT THEM OUT and have them see the appropriate healthcare professional!

The Massachusetts General Laws require the School Committee to adopt written policies, rules and regulations not inconsistent with law, which may relate to study, discipline, conduct, safety and welfare of all students, or any classification thereof, enrolled in the public schools of the District.

The implementation of the general rules of conduct is the responsibility of the Principal and the professional staff of the building.
In order to do this, each school staff in the District shall develop specific rules not inconsistent with the law nor in conflict with School Committee policy. These building rules shall be an extension of the District policies by being more specific as they relate to the individual schools.

The purpose of disciplinary action is to restore acceptable behavior. When disciplinary action is necessary, it shall be administered with fairness and shall relate to the individual needs and the individual circumstances.

Students violating any of the policies on student conduct and control will be subject to disciplinary action. The degree, frequency, and circumstances surrounding each incident shall determine the method used in enforcing these policies. Most of the situations which require disciplinary action can be resolved within the confines of the classroom or as they occur by reasonable but firm reprimand, and/or by teacher conferences with the student and/or parents or guardians.

If a situation should arise in which there is no applicable written policy, the staff member shall be expected to exercise reasonable and professional judgment.
A copy of each school's handbook must be made available yearly to all students and parents/guardians. Both student and parent/guardian must sign a required form indicating that they have read and understand the policies. Forms are to be filed in each student's file.

Legal References

• M.G.L. 71:37H; 71:37H 1/2; 71:37H 3/4; 71:37L; 76:16; 76:17
• 603 CMR 53.00

State law provides that:

The power of the School Committee or of any teacher or other employee or agent of the Committee to maintain discipline on school property shall not include the right to inflict corporal punishment upon any student.

Legal References

• M.G.L. 71:37G

Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to ensure that all personnel understand state regulations as they relate to the physical restraint of students.

The purpose of the regulations is to ensure that physical restraint is:

• used only in emergency situations of last resort, after other lawful and less intrusive alternatives have failed or been deemed inappropriate;

• administered only when needed to protect a student and/or a member of the school community from assault or imminent, serious, physical harm;

• administered in such a way as to prevent or minimize any harm to the student as a result of the use of physical restraint.
  Definitions

Physical restraint means direct physical contact that prevents or significantly restricts a student's freedom of movement.

Physical restraint does not include: brief physical contact to promote student safety, providing physical guidance or prompting when teaching a skill, redirecting attention, providing comfort, or a physical escort.
Prone restraint means a physical restraint in which a student is placed face down on the floor or another surface, and physical pressure is applied to the student's body to keep the student in the face-down position.
Physical escort means a temporary touching or holding, without the use of force, of the hand, wrist, arm, shoulder, or back for the purpose of inducing a student who is agitated to walk to a safe location.
Seclusion means the involuntary confinement of a student alone in a room or area from which the student is physically prevented from leaving.
Time-out means a behavioral support strategy in which a student temporarily separates from the learning activity or the classroom, either by choice or by direction from staff, for the purpose of calming. During time-out, a student must be continuously observed by a staff member. Staf f shall be with the student or immediately available to the student at all times.

The space used for time-out must be clean, safe, sanitary, and appropriate for the purpose of calming. Time-out shall cease as soon as the student has calmed.
Special Circumstances refers to the authority of the school/program to seek a parent's or guardian's consent to waive the reporting requirements.

Prohibited Restraints

The following restraints are prohibited: mechanical restraint, medication restraint, and seclusion.

Prone Restraint

Prone restraint is prohibited except on an individual student basis, and only under the following circumstances: the student has a documented history of repeatedly causing serious self-injuries and/or injuries to other students or staff;

all other forms of physical restraints have failed to ensure the safety of the student and/or the safety of others;

there are no medical contraindications as documented by a licensed physician;

there is psychological or behavioral justification for the use of prone restraint and there are no psychological or behavioral contraindications, as documented by a licensed mental health professional;

the program has obtained consent to use prone restraint in an emergency and such use has been approved in writing by the Principal.
Physical Restraint

Administration of Restraint

Only district personnel who have received in-depth training (see below) may administer physical restraint on students.
Whenever possible, the administration of a restraint shall be witnessed by at least one adult who does not participate in the restraint.

Safety Considerations
A person administering a physical restraint shall: use only the amount of force necessary to protect the student or others from physical injury or harm;

the safest method available and appropriate to the situation;

terminate the restraint as soon as the student is no longer an immediate danger to himself or others, or the student indicates that he or she cannot breathe, or if the student is observed to be in severe distress, such as having difficulty breathing, or sustained or prolonged crying or coughing;

ensure that the student is not prevented from breathing or speaking, and that the physical status of the student is monitored continuously;

ensure that the restraint is administered in such a way so as to prevent or minimize physical harm. (If, at any time during a physical restraint, the student expresses or demonstrates significant physical distress including, but not limited to, difficulty breathing, the student shall be released from the restraint immediately, and school staff shall take steps to seek medical assistance.);

ensure that the approval of the Principal or designee is obtained if a student is restrained for longer than twenty (20) minutes.
Relevant staff shall review and consider any known medical or psychological limitations, known or suspected trauma history, and/or behavioral intervention plans regarding the use of physical restraint on an individual student.
Physical restraint may NOT be used: as a means of discipline or punishment;

when the student cannot be safely restrained because it is medically contraindicated for reasons including, but not limited to, asthma, seizures, a cardiac condition, obesity, bronchitis, communication-related disabilities, or risk of vomiting;

as a response to property destruction, disruption of school order, a student's refusal to comply with a school rule or staff directive, or verbal threats when those actions do not constitute a threat of assault, or imminent, serious, physical harm; or

as a standard response for any individual student. No written individual behavior plan or individualized education program (IEP) may include use of physical restraint as a standard response to any behavior.
Follow-Up

After the release of a student from a restraint Principal or designee shall implement follow-up procedures that include reviewing the incident with the student to address the behavior that precipitated the restraint, reviewing the incident with the staff person(s) who administered the restraint to discuss whether proper restraint procedures were followed, and consideration of whether any follow-up is appropriate for students who witnessed the incident.
Criminal and Reportable Behavior

Nothing in this policy prohibits: the right of any individual to report a crime by a student or other individual;

law enforcement or school personnel from exercising their responsibilities including the physical detainment of an individual alleged to have committed a crime or posing a security risk;

mandated reporters reporting neglect or abuse.

