Winchester Public Schools board approves package of policy updates and paraeducator contract
June 29, 2026 | Winchester School District, School Districts, Connecticut
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The Winchester Public Schools Board of Education on Feb. 10 approved a package of policy updates and a new paraeducator contract during its regular meeting in the Hicks Room.
The board voted 9-0 to approve updates to multiple policies, including nondiscrimination (community and personnel), FMLA, prohibitions on sex discrimination and sexual harassment (personnel and students), reports of suspected abuse or neglect and reports of sexual assault of students by school employees, social media, administration of student medications, confidentiality and access to education records, child sexual abuse and assault response and reporting procedures, and student discipline. Jonathan Morhardt made the motion and Christine Rylander seconded; the motion carried unanimously.
A separate motion to approve a new paraeducator contract was made by Nora Mocarski and seconded by Elinor Bishop; that motion also passed 9-0.
The board also approved minutes from prior meetings as recorded: the regular board meeting minutes for Jan. 13 (approved with a minor edit noted) and a series of committee and special meeting minutes listed on the agenda. Vote tallies for minutes and committee approvals were taken as recorded in the minutes.
Why it matters: Policy updates set the administrative and legal framework for how the district handles nondiscrimination, personnel leave, student protections, records access and several operational procedures. The paraeducator contract governs pay, duties and terms for paraeducators who support classroom instruction.
What’s next: Policy updates moved forward as action items and will be reflected in district policy records. The paraeducator contract takes effect according to the contract terms; the minutes state the measures passed but do not list implementation dates or financial details in the meeting record.
Votes at a glance: policy updates — motion by Jonathan Morhardt, seconded by Christine Rylander, outcome: approved, tally: 9-0; paraeducator contract — motion by Nora Mocarski, seconded by Elinor Bishop, outcome: approved, tally: 9-0; minutes approvals — outcomes and tallies as recorded in the minutes.
The board voted 9-0 to approve updates to multiple policies, including nondiscrimination (community and personnel), FMLA, prohibitions on sex discrimination and sexual harassment (personnel and students), reports of suspected abuse or neglect and reports of sexual assault of students by school employees, social media, administration of student medications, confidentiality and access to education records, child sexual abuse and assault response and reporting procedures, and student discipline. Jonathan Morhardt made the motion and Christine Rylander seconded; the motion carried unanimously.
A separate motion to approve a new paraeducator contract was made by Nora Mocarski and seconded by Elinor Bishop; that motion also passed 9-0.
The board also approved minutes from prior meetings as recorded: the regular board meeting minutes for Jan. 13 (approved with a minor edit noted) and a series of committee and special meeting minutes listed on the agenda. Vote tallies for minutes and committee approvals were taken as recorded in the minutes.
Why it matters: Policy updates set the administrative and legal framework for how the district handles nondiscrimination, personnel leave, student protections, records access and several operational procedures. The paraeducator contract governs pay, duties and terms for paraeducators who support classroom instruction.
What’s next: Policy updates moved forward as action items and will be reflected in district policy records. The paraeducator contract takes effect according to the contract terms; the minutes state the measures passed but do not list implementation dates or financial details in the meeting record.
Votes at a glance: policy updates — motion by Jonathan Morhardt, seconded by Christine Rylander, outcome: approved, tally: 9-0; paraeducator contract — motion by Nora Mocarski, seconded by Elinor Bishop, outcome: approved, tally: 9-0; minutes approvals — outcomes and tallies as recorded in the minutes.
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