Subcommittee rules to let subcommittees choose their chair, allow midyear appointments

The policy subcommittee voted March 3 to forward revisions to BDE, the policy governing subcommittees of the school committee, to the full committee for a first reading.

Members favored restoring the longstanding practice that subcommittees choose their own chair and adding a pro tempore chair role that would convene the first meeting and set that initial agenda. Committee members also discussed adding explicit language to allow for midyear appointments to fill vacancies on subcommittees and clarifying that open-meeting law (MGL) governs quorum and membership rules.

A motion to bring BDE to the full committee for a first reading was made, seconded and approved unanimously. Members asked that language be added clarifying appointment duration (for example, appointments to fill vacancies until the next organizational meeting or for the remainder of the school year).

Next steps: the BDE draft will be placed on the full committee agenda for a first reading and any additional edits requested by the full committee.