Information and Procedures

The Superintendent of Schools shall provide relevant information to district personnel and families of students with regard to: methods for preventing student violence, self-injurious behavior, and suicide, including individual crisis planning and de- escalation of potentially dangerous behavior occurring among groups of students or with an individual student;

methods for engaging parents in discussions about restraint prevention and the use of restraint solely as an emergency procedure;

a description and explanation of the program s alternatives to physical restraint and method of physical restraint in emergency situations;

the District's training requirements, reporting requirements, and follow-up procedures;

procedures for:

receiving and investigating complaints regarding restraint practices;

conducting mandated periodic reviews of data and documentation on the use of physical restraints;

implementing the mandatory reporting;

making reasonable efforts to orally notify a parent of the use of restraint on a student within 24 hours of the restraint, and for sending written notification to the parent within three school working days following the use of restraint to an email address provided by the parent for the purpose of communicating about the student, or by regular mail to the parent postmarked within three school working days of the restraint; and,

for the use of time-out that includes a process for obtaining principal approval of time-out for more than 30 minutes based on the individual student's continuing agitation.
General Training of District Personnel
Each Principal shall determine a time and method to provide all program staff with training regarding the program s restraint prevention and behavior support policy and requirements when restraint is used. Such training shall occur within the first month of each school year and, for employees hired after the school year begins, within a month of their employment. Training shall include information on the following: the role of the student, family, and staff in preventing restraint;

the program's restraint prevention and behavior support policy and procedures, including use of time-out as a behavior support strategy distinct from seclusion;

interventions that may preclude the need for restraint, including de-escalation of problematic behaviors and other alternatives to restraint in emergency circumstances;

when behavior presents an emergency that requires physical restraint, the types of permitted physical restraints and related safety considerations, including information regarding the increased risk of injury to a student when any restraint is used, in particular a restraint of extended duration;

administering physical restraint in accordance with medical or psychological limitations, known or suspected trauma history, and/or behavioral intervention plans applicable to an individual student; and

identification of program staff who have received in-depth training (see below).
In-Depth Training for Specific Personnel
At the beginning of each school year, the Principal of each public education program or their designee shall identify program staff who are authorized to serve as a school-wide resource to assist in ensuring proper administration of physical restraint.
Such staff shall participate in in-depth training in the use of physical restraint. [The Department recommends that such training be competency-based and be at least sixteen (16) hours in length with at least one refresher training occurring annually thereafter].
In-depth training in the proper administration of physical restraint shall include, but not be limited to: appropriate procedures for preventing the use of physical restraint, including the de-escalation of problematic behavior, relationship building and the use of alternatives to restraint;

a description and identification of specific dangerous behaviors on the part of students that may lead to the use of physical restraint and methods for evaluating the risk of harm in individual situations in order to determine whether the use of restraint is warranted;

the simulated experience of administering and receiving physical restraint, instruction regarding the effect(s) on the person restrained, including instruction on monitoring physical signs of distress and obtaining medical assistance;

instruction regarding documentation and reporting requirements and investigation of injuries and complaints;

demonstration by participants of proficiency in administering physical restraint; and,

instruction regarding the impact of physical restraint on the student and family, recognizing the act of restraint has impact, including but not limited to psychological, physiological, and social-emotional effects.
Reporting Requirements

The staff member who administered the restraint shall verbally inform the Principal of the restraint as soon as possible, and by written report no later than the next school working day.
If the Principal has administered the restraint, the Principal shall prepare the report and submit it to an individual or team designated by the Superintendent of Schools.
The Principal shall maintain an on-going record of all reported instances of physical restraint, which shall be made available for review by the parent/guardian or the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education upon request.
The Principal or their designee shall make reasonable efforts to verbally inform the student's parent of the restraint within twenty four (24) hours of the event, and shall notify the parent by written report sent either within three school working days of the restraint to an email address provided by the parent for communications about the student, or by regular mail postmarked no later than three school working days of the restraint. If the school or program customarily provides a parent of a student with report cards and other necessary school-related information in a language other than English, the written restraint report shall be provided to the parent in that language. The Principal shall provide the student and the parent an opportunity to comment orally and in writing on the use of the restraint and on information in the written report.
The written report shall include:

the name of the student; the names and job titles of the staff who administered the restraint, and observers, if any; the date of the restraint; the time the restraint began and ended; and the name of the Principal or designee who was verbally informed following the restraint; and, as applicable, the name of the Principal or designee who approved continuation of the restraint beyond 20 minutes;

a description of the activity in which the restrained student and other students and staff in the same room or vicinity were engaged immediately preceding the use of physical restraint; the behavior that prompted the restraint; the efforts made to prevent escalation of behavior, including the specific de-escalation strategies used; alternatives to restraint that were attempted; and the justification for initiating physical restraint;

a description of the administration of the restraint including the holds used and reasons such holds were necessary; the student's behavior and reactions during the restraint; how the restraint ended; and documentation of injury to the student and/or staff, if any, during the restraint and any medical care provided;

information regarding any further action(s) that the school has taken or may take, including any consequences that may be imposed on the student;

information regarding opportunities for the student's parents/guardians to discuss with school officials the administration of the restraint, any consequences that may be imposed on the student, and any other related matter.
If a physical restraint results in an injury to a student or staff member, the Principal shall report the facts to the Superintendent of Schools in writing. A copy of the written report shall be forwarded to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education postmarked no later than three school working days of the administration of the restraint.

The District shall make an annual report physical restraint data to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

A school/program may in special circumstances seek a parent's or guardian's consent to waive the reporting requirements for restraints that do not result in serious injury to the student or a program staff member and do not constitute extended restraint.
The following conditions apply: a parent's consent to such a waiver as a condition of admission or provision of services;

a parent may withdraw consent to such a waiver at any time without penalty;

the informed written consent of the parent or guardian to the waiver, which shall specify the statutory reporting shall be held in the student's file; specific information regarding when and how the parent or guardian will be informed regarding the administration of all restraints to the individual student shall be documented and held in the student's file.
Data Review Weekly

The Principal shall conduct a weekly review of restraint data to identify students who have been restrained multiple times during the week. If such students are identified, the Principal shall convene one or more review teams as the Principal deems appropriate to assess each student's progress and needs. The assessment shall include at least the following:

review and discussion of the written reports, and any comments provided by the student and parent about such reports and the use of the restraints;

analysis of the circumstances leading up to each restraint, including factors such as time of day, day of the week, antecedent events, and individuals involved;

consideration of factors that may have contributed to escalation of behaviors, consideration of alternatives to restraint, including de-escalation techniques and possible interventions, and such other strategies and decisions as appropriate, with the goal of reducing or eliminating the use of restraint in the future;

agreement on a written plan of action.
Data Review Monthly
The Principal shall conduct a monthly review of school-wide restraint data. This review shall consider patterns of use of restraints by similarities in the time of day, day of the week, or individuals involved; the number and duration of physical restraints school-wide and for individual students; the duration of restraints; and the number and type of injuries, if any, resulting from the use of restraint. The Principal shall determine whether it is necessary or appropriate to modify the school's restraint prevention and management practices, conduct additional staff training on restraint reduction/prevention strategies, such as training on positive behavioral interventions and supports, or take such other action as necessary or appropriate to reduce or eliminate restraints.

