2022 School Committee Roster - Subcommittee Members and Liaisons

Policy - this subcommittee shall work with the FPS administration to develop and recommend new and revised policies to the full School Committee, and shall be responsible for making sure that our online policy manual is updated. This should remain as a standing subcommittee. During the Policy portion of full School Committee meetings, the Chair of the Policy Subcommittee will preside over the meeting.

Finance & Operations - this subcommittee shall work, as appropriate, with the FPS administration, the City Council and municipal leadership (including but not limited to the CFO) to develop standardized, comprehensive, timely financial reporting that allows the School Committee to have a complete understanding of the financial performance of the district in all appropriate areas, so it can ensure that the budget is properly managed throughout the financial year. This reporting should include multi-year projections to support sound planning. The subcommittee shall work to ensure that the full School Committee receives financial reporting on at least a monthly basis, as prescribed by policy DI, which asserts that:

“It is the responsibility of the Superintendent to ensure that the School Committee is well informed on budgetary and financial matters. The school administration shall furnish to the School Committee a monthly budget report indicating the current status, including unexpended funds, in each budgetary classification; with a report to be made at budget preparation time of an analysis of predicted year-end unexpended funds and cost overruns in each budgetary classification.It is the responsibility of the Superintendent to inform the School Committee as to any surplus funds as the end of the fiscal year approaches.”

Each year the subcommittee shall review the current  fiscal year budget book and make recommendations as appropriate for any improvements needed for the upcoming fiscal year budget book. The subcommittee may take up other financial matters referred to it by the School Committee Chair or the full School Committee. The subcommittee shall also be responsible for developing appropriate reporting by FPS on food services and transportation. This is a standing subcommittee.

Buildings & Grounds - this subcommittee shall work with the FPS administration to develop reporting on the state of FPS buildings and grounds, including ongoing maintenance and repairs, develop long-term plans and proposals for building renovations and replacements and to advise the Buildings & Grounds Department on facilities planning, capital projects and related issues. The subcommittee shall also perform a review of Capital Budget requests before they are presented to the full School Committee. Lastly, the subcommittee shall work with the FPS leadership, and, when appropriate with the Planning Board and Zoning Board of Appeals, to evaluate projected student enrollment both at the district level and on a school by school basis based on future residential development, and ensure that both short term and long term plans are developed to ensure that school system capacity meets our student population needs. This subcommittee shall be guided by all School Improvement Plans to ensure consistency in handling needed building improvements. 

Teaching and Learning - This subcommittee shall work with the Office of Teaching and Learning and other FPS administrators as needed to develop and/or refine reporting that addresses various aspects of student outcomes, with a focus on student achievement and accountability.  This reporting shall include, but not be limited to:

• course availability and placement
• performance on standardized testing
• student attendance
• conduct and discipline 
• graduation and post-secondary success

This reporting shall include all cohorts of students (e.g. General Education, Special Education, English Learners (ELs), Dual Language learners, Gifted and Talented (SAGE), etc.).  These reports shall be analyzed by the subcommittee and administration on a regular basis so that the administrators can determine actions to be taken by the administration and the subcommittee members can determine recommended actions to be considered by the full School Committee. 

Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion - This committee will seek to address questions of equity raised in the community and brought forth by members of the full School Committee and the administration. Issues of curriculum, hiring, policy and professional development through an
equity lens will be addressed by this subcommittee and reported back to the full School Committee in order to ensure a more balanced and equitable system that will lead us to greater outcomes for ALL students, teachers, administrators and parents within FPS. Work with the FPS
administration to review the output from the equity audit and determine next steps for anti-racist practices.

Health & Wellness - this subcommittee shall work with FPS administration, staff and student governance and other student organizations, to develop reporting on student and staff physical, social and emotional health and wellness and to make appropriate recommendations to the full School Committee. Areas included in the scope for this subcommittee include, but are not limited to: vaping; alcohol use; smoking; other drug or substance use; nutrition, physical activities- including sports activities of all kinds, including varsity, junior varsity and intramural sports; transportation, including alignment with student schedules; facilities; threats presented by EEE and COVID-19, stressors and stress management; homework loads; alignment of school start times with student biorhythms; absenteeism; classroom environment etc.  

Climate Change, Environment & Sustainability - this subcommittee shall work with FPS administration, staff and student governance and other student organizations, to develop reporting on environmental and sustainability issues and to make appropriate recommendations to the full School Committee. Areas included in the scope for this subcommittee include, but are not limited to:  municipal aggregation; rooftop solar panel installations; solar parking lots; wind power installations; heat pump HVAC systems; charging stations; school district energy management; paper use reduction; trash handling; recycling; composting; tree planting; garden installations; severe weather mitigation; building water runoff use; support of related student STEM projects; support of related curriculum electives; virtual presence meetings etc. It is clear that our students’ future depends not only on education, but on the measures we take to ensure that the physical world they live in will be protected from extremes of climate change and the other myriad effects of global warming, including the 6th extinction. It has become clear that environment and sustainability needs to be an elevated focus of the School Committee. Also, creation of this new subcommittee aligns with citywide efforts, such as general sustainability operations, climate change and hazard planning, including the Municipal Vulnerability and Preparedness planning process which is aimed at climate change resiliency. It also aligns with state action on climate change.