Finance Subcommittee:

Purpose:

• To receive monthly monitoring reports on revenue, expenditures, and revolving accounts
• To recommend in-year budget adjustments to the committee as necessary
• To oversee the development of the capital program
• To receive audit reports
• To consider matters of a financial nature referred by the School Committee

Members:

• Owen Silva, Chairperson - [email protected]
• Nerissa Wallen - [email protected]
• TBD - Vacancy

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Personnel & Negotiations Subcommittee:

Purpose:

• To take primary responsibility for contract negotiations with bargaining units
• To determine salary ranges of personnel not part of a bargaining unit and review job descriptions as part of the process
• To advise the School Committee on hiring to positions directly controlled by the committee
• To review proposed evaluation arrangements and make recommendations to the School Committee

Members:

• Paul Lees, [email protected]
• Caitlin Hunter - [email protected]
• Matthew Landers - [email protected]

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Policy & Advocacy Subcommittee:

Purpose

• To review and establish policy recommendations
• To address policy changes that are required in the course of doing business
• To develop an advocacy platform for district-wide initiatives
• To coordinate the connections with local and state officials on matters of importance to the district

Members:

• Erin Berger, Chairperson - [email protected]
• Paul Goldner - [email protected]
• Linda Litcofsky - [email protected]

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Facilities Subcommittee: (Ad Hoc)

Purpose:

• To identify, review, and plan for the facilities needs of the District buildings
• To liaise with town officials in the planning and provisioning of building needs, particularly those that fall outside of the general operating budget
• To consider matters related to the district buildings referred by the School Committee

Members:

• Matthew Landers, Chairperson - [email protected]
• Nerissa Wallen - [email protected]
• Caitlin Hunter - [email protected]

In accordance with the Open Meeting Law, and M.G.L. c.30A § 20(c) specifically, please be advised that the Triton Regional School Committee voted at its meeting on January 9, 2013 that agendas of its meetings and those of subordinate committees shall be published exclusively on the main district website. As required by statute, the Massachusetts Attorney General’s office was notified of our intent to do so, and we have received confirmation of the notification dated January 31, 2013.

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For all meetings on or after September 11, 2021, we have transitioned to the BoardDocs online meeting management platform that can be viewed by clicking on the BoardDocs image or by CLICKING HERE.

For information on meeting agendas and minutes prior to September 1, 2021 when postings were shifted to the BoardDocs system, please CLICK HERE.

To view all agendas and minutes for any or all of the groups listed on the main BoardDocs landing page, select the "District School Committee" link that is listed at the top right, and choose the appropriate committee, subcommittee or school council from the menu that you are looking for. All information about a specific meeting is included in the main meeting link, including the agenda and minutes once posted after the meeting. For agendas and minutes for all School Committee meetings prior to September 2021, please use the links on this page to view the Google Drive folder that corresponds with the information you are seeking.

Please click the link below to learn how you can join a grassroots group of advocates for Massachusetts Regional School Districts and Support MA Regional Schools!!!

https://www.supportmaregionalschools.org/home

Who We Represent

1. We represent the educational and developmental needs and interests of all students in the district and place their interests above all others in the decisions we make.

How We Govern

1. We acknowledge that a School Committee meeting is a meeting of the School Committee that is held in public – not a public meeting.
2. We shall conduct business through a set agenda that is tied to district goals. Emerging items shall be addressed in subsequent meetings through planned agenda items unless the School Committee Chairperson determines that it would be detrimental to delay the issue until a subsequent meeting. Requests to add items to an agenda shall be made to the Superintendent or the School Committee Chairperson in accordance with the law.
3. We shall strive to make each meeting effective and efficient giving each member an equal opportunity to express their views and opinions and to relay their input in a concise and topic-focused manner. No one member should monopolize the discussion. All remarks must be directed through the Chair. Remarks must be courteous in language and deportment.
4. We shall make decisions based on the information and not on personalities after considering data, the Superintendent’s recommendations, proposals, and suggestions. We will vote our convictions, avoid bias, and uphold and support the decision of the majority of the Committee once a decision is made. We will explain the reasons for our votes.
5. We shall exhibit professional conduct and behavior.
6. We shall attend meetings well-prepared to discuss issues on the agenda and to participate in efficient decision-making.
7. When we are in committee we will remain in our committee member role throughout the meeting.
8. We shall ensure that we do not breach the open meeting laws by deliberating outside of duly convened meetings of the committee.
9. Public input at meetings may be made on items not on the agenda, or otherwise at the discretion of the Chairperson.
10. We shall respect the confidentiality of Executive Sessions.
11. Our actions shall be consistent with the core values of the district, and be consistent with our vision of a high class organization.
12. We will act as liaisons to our member towns.
13. Our work will be guided by Roberts Rules of Order and the Norms of Collaboration we have adopted.
14. The Superintendent of Schools and such staff as are needed to advise the Committee shall be seated at the Committee table

How We Treat Each Other

1. We shall debate the issues keeping an open mind to other members’ opinions and/or positions.
2. We shall respect staff and fellow board members at all times.
3. We shall work to build trust between and among School Committee members, the Superintendent and the Administration by treating everyone with dignity and respect, even in times of disagreement.

How We Communicate

1. The Superintendent and the School Committee recognize the importance of proactive communication. If School Committee members have questions or concerns, they agree to contact the Superintendent well in advance of a meeting. They agree that there will be no surprises.
2. We shall channel requests for information through the Superintendent and/or the School Committee Chairperson rather than directly to district staff.
3. We shall provide full disclosure of information and not withhold information from other members.
4. We will strive to not surprise one another or the Superintendent.
5. We shall advocate for the public schools and public education as ambassadors of the school system by promoting support for public education and spreading the news of our success. We shall always strive to project a positive image.
6. We recognize the Chairperson, or her/his designee, as the official voice of the School Committee.
7. The Superintendent and the School Committee recognize the importance of working collaboratively with city officials to improve our schools and we shall actively seek ways to enlist their support for our efforts. Town officials shall channel requests for information through the Chairperson for consideration by the School Committee.

How We Will Improve

1. All new School Committee members will attend an MASC orientation session as soon as practicable, but within one year of being elected.
2. All members will be open to continued personal growth through participating in training opportunities.
3. We shall review and revise operating protocols annually through an annual workshop.
4. We shall develop and maintain a district new member orientation program.

What Are Our Limits of Authority

1. We shall exercise leadership in vision, planning, policy, budgeting, evaluation of the Superintendent of Schools, and advocacy of the district, consistent with the law and our policies.
2. It is the Superintendent’s responsibility to oversee personnel issues and to manage the day-to-day operations of the district. It is the School Committee’s responsibility to evaluate the superintendent’s effectiveness in these matters.
3. We shall recognize that authority rests only with the majority decision of the School Committee and we shall not make any independent commitments or take any independent actions that may compromise the School Committee as a whole.
4. We shall follow the chain of command and direct others to do the same. Complaints and concerns regarding personnel will be directed to the Superintendent.
5. We shall not use our positions for personal or partisan gain.
6. We shall refer any important questions or concerns received from members of the community to the Superintendent. The Superintendent, not any School Committee member has the authority to investigate. The Superintendent shall provide committee members with his/her response. It is not the role of the School Committee to resolve issues.

What Happens When Things Go Wrong

1. We shall work together to clarify and restate discussions in order to strive for full understanding.
2. We recognize the importance of honoring our agreed upon operating protocols and we agree to take responsibility for reminding one another when we get off track.
3. We shall maintain fidelity to these commitments and will be held accountable by our fellow School Committee members should any of us fail to live up to these commitments. If a School Committee member or Superintendent violates any of the operating protocols, he/she will be referred to the Chairperson or in the case of the Chairperson to the Vice Chairperson.