Supervision of Students

School personnel assigned supervision are expected to act as reasonably prudent adults in providing for the safety of the students in their charge.

In keeping with this expected prudence, no teacher or other staff member will leave their assigned group unsupervised except when an arrangement has been made to take care of an emergency.

During school hours or while engaging in school-sponsored activities, students will be released only into the custody of parents or other persons authorized in writing by a parent or guardian.

Reporting to Authorities - Suspected Child Abuse or Neglect

Any school official or employee shall report any suspected child abuse or neglect as required by M.G.L. Ch. 119, S 51A.

In accordance with the law, the District shall establish the necessary regulations and procedures to comply with the intent of the Act consistent with the District's responsibility to the students, parents, District personnel, and the community.

Student Safety

Instruction in courses in industrial arts, science, homemaking, art, physical education, health, and safety will include and emphasize accident prevention.

Safety instruction will precede the use of materials and equipment by students in applicable units of work, and instructors will teach and enforce all safety rules set up for the particular courses. These include the wearing of protective eye devices in appropriate activities.

Safety on the Playground and Playing Field

The District shall provide safe play areas. Precautionary measures, which the District requires, shall include:

A periodic inspection of the school's playground and playing fields by the Principal of the school and others as may be deemed appropriate;

Instruction of students in the proper use of equipment;

Supervision of both organized and unorganized activity.
Fire Drills and Reporting

The District shall cooperate with appropriate fire departments in the conduct of fire drills. The Principal of any public or private school, containing any of grades PK to 12, shall immediately report any incident of unauthorized ignition of any fire within the school building or on school grounds, to the local fire department. Within 24 hours, the Principal shall submit a written report of the incident to the head of the fire department on a form furnished by the Department of Fire Services. The Principal must file this report whether or not the fire department responded.

Legal References

• MGL 71:37L; 148:2A

A noncompulsory accident insurance plan totally administered by an insurance company may be made available to students.
The District does not assume any responsibility regarding service, claims, or other matters relating to the insurance program.

All students participating in non-compulsory athletic activities shall be required to be covered by a medical insurance plan.

Activities may include identification of student health needs, health screening tests (including eye and hearing screening tests), communicable disease prevention and control, promotion of the correction of remediable health defects, emergency care of the ill and injured, health counseling, health and safety education, and the maintenance of a healthful school environment.
The District recognizes that parent/guardian(s) have the primary responsibility for the health of their students. The school will cooperate with appropriate professional organizations associated with maintaining individual and community health and safety.

The District shall provide the services of a medical consultant who shall render medical and administrative consultative services for personnel responsible for school health and athletics.

Procedures for Emergency at School

School personnel shall give only emergency care to students who become ill or injured on school property, buses, or while under school supervision.
Each year parent/guardian(s) shall supply information indicating where the student is to be taken in case of an emergency; the name, address, and phone number of a neighbor to be contacted in case the parent/guardian is not available; and any allergies or diseases the student might have.

The District shall maintain a Medical Emergency Response Plan, as required by law, and an Emergency Procedures Handbook, which shall be utilized by District personnel for handling emergencies. Emergency procedures shall include the following:

Provision for care beyond First Aid, which would enable care by the family or its physician or the local Emergency
Medical Services agencies. In instances when the EMS is required, every effort shall be made to provide the unit with the student's Emergency Card which lists any allergies or diseases the student might have;

Information relative to not permitting the administration of any form of medicine or drugs to students without written approval of parent/guardian(s). Requests made by parent/guardian(s) for such administration of medication shall be reviewed and approved by the Principal or designee;

Provisions for reporting all accidents, cases of injury, or illness to the Principal. Provisions shall be made (in all cases of injury or illness involving possible legal or public relations implications) for reporting such to the appropriate executive

director of education immediately;

Prompt reporting by teachers to the Principal or designee any accident or serious illness and such reports will be filed with the Business Office.

Student Illness or Injury

In case of illness or injury, the parent or guardian will be contacted and asked to call for the student or provide the transportation.

Transportation of an ill or injured student is not normally to be provided by the school. If the parent cannot provide transportation and the student is ill or injured, an ambulance may be called. Expense incurred as a result of emergency ambulance use will not be borne by the District.
Transportation of a student by school personnel will be done only in an emergency and by the individual so designated by the school administrator.

Legal References

• M.G.L. 71:53;54;54A;54B;55;55A;55B;56; 57; 69:8A

Every student will be examined for screen ing in sight, hearing, BMI*, and for other physical problems as provided in the law and regulation. A record of the results will be kept by the school nurse.

Every student will be given a general physical examination four times: upon entering school and upon admittance to the fourth, seventh, and tenth grades. The results of examinations will be a basis for determining what corrective measures or modifications of school activities, if any, should be recommended. A record of all examinations and recommendations will be kept.

Every candidate for a school athletic team will present the signed consent of parent or guardian in order to participate on a squad and will, with the signed consent of parent or guardian, be thor oughly examined to determine physical fitness. The school physi cian will examine athletes, except when a family wishes to have the examination done by their own doctor at their own expense. A writ ten report stating the fitness of the student to participate signed by the physician will be sent to the school
Principal.

The school physician will make a prompt examination of all children referred to them by the school nurse. They will examine school employ ees when, in their opinion, the protection of the student's health may require it. Except in an emergency, the school physician will not prescribe for or treat any student.

Whenever the school nurse finds a child suffering from any disease or medical problem, the situation will be reported to the parent or guardian in writing, or by personal visit if remedial treatment is recommended. A copy of the report will be filed at the school.

The school nurse will make a monthly report to the Superintendent of the number of students examined; the number excluded; and the number recommended for treatment or special adjustment of work. In all cases of exclusion or recommendation, the causes will be included in the report.

• NOTE: Department of Health Regulations call for vision screenings in Grades 1-5, once between 6-8, and once between 9-12; hearing screenings in grades 1-3, once between 6-8, and once between 9-12; BMI in grades 1, 4, 7, 10.

Legal References

• M.G.L. 71:53; 71:54; 71:56; 71:57
• 105 CMR 200

Students entering school for the first time, whether at kindergarten or through transfer from another school district, will be required to present a physician's certificate attesting to immunization against communicable diseases as may be specified from time to time by the Department of Public Health. The only exception to these requirements will be made on receipt of a written statement from a doctor that immunization would not be in the best interests of the child, or by the student's parent/guardian stating that vaccina tion or immunization is contrary to the religious beliefs of the student or parent/guardian.

Legal References

• M.G.L. 76:15

The District is required to provide educational services to all school age children who reside within its boundaries. By law, however, admission to school may be denied to any child diagnosed as having a disease whereby attendance could be harmful to the welfare of other students and staff, subject to the District's responsibilities to students with disabilities under the law.

The School Committee recognizes that communicable diseases which may afflict students range from common childhood diseases, acute and short-term in nature, to chronic, life-threatening diseases.

Management of common communicable diseases shall be in accordance with Massachusetts Department of Health guidelines.
A student who exhibits symptoms of a communicable disease may be temporarily excluded from school attendance. The District reserves the right to require a physician's statement authorizing the student's return to school.

The educational placement of a student who is medically diagnosed as having a life-threatening communicable disease shall be determined on an individual basis in accordance with this policy and accompanying administrative procedures. Decisions about the proper educational placement shall be based on the student's behavior, neurological development, and physical condition; the expected type of interaction with others in school setting; and the susceptibility to other diseases and the likelihood of presenting risks to others. A regular review of the placement decision shall be conducted to assess changes in the student's physical condition, or based on new information or research that may warrant a change in a student's placement.

In the event a student with a life-threatening communicable disease qualifies for services as a handicapped child under state and federal law, the procedures for determining the appropriate educational placement in the least restrictive environment shall be used in lieu of the procedures designated above.

Neither this policy nor the placement of a student in any particular program shall preclude the administration from taking any temporary actions including removal of a student from the classroom as deemed necessary to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the student, staff, and others.

In all proceedings related to this policy, the District shall respect the student's right to privacy. Only those persons with a direct need to know shall be informed of the specific nature of the student's condition. The determination of those who need to know shall be made by the Superintendent.

Legal References

• M.G.L. 71:55

Medication may not be administered to students while at school unless such medicine is given to them by the school nurse acting under specific written request of the parent or guardian and under the written directive of the student's personal physician
(see below for exceptions). If a student has been approved for self-administration, a student who needs medication during the school day may be reminded to take the medicine by the school nurse or other individual designated by the school nurse in the student's medical administration plan. This provision only applies when the school nurse has a medical administration plan in place for the student. No one but the school nurse, and those others listed in the medical administration plan acting within the above restriction, may give any medication to any student.

Exceptions:

The school district shall, through the district nurse leader, register with the Dept. of Public Health and train personnel in the use of epinephrine auto-injectors.
The school district may, in conjunction with the School Physician and the School Nurse Leader, stock nasal naloxone (Narcan) and trained medical personnel and first responders may administer nasal naloxone to individuals experiencing a life threatening opiate overdose in a school setting.

If the school district wishes medical personnel to train non-medical staff in the administration of nasal naloxone, the School
Committee shall vote to approve such training and the Superintendent shall ensure that medical personnel have a written protocol which complies with medical directives and regulations from the Dept. of Public Health.

Following consultation with the school nurse, students who fall into the following exceptions may self-administer medications:

Students with asthma or other respiratory diseases may possess and administer prescription inhalers.

Students with cystic fibrosis may possess and administer prescription enzyme supplements.

Students with diabetes may possess and administer glucose monitoring tests and insulin delivery systems.

Students with life threatening allergies may possess and administer epinephrine.

Legal References

• M.G.L. 71:54B71:54B
• Dept. of Public Health Regulations: 105 CMR 210.00; 244 CMR 3.00

It is more desirable for medication to be administered in the home. However, any student who is to receive medication at school must comply with school regulations. There are appropriate forms available from each school nurse. (Forms are available for downloading at http:www.tritonschools.org)

Administration of Medication
Written orders from a physician or licensed prescriber detailing the name of the drug, dosage, and time interval medication is to be taken. (This includes psychotropic medications);

Written permission from the parent/guardian of the student requesting that the school district comply with the physician or licensed prescriber;

Medication must be brought to school by the student's parent or guardian in a container appropriately labeled by the pharmacy with the student's name, drug name and dosage affixed to the container. Unused medication must be brought home in the same manner;

A locked cabinet will be provided for the storage of medication.

Short-term medications that are to be administered for less than ten (10) days require the parent or guardian consent form to be completed;

Delegation to trained school personnel for emergency medications such as Epipen or inhalers for field trips or school- sponsored events is under the direct supervision of the school nurse.

Legal References

• M.G.L. 71:54B71:54B
• Department of Public Health 105 CMR 210.00

Guidance is defined as helping individuals understand themselves in the light of their abilities, aptitudes, interests, attitudes, strengths and limitations. This process should assist students in the development of their potential; their decisions relating to per sonal, educational, and vocational matters, and also in becoming capable of mature self-guidance.

The school system's guidance program will be based on this defini tion and developed from these broad fundamental principles:

Individuals are different from one another in their capabilities, aptitudes, interests, needs, goals, desires and values.

Conditions may be improved. Equality of educational opportunity will benefit the individual and society.

Guidance is a continuous and developmental process. Every experience of the individual influences their performance in some way.

Guidance does not propose to program an individual's course of action but rather tries to assist them in arriving at their own satisfactory solutions.

Guidance services will include: educational guidance; testing programs; occupational, career, and higher education assistance and information; study aids; consultation services; and personal developmental guidance as needed. These services will be available to all students.

While some of the problems of the individual may relate to behavior and consequently entail guidance on behavior, student discipline will not be a regular function of guidance personnel.

Legal References

• M.G.L. 71:38A through 71:38F; 71:46G
• 603 CMR 26.00

Teachers are prohibited from taking students or being in the company of such students on day-trips, overnight or out-of-state school or non-school trips without the express written consent of parents/guardians. In all situations involving students, especially situations outside of the classroom or school environment, teachers must be aware of and respect, where appropriate, the desires and concerns of both parents and/or guardians of a student. Teachers must be cognizant of the role they play in society and how their presence at an event or activity may reflect on themselves, the School District, and the teaching profession.

Solicitation of funds by or from students of the School District will be made only as approved by the School Committee or its designee.

Any organization desiring to distribute flyers or other materials to students may do so only with the approval of the Superintendent.

The School Committee recognizes the need for student fees to fund certain school activities and recoup the cost of lost or damaged materials. It also recognizes that some students may not be able to pay these fees. While no student will be denied access into any program because of inability to pay these supplementary charges.

A school may exact a fee or charge only upon School Committee approval. The schools, however, may: Charge students enrolled in certain courses for the cost of materials used in projects that will become the property of the student.

Charge for lost and damaged books, materials, supplies, and equipment.
Students who have qualified for free and reduced lunch are exempt (free lunch) or 50% exempt (reduced lunch) from paying fees to participate in school based course and student activities. However, those students are not exempt from fees for lost and damaged books, materials, supplies, and equipment.
All student fees and charges, both optional and required, will be listed and described annually in each school's student handbook or in some other written form and distributed to each student. The notice will advise students that fees are to be paid and of the penalties for their failure to pay them. Permissible penalties include the denial of participation in athletics and extra- curricular activities while the student is enrolled in the District.
Any fee or charge due to any school in the District and not paid at the end of the school year will be carried forward to the next succeeding school year, as such debts are considered to be debts of the student to the District and not to a particular school.

In order to provide students with appropriate instruction and educational services, it is necessary for the school system to maintain extensive and sometimes personal information about them and their families. It is essential that pertinent information in these records be readily available to appropriate school personnel, be accessible to the student's parents or legal guardian and/or the student in accordance with law, and yet be guarded as confidential information.

The Superintendent will provide for the proper administration of student records in keeping with state and federal requirements, and shall obtain a copy of the state student records regulations. The temporary record of each student enrolled on or after June
2002 will be destroyed no later than seven years after the student transfers, graduates or withdraws from the School District.
Written notice to the eligible student and their parent of the approximate date of destruction of the temporary record and their right to receive the information in whole or in part, shall be made at the time of such transfer, graduation, or withdrawal. The student's transcript may only be destroyed 60 years following their graduation, transfer, or withdrawal from the school system.

The Committee wishes to make clear that all individual student records of the school system are confidential. This extends to giving out individual addresses and telephone numbers.

Legal References

• Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974
• P.L. 93-380, Amended
• P.L. 103-382, 1994
• M.G.L. 66:10; 71:34A, B, D, E, H
• 603 CMR 23.00

Individual schools may arrange, in cooperation with the school's parent organization, student council, designated student committee, or a staff committee, to take individual student and/or class group pictures.

Individual and/or class group pictures may be taken at the school facility and during the regular school day hours. The pictures shall be made available for purchase by students and/or parents/guardians on a voluntary basis. The building Principal or designee shall have final authority in authorizing the picture-taking program and will be responsible for overseeing the process.

Students may be required to have an individual picture taken for the cumulative file or identification purposes; however, no student shall be pressured or required to purchase photographs.

The purpose of the policy is to: Enhance the safety of students through visual identification in an emergency situation.

Facilitate the social, educational, and administrative activities conducted in the school.

Provide a service to parents/guardians and students.

Allow the profits gained from the picture-taking program to be used by the sponsoring group and authorized by the building Principal.

The School Committee believes that the District is an integral part of the community and that community support is necessary for the District's operation and achievement of excellence. The School Committee and District staff members recognize that community support is based on a mutual exchange, a dynamic process in which the District contributes to the community's success and, in turn, benefits from the community's resources.

In order to maintain productive relationships with the community, the District is committed to sustaining:

Effective, accurate, and meaningful communications that facilitate dialogue, encourage involvement in District programs, and create community advocacy for its public schools.

Volunteer programs that provide mutually enriching experiences for our students, staff, and community volunteers.

Recognition programs that publicly honor the contributions of our students, employees, and community partners and express pride in our individual and collective accomplishments.

Community service efforts which enable the District's staff and students to express their commitment to the community.

It is the general goal of the District to foster relationships with parents, which encourage cooperation between the home and school in establishing and achieving common educational goals for students.
While parents are individually responsible for their children, the District provides direct services of education and indirect services of childcare for students during the time when they are within the supervision of school personnel. Consistent with these shared responsibilities and as appropriate to the maturity of the student, members of the school staff will consult with parents regarding student progress and achievement, methods to enhance student development, and matters of correction.

Additionally, parental involvement in the schools is encouraged through regular communication with the school Principal and staff, the parent/teacher organizations, the school volunteer program, and other opportunities for participation in school activities and District programs.

As required by Massachusetts General Law, a non-custodial parent may have access to the student record in accordance with law and Dept. of Elementary and Secondary Education Regulations. The school district will follow the law and the regulations developed by the Massachusetts Dept. of Elementary and Secondary Education to standardize the process by which public schools provide student records to parents who do not have physical custody of their children ("non-custodial parents").

As required by law, a non-custodial parent may have access to the student record in accordance with the following provisions.

A non-custodial parent is eligible to obtain access to the student record unless the school or district has been given documentation that:

The parent has been denied legal custody or has been ordered to supervised visitation, based on a threat to the safety of the student and the threat is specifically noted in the order pertaining to custody or supervised visitation, or

The parent has been denied visitation, or

The parent's access to the student has been restricted by a temporary or permanent protective order, unless the protective order (or any subsequent order modifying the protective order) specifically allows access to the information contained in the student record, or

There is an order of a probate and family court judge which prohibits the distribution of student records to the parent.

The school shall place in the student's record documents indicating that a non-custodial parent's access to the student's record is limited or restricted pursuant to regulation.

In order to obtain access, the non-custodial parent must submit a written request for the student record to the school principal.

Upon receipt of the request the school must immediately notify the custodial parent by certified and first class mail, in English and the primary language of the custodial parent, that it will provide the non-custodial parent with access after
21 days, unless the custodial parent provides the principal with documentation that the non-custodial parent is not eligible to obtain access as set forth in regulation.

The school must delete all electronic and postal address and telephone number information relating to either work or home locations of the custodial parent from student records provided to non-custodial parents. In addition, such records

must be marked to indicate that they shall not be used to enroll the student in another school.

Upon receipt of a court order which prohibits the distribution of information pursuant to law, the school shall notify the non-custodial parent that it shall cease to provide access to the student record to the non-custodial parent.

LEGAL REFERENCES: M.G.L. 71:34D; 71:34H
603 CMR 23.07 (5) Access Procedures for Non-Custodial Parents

20 U.S.C.

To foster relationships with parents that encourage the home and school to work together to establish and achieve common educational goals for students, the Superintendent and the professional staff will:

Consult with and encourage parents to share in school planning and in setting objectives and evaluating programs.

Help parents understand the educational process and their role in promoting it.

Provide for parent understanding of school operations.

Provide opportunities for parents to be informed of their child's development and the criteria for its measurement.

To accomplish the above and to enhance communications between parents and school officials, the Committee encourages the maintenance of formal parent organizations, including booster organizations, at each school building. For this purpose, the Committee will officially recognize parent organizations. These procedures will be observed:

Organizations will be officially recognized upon request by the building Principal who will file a copy of the organizational papers with the Superintendent.

A vote, open to all parents of children enrolled, will designate the organization to be recognized if more than one organization with the same purpose makes the request.

All parent organizations shall obtain 501C3 status and file appropriate paperwork with state authorities and make proof of such status available to school district administration.

All parent organizations need to recognize that spending on student activities must comply with federal law relating to equity among student genders.

Legal References

• Title IX, Education Amendments of 1972

The School Committee endorses the concept that community participation in the affairs of the schools is essential if the school system and the community are to maintain mutual confidence and respect and work together to improve the quality of education for students. It therefore intends to exert every effort to identify the desires of the community and to be responsive, through its actions, to those desires.

All citizens will be encouraged to express ideas, concerns, and/or questions about the schools to the school administration, to any appointed advisory bodies, and to the Committee.

Residents who are specially qualified because of interest, training, experience, or personal characteristics, will be encouraged to assume an active role in school affairs. From time to time, these people may be invited by the Committee to act as advisors, either individually or in groups.

The Committee and the staff will give substantial weight to the advice they receive from individuals and community groups interested in the schools, particularly from those individuals and groups they have invited to advise them regarding specific prob lems, but will use their best judgment in arriving at decisions.

The Superintendent will have authority to accept gifts and offer of equipment for the schools in the name of the Committee when the gift is of educational value. In the case of gifts from industry, business, or special interest groups, no extensive advertising or promotion may be involved in any donation to the schools.

Naming rights of district property and buildings in response to a large donation/gift may be granted by exclusive vote of the School Committee on a case by case basis.

Gifts that would involve changes in school plants or sites will be subject to School Committee approval.

Gifts will automatically become the property of the school system. Any gift of cash, whether or not intended by the donor for a speci fic purpose, will be accepted by vote of the School Committee, handled as a separate account and expended at the discretion of the Committee, as provided by law.

The Committee directs the Superintendent to assure that an appropriate expression of thanks is given all donors.

Legal References

• M.G.L. 71:37A

The School Committee is a public servant, and its meetings and re cords will be a matter of public information except as such meet ings and records pertain to individual personnel and other classi fied matters.

The School Committee supports the right of the people to know about the programs and services of their schools and will make every ef fort to disseminate information. All requests for information will be acted on fairly, completely and expeditiously.

All commonly available public record documents of the School District shall be posted on the district's website. The length of time such records shall remain posted on the district website shall be in accordance with the Municipal Record Retention
Manual. In addition, the official minutes of the Committee, its written policies and reg ulations, and its financial records will be open for inspection at the office of the Superintendent by any citizen desiring to examine them during hours when the office is open. No records pertaining to individual students or staff members will be released for inspec tion by the public or any unauthorized persons by the Superintendent or other persons responsible for the custody of confidential files. The exception to this will be information about an individ ual employee (or student) that has been authorized in writing for release by the employee
(or student, or student's parent).

Each building administrator is authorized to use all means avail able to keep parents and others in the particular school's commun ity informed about the school's program and activities.

Legal References

• M.G.L. 4:7; 66:10; 30A:18-25

Every effort will be made to assist the press and other communica tions media to obtain complete and adequate coverage of the challenges, pro grams, planning, and activities of the school system.

All representatives of the media will be given equal access to in formation about the schools. General releases of interest to the entire community will be made available to all the media simultan eously. There will be no exclusive releases except as media repre sentatives request information on particular programs, plans or problems.

In order that school system publicity is given wide coverage and is coordinated into a common effort and purpose, the following proce dures will be followed in giving official information to the news media: The School Committee Chair will be the official spokesman for the Committee, except as this duty is delegated to the Superintendent.

News releases that are of a system-wide or a sensitive nature or pertain to established Committee policy are the responsibility of the Superintendent.

News releases that are of concern to only one school, or to an organization of one school, are the responsibility of the Principal of that particular school. All statements made to the press by other staff members of the particular school must be cleared with the Principal.
While it is impossible to know how news releases will be treated by the press, every possible effort should be made to obtain coverage of school activities that will create and maintain a dignified and professionally responsible image for the school system.

Although no member of the community will be denied the right to bring their complaints to the Committee, they will be referred through the proper administrative channels for solution before investigation or action by the Committee. Exceptions will be made when the complaints concern Committee actions or Committee opera tions only. Complaints or appeals regarding civil rights will be handled in accordance with the applicable school committee policies and the specific civil rights grievance procedure(s).

The Committee believes that complaints are best handled and re solved as close to their origin as possible, and that the profes - sional staff should be given every opportunity to consider the is sues and attempt to resolve the problem prior to involvement by the Committee. Therefore, the proper channeling of complaints involv ing instruction, discipline or learning materials will be as fol lows:

1. Teacher
2. School building administrator
3. Superintendent
4. School Committee If a complaint, which was presented to the Committee and referred back through the proper channels, is adjusted before it comes back to the School Committee, a report of the disposition of the matter will be made to the Committee and then placed in the official files.

Complaints about school personnel will be investigated fully and fairly. However, before any such complaint is investigated, the complainant must submit their complaint in writing. Anonymous com plaints that cannot be substantiated will be disregarded.

Matters referred to the Superintendent and/or School Committee must be in writing and should be specific in terms of the action desired.
The Committee expects the professional staff to receive complaints courteously and to make a proper reply to the complainant.

Legal References

• M.G.L. 76:5
• 603 CMR 26.00

Application forms to request the use of any school facility(ies) shall be obtained through the office of the building Principal, which shall have the discretion to grant permission for the use, reject the request, and/or recommend changes in the request for all non-profit entities. The building Principal reserves the right to revoke, for any reason, permission previously granted and shall not be responsible either directly or indirectly for any loss or expenditure incurred by the applicant. Any application rejected by a building Principal will be forwarded to the Superintendent for review.

The Triton Regional School District reserves the right to approve, reject and/or alter any and all requests for the use of any facility by a "for-profit" entity. A certificate of general liability insurance will be kept on file from those groups and organizations that have such insurance.

The building Principal shall communicate their decision to the appropriate party(ies) by providing a copy of the signed agreement. The building Principal shall also inform the applicant of any applicable insurance requirements, fees, the necessity for police, and/or any other requirements or charges. The building Principal shall also inform the applicant that school sponsored functions take precedence, and that permission for usage may be revoked if the facility is needed for a school event, (i.e. an additional practice called by a basketball coach or a change in schedule could negate permission for a gym.) The building
Principal will inform the user of such cancellation as soon as possible. The requirement of police is at the sole discretion of the chief of police of the town where the facility is located.

The building Principal shall forward a copy of the approved request to all appropriate personnel, including the Central Office.

The building Principal, or their designee, shall be responsible for the supervision and operation of any equipment requiring specialized knowledge or skill that is needed as part of the rental of district facilities.

At least one (1) employee of the Triton Regional School District, or designee, shall be present whenever the building is in use.
The assigning of a designee shall be at the sole discretion of the building Principal.

The person, persons, or organizations granted the use of the building or grounds shall assume full liability of any damage to the building, equipment, or grounds resulting from such use. No scenery, furniture or other fixture shall be attached to any part of the building except with the express permission of the building Principal. The Triton Regional School District and/or its representatives shall be held free from any and all liability resulting from such damage and/or injury. The applicant is responsible for the preservation of order.

Only the facilities requested, and approved on the application form shall be used, and only for the time stipulated. Any individual(s) found in areas that are off limits will be subject to immediate eviction of the premises and may cause their activity/organization to forfeit any rights for the use of facilities for that season and/or-the future.

The Triton Regional School District reserves the right to revoke, for any reason, permission previously granted and shall not be responsible either directly or indirectly for any loss or expenditure incurred by the applicant. The applicant shall pay the established fee for the use of the facility. Checks are payable to Triton Regional School District and sent to the Office of the Superintendent, Triton Regional School District, 112 Elm Street, Byfield, MA 01922.

The use of any tobacco product is not permitted on school property.

The use or possession of alcoholic beverages is not permitted on school property pursuant to M.G.L c. 272.

No permit shall be issued for any activity, which would include any display of fireworks.

Each building Principal may establish additional rules for the uniqueness of their building site. The building Principal shall inform the applicant of these conditions prior to the use of the building facility.

The Triton Regional School Committee wishes to be of assistance to town departments and community organizations.
Permission to use school equipment may be granted by the administration upon request by school and community organizations or town departments. A fee customarily will be assessed for use.

School equipment may be used by staff members when the use is related to their school employment. Students may use the equipment in connection with their studies, extracurricular activities, or community service under the supervision of faculty or staff members.

Proper controls will be established by the Superintendent to assure the user s responsibility for, and return of, all school equipment. At the discretion of the administration, fees may be charged for a trained professional to accompany and operate equipment. Full payment is required in advance of reserving the equipment.

The School Committee will place limits on commercial activities and fund-raising activities in the schools for the following reasons:

The school system should provide students, parents, and employees some measure of protection from exploitation by commercial and charitable fund-raising organizations.

The school system should not give the public the impression of generally endorsing or sanctioning commercial and fund- raising activities.

Commercial and fund-raising activities may disrupt school routine and cause loss of instructional time.

Following these guiding statements, the Superintendent and Principals may permit occasional commercial or fund-raising activities re lated to the objectives of the schools with the following exceptions:

No direct solicitation of students or employees may take place without School Committee permission.

No general or class distribution of commercial or fund-raising literature may take place without School Committee permission.

For the purposes of this policy, local PTA and PTO groups and groups representing school system employees will be considered
"school groups" and will be governed by the Committee's policy on staff solicitations.

Legal References

• M.G.L. 44:53A

Purpose: To clarify which types of outside agencies may use school facilities for the distribution of literature and information.

Establishment of Limited Public Forum

The School Committee designates each school facility as a limited public forum to which certain types of outside agencies may have access for the purpose of distributing literature and information in hard copy, electronically or by posting notices at locations on school sites designated for the purpose by the Principal.

The limited public forum does not include the district or school web sites.

In establishing a limited public forum, the School Committee neither endorses nor sponsors either the outside agencies that may use the public forum or such literature or information as may be distributed by the outside agencies through the limited public forum.

Designated Outside Agencies

The School Committee shall review the types of outside agencies that may distribute literature and information under this policy from time to time.

The following types of outside agencies may distribute literature and information through the use of school facilities, unless their primary function is to provide services for children and families in a municipality that is not a signatory to the Regional
Agreement and Which Duplicate services provided by organizations with district affiliations:

non-profit organizations that provide services or support for children and families

community organizations that provide services or support for children and families

public agencies and bodies that provide services or support for children and families

for-profit organizations which can demonstrate a regular and frequent pattern of support for public education

For the purposes of this policy Parent-Teacher Associations Organizations are to be regarded as inside agencies.

Disclaimer

An outside agency preparing a notice or flyer for distribution shall include the following disclaimer in a prominent fashion on the front of the notice or flyer:

THE TRITON REGIONAL SCHOOL COMMITTEE NEITHER SPONSORS NOR ENDORSES THE INFORMATION IN THIS NOTICE OR THE PUBLISHER

Content of Literature To Be Distributed

Any and all literature distributed under the provisions of this policy shall satisfy the provisions of M.G.L. Chapter 55, the campaign finance law. School buildings and facilities of any kind, and public employees while they are at work may not be used to promote or oppose a candidate for office or a political party or a vote on a ballot question, or aid or promote a political party.

While the School Committee recognizes that it has no editorial control over the content of literature distributed by outside agencies under this policy, the Committee expects that outside agencies which use the facility will exercise appropriate discretion as to its content.

Distribution of Literature and Information

No student shall be required to read or take home a notice or flyer provided by an outside agency.

Outside agencies shall provide the school with sufficient copies of the literature to be distributed at their own expense.

The distribution of notices and flyers shall occur on one day of the week, identified by the school.

Outside agencies intending to use school facilities to distribute notices or flyers shall provide the Principal of the school with a minimum of seven days notice.

Outside agencies will provide the school with notices and flyers in such bundles and numbers as the school may require.

Outside Agencies and School Newsletters or Notices

School newsletters and notices to parents shall not publicize outside groups or recruit members to those groups.

The School Committee may grant permission for advertising of commercial products or services in school buildings or on school property under guidelines or regulations it may approve. Otherwise, no advertising of commercial products or services will be permitted in school buildings or on school property. Publica tions of the school system will not contain any advertising. How - ever, this will not prevent advertising in student publications that are published by student organizations, subject to administra - tion controls, or the use of commercially-sponsored, free teaching aids if the content is approved by the administration.

Solicitation of sales or use of the name of the school system to promote any product will not be permitted by the Committee.

The School Committee encourages parents/guardians and guests to visit classrooms to observe and learn about the instructional programs taking place in our schools. Such visits can prove most beneficial in promotion of greater school-home cooperation and community understanding of how we carry out the school's mission and goals.

Visits by parents/guardians to several classrooms in a given grade for the purposes of comparing teaching styles to provide a basis for a request for student assignment to a particular teacher are strongly discouraged because of the School District's policy. The School District's policy of assigning a student to a particular class is the sole responsibility of the building principal in consultation with the staff of that school.

The following guidelines to classroom and school visits should be followed: Parent/guardian requests for classroom visitations will be welcomed as long as the educational process is not disrupted.
To this end we request that such requests be made at least 48 hours in advance to allow for proper arrangements to be made.

The building Principal has the authority to determine the number, times, and dates of observations by visitors. This will be done in consultation with staff members so as to give adequate notice to the staff members of the impending visits.

For security purposes it is required that all visitors report to the principal's office upon entering and leaving the building and sign a Guest Log showing arrival and departure times. Teachers are encouraged to ask visitors if they have registered in the Principal's office.

Under ordinary circumstances classroom observations will be strongly discouraged during the first three weeks of school in September and during the month of June.

Any student who wishes to have a guest in school MUST ask permission of one of the administrative staff 24 HOURS in advance of the proposed visit. If permission is granted, the guest is expected to follow the standards of behavior expected of all students. Upon arrival the guest must register in the office. Any guest who fails to comply with student regulations will be asked to leave the school building and grounds immediately.

The building Principal may add other reasonable guidelines as necessary.

Cooperation with law enforcement agencies is essential for the protection of students, for maintaining a safe environment in the District schools, and for safeguarding all school property.

Relationships between the schools and officials of law enforcement agencies in investigative matters concerning pupils will take into consideration the respective roles of the schools and law enforcement agencies in assisting and protecting the interests of the community, and ensuring the rights of all concerned.

The School Committee also recognizes the potential enrichment that law enforcement agencies can make in the educational program.

Efforts should be made to develop and maintain a healthy attitude toward law enforcement agencies and personnel to promote better understanding and communication.

The School Committee will participate in local and state planning functions that could directly affect district schools and their immediate environment.

The Superintendent, or designee, will keep the School Committee informed of planning matters bearing directly on the operation of district schools or school-sponsored programs, and will undertake action on behalf of the School Committee to influence matter in the best interests of the student, the schools and the District.

The School Committee and its administrative officers welcome all who seek to serve the residents of the community and will participate with them in the planning and execution of such projects as will be mutually beneficial for students.

It is the School Committee's policy that administration inform elected and appointed officials of the local and county government of the desire to work cooperatively for improved services.

The School Committee appreciates the place and importance of an edu cational system in its greater environment, which includes other or ganizations and institutions dedicated to education. It believes that much is gained through cooperative endeavors with other agen cies.

In order to make a maximum contribution to education, within the school system and to other educational agencies, the Committee es tablishes these broad goals:

To encourage liaison with other educational agencies.

To supply educational services to and/or share with other educational agencies.

The School Committee will cooperate with other schools and with lo cal, state, and regional agencies and organizations to: Seek solutions of educational problems of common concern.

Offer support services of high quality to our children.

Equalize educational opportunities for all children.

Acquire federal and state grants.

Promote local school system involvement in state and federal decision-making.
This cooperation may extend to research, providing transportation for children to special schools and hospitals, coordination of cur riculum, exchange of information and data, construction of facili ties that may be efficiently used on a cooperative basis, and the coordination of school calendars and activities.

Before joining any cooperative programs, education collaborative, or participating in any joint educational services with other school systems, the School Committee wants to be sure that in all instances the best interests of our school children will be served. In carry ing out this policy the Superintendent will include in reports to the Committee an evaluation of the desirability and feasibility of cooperation with other schools and agencies on matters of mutual in terest.
NOTE: Policies under this category and its subcategories are usually specific in naming the cooperatives, collaborative, and special agencies with which the school system is associated to provide special services and programs.

Legal References

• M.G.L. 40:4E; 71:48; 71:71D; 71B:4; 74:4 through 74:7A; 76:1

Private Schools

In accordance with state law, the School Committee will approve a private school when it is satisfied that the instructional program of the school equals that of the town's public schools in thorough ness, efficiency, and progress made.

The Committee recognizes that many worthwhile contributions are made to this community by parochial and other private schools. There fore, it will cooperate with these schools in matters of mutual ben efit when law does not expressly prohibit this cooperation.

Legal References

• M.G.L. 40:4E; 71:48 and 71D; 71B:4; 74:4-7A; 76:1

The Committee encourages the administration to cooperate with teach er-training institutions in the placement of student teachers in the school system. All initial arrangements with the colleges and universities will be subject to Committee approval.

The Committee authorizes the administration to honor the reasonable rules and training guidelines of the sending institution.

In all arrangements made with colleges and universities, the school system will be given the privilege of interviewing and accepting or rejecting individual candidates for student teaching and intern ships.

The school administration will ensure there are procedures for evaluating the performance of student teachers that meet requirements of the send ing institution and fit with the Committee's policies.