Who is the Carlisle School Committee?

The Carlisle School Committee is composed of five members, elected through a town-wide election.  Each member serves a three-year term.  The chairperson and vice chairperson of the Committee are voted on by the current members of the committee at the first regular meeting after the town-wide election.  The committee also selects two members to serve on the Concord-Carlisle Regional School Committee that includes Concord and Carlisle and governs the Concord-Carlisle Regional High School.

All Carlisle School Committee meetings are open to the public, observe Massachusetts Open Meeting Law and are posted on the school committee page of the Carlisle School website.  Agendas are available on the same webpage and are generally available at least 48 hours prior to the meeting.  Agendas also are available at Carlisle Town Hall at least 48 hours prior to a meeting. Similarly, approved minutes are posted on the school committee page of the Carlisle School website.

Carlisle School Committee Duties

It is the duty of the school committee to see that it is well operated, not to operate the school.  The Committee concerns itself primarily with broad questions of policy and budget matters rather than with administrative details.  Generally speaking, the duties of the Carlisle School Committee are as follows:

• Hire and supervise the Superintendent
• Hire the following: special education director, school physician, nurses, attendance officer and chief procurement officer
• Develop, review and approve the school budget, and monitor expenditures throughout the year
• Review all school policies on a rotating basis or as needed

All members of the Carlisle community are encouraged to contact the School Committee with questions or concerns.  If you are not familiar with someone currently on the School Committee, simply use this email address, schoolcommittee@carlisle.k12.ma.us.  Your questions will be answered as soon as possible by the Chair of the Committee.  If the School Committee is not the agent to address your concern, we will direct you to the appropriate resource.  You might also consider clicking through to the School Committee pages on the school website to review older agendas and minutes, read the policy manual or learn a bit more about the Carlisle School Committee.

Carlisle School Committee Meeting Schedule

The Carlisle School Committee generally meets on the second or third Wednesday of each month at 7:00 pm in the Community Room in the Robbins Building at CPS.  Meetings are posted at Town Hall and, typically, on the CPS website, and the School Committee Facebook page.  Agendas are developed by the Superintendent and School Committee Chair, and approved by the Chair.   Members of the community may request subjects for the agenda can submit them, in writing, to the Superintendent at least seven days prior to a regularly scheduled meeting.

Standard Meeting Agenda

The committee uses the following general order for meetings, with public comments early in the meeting for the convenience of those who wish to speak with the committee.  Visitors are most welcome and are encouraged to stay at the meeting as long as their schedule allows.

I. Call to Order

II. Public Comments

III. Review/Approve the Minutes

IV. Information/Discussion Items

V. Communication/Correspondence

VI. Superintendent's Report

VII. Members'/Committee Reports

VIII. Warrants

IX. Action Items

IX. Citizens' Comments 

XI. Adjournment

Except as noted below:

Executive Sessions

Periodically, the Committee may enter into private or executive sessions upon a vote of the members present and voting, for consideration of certain matters specified in law (including but not limited to certain personnel issues, contracts to be negotiated, collective bargaining, security systems, and legal advice or pending litigation).  The committee must first be in open session to call an executive session. At the time the executive session is called, the purpose for the session and whether the public meeting will reconvene must be stated. All votes taken in executive session must be by roll call.

School Committee General Calendar of Events

The following is the general calendar that the Carlisle School Committee follows.  This is an outline that serves as a general guide, not a mandated schedule.  

September

• Begin developing the next year’s budget with Superintendent and School Business Manager
• Develop and finalize School Committee goals for this academic year
• Work with Superintendent to set Professional Practice and student learning goals for evaluation process
• Determine schedule for review of policies

October

• Continue budget development
• Review designated policies

November

• Present budget to the Carlisle Finance Committee in mid-November, including presentation to Long-Term Capital Requirements Committee for capital requests
• Review and vote to accept/decline PTO Faculty & Staff Grants
• Review designated policies

December

• Continue budget process
• Review designated policies

January

• Continue budget process
• Special budget meeting as needed
• School calendar to be presented to School Committee prior to February 1
• School Committee chairperson must submit annual report to Town;

February

• School choice hearing
• Review designated policies

March

• Review Town Meeting warrant articles and consider whether or not any should be considered by School Committee - Should School Committee should take a position?
• Review designated policies

April

• Finalize budget; review any unexpected budget items with Superintendent
• Review designated policies

May

• School Advisory Council must report to School Committee by June
• Review superintendent request for salary adjustments to non-contractual employees
• Review designated policies

June

• Vote to reorganize committee and welcome new School Committee member(s) after town election
• Present Superintendent evaluation
• Set calendar of meetings for upcoming year
• Review designated policies

July

• Possible summer workshop/ goals setting meeting/ interesting speaker

Schedule School Committee Meeting Dates and Time  

Meetings will be held at 7:00 p.m on certain Wednesdays for the 2020-2021 School Year:

Please check the School Committee agenda section of the website for meeting dates and more detailed information.

Committee Membership