School Committee
Oversees Halifax public schools — sets the school budget, approves curriculum changes, and hires the superintendent.
120 items across 17 meetings.
July 7, 2026 · agenda
📋 Proposed
Routine call to order and roll call at 6:00 p.m.
📋 Proposed
Committee adjourns to closed session to prepare negotiation strategy for Cafeteria Workers and Assistant Principal contracts, and to approve executive session minutes from April 27 and May 30, 2026.
📋 Proposed
Routine approval of June 16 minutes, bill schedules, grants/donations, and financial reports.
📋 Proposed
Stefani Hatton, Director of Finance and Operations, presents the fiscal year close-out report.
📋 Proposed
Meeting adjourned.
• Status unclear
First day of school is September 2, 2026; teacher inservice days August 31 and September 1; next School Committee meeting August 31.
June 16, 2026 · agenda
📋 Proposed
Routine opening with roll call.
📋 Proposed
Pledge of Allegiance.
📋 Proposed
Committee reorganization — likely officer elections for the new term.
📋 Proposed
Open time for residents to address the committee.
📋 Proposed
Chair shares incoming correspondence with the committee.
📋 Proposed
Routine batch approval of prior minutes, financials, warrants/bill schedule, grants, donations, field trips, and flyers.
📋 Proposed
Approval to donate unused curriculum materials.
📋 Proposed
Principal Brian Prehna presents the school improvement strategy; a vote may be taken.
📋 Proposed
Academic or operational data presented to the committee.
📋 Proposed
Discussion — with possible vote — on fully regionalizing Halifax schools with neighboring districts.
📋 Proposed
Possible vote on student bus fees for the coming year.
📋 Proposed
Possible vote on kindergarten tuition rates.
📋 Proposed
Updates from Principal Prehna, Finance Director Hatton, Assistant Superintendent Clifford (curriculum), and Superintendent Proulx; votes possible.
📋 Proposed
Reports from Administrative Review, Pilgrim Area Collaborative, Union 31, Negotiations, Capital Budget, Policy, Liaison/Youth & Recