One of the School Committee’s goals for the 2024-2025 school year is to manage the School Committee policy manual, ensuring policies are up-to-date and in compliance with Massachusetts General Law.

The manual includes nearly 300 policies, so this is no easy task. In 2021, School Committee created a Subcommittee on Policy to make a concerted and proactive effort to meet the challenge of policy maintenance. And it has indeed been a challenge: the Massachusetts Association of School Committees (MASC)—the organization after which most Massachusetts School Committees model their policies—makes frequent updates, and Duxbury has been working hard to stay in alignment.

As chair of the Subcommittee on Policy, I had an opportunity yesterday to provide the School Committee with an update on its progress. Over the course of the current and last school years, the subcommittee has recommended 66 new and revised DPS policies, including important updates to policies related to School Committee operations, district support services, instructional programs, and more. The subcommittee has also drafted new policies on student transportation and student cell phone and smart device usage, all of which have been approved by the full School Committee.

It’s not very exciting, but school district policy maintenance is critically important. Policies guide our superintendent and administrators on how to operate Duxbury schools, while allowing for staff flexibility in implementation. In short, our policies help chart a course of action for the district.

Like the School Committee, the Subcommittee on Policy is bound by Massachusetts Open Meeting Law (OML). All meetings take place in front of the public, and community members are invited to attend. Check out our meeting agendas and minutes. If you have feedback about a specific policy that you would like us to review, please email the School Committee or share your thoughts at an upcoming School Committee meeting.