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Carlisle Public Schools

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School Committee

Who is the Carlisle School Committee?

The Carlisle School Committee is composed of five members who are elected through a town-wide election.  Each member serves a three-year term.  The Chair and Vice Chair 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 governs the Concord-Carlisle Regional High School.

All Carlisle School Committee meetings are open to the public and observe Massachusetts Open Meeting Law. Meeting agendas are posted on the School Committee page of the Carlisle School website 48 hours prior to a meeting.  Agendas are also available on the Town of Carlisle website at least 48 hours prior to a meeting. Approved minutes of School Committee meetings are posted on the School Committee page of the Carlisle School website.

All members of the Carlisle community are encouraged to contact the School Committee with questions or concerns at schoolcommittee@carlisle.k12.ma.us.

2024-2025 School Committee 

Name

Title/Role

Term

Sharon Whitt

Chair

2022-2025

Sara Wilson

Vice Chair

2022-2025

Julie Viola

Member, Regional School Representative

2023-2026

Brian Waterson

Member, Regional School Representative

2023-2026

Scott Jamison

Member

2024-2027

 

2024-2025 School Committee Meeting Schedule

Carlisle School Committee Duties

Massachusetts Law, Chapter 71: Section 37, charges school committees to select and to terminate the superintendent, review and approve budgets for public education, and establish educational goals and policies for the schools in the district. It is not the duty of the Carlilsle School Committee to operate the school but to see that it is well operated. The Carlisle School Committee has responsibilities in three main areas:

The school committee concerns itself primarily with broad questions of policy rather than with administrative details. The application of policies is an administrative task to be performed by the superintendent and district staff, who shall be held responsible for the effective administration and supervision of the entire school system.

Members of the School Committee have authority only when acting as a Committee legally in session. The School Committee shall not be bound in any way by an action or statement of an individual member except when such statement or action is in pursuance of specific instructions from the Committee.

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 email your questions and/or concerns to schoolcommittee@carlisle.k12.ma.us.  Your email will be responded to as soon as possible by a member of the Committee.  If the School Committee is not the agent to address your concern, you will be directed to the appropriate resource.  Additional resources on the School Committee pages of the website include older agendas and minutes for review, the current school committee policies, and community links.

Carlisle School Committee Meeting Schedule

The Carlisle School Committee generally meets on the second Wednesday of each month at 6:00 PM in the Community Room or Library in the Robbins Building on campus.  Meeting dates and agendas are posted on the Town of Carlisle website and the Carlisle Public Schools website.  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.  Suggested agenda items should be submitted, in writing, to the Superintendent at least seven days prior to a regularly scheduled meeting.  Please note that meeting dates, times and locations are subject to change.  Please check the Agendas, Minutes & Recordings tab for meeting dates.

Standard Meeting Agenda

The committee uses the following general order for meetings.  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

Executive Sessions

Periodically, the Committee may enter into executive session 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. 

Public Participation

Meetings of the Carlisle School Committee are public in the sense that they are held in public. This does not mean that they are public meetings in the same sense as a "town meeting." Although there is no statutory requirement in Massachusetts that the public be permitted to speak at school committee meetings, this committee has chosen to include a public comments section on the agenda for items under consideration at that meeting. Civility is expected at all times, and the Chair has the legal right to evict any person who does not maintain a civil demeanor.

The Chair may, at their discretion, also provide an opportunity for public comment during the consideration of any major agenda item.

Please be aware of some basic ground rules:

Thank you for your cooperation.

Complaints or Concerns

All parents, students, or other citizens initiating complaints or concerns regarding any aspect of the school district or a school employee shall be encouraged to seek a resolution at the lowest possible level. If the complaint cannot be resolved at any lower level, it may be appealed to the Superintendent's level. It shall be considered for possible placement on the agenda of the next regular meeting for the School Committee's consideration if requested by the person making the complaint. Certain personnel matters must be treated, by law, in executive session, and the subject of the complaint has the right to be present at the discussion.

  • To hire and evaluate the superintendent.
  • To develop and approve the school budget as well as monitor expenditures throughout the year.
  • To create and maintain school policies, including the review of all policies on a rotating basis or as needed.
  • The number of speakers and the length of time each speaks may be limited.
  • Speakers must address all comments and questions to the Chair.
  • All speakers are asked to identify themselves by name and street address before they speak.
  • To be eligible to address the School Committee, speakers must live in Carlisle, be an employee of the school, or be invited by the Committee or the Superintendent to speak.
  • In the case of a large audience, speakers may be asked to sign up before the meeting so they may be called on expediently.
  • Speakers are asked not to be repetitious of comments already made to the Committee, in the interest of the most efficient use of time.
  • The Committee is under no obligation to reply to comments or questions posed during public comments.
  • Except in an emergency, the Committee will not attempt to make a decision regarding a question before full examination and an opportunity for the Superintendent to research the matter and make a recommendation to the School Committee.
  • No complaints or allegations will be allowed in public concerning any staff member or any person connected to the school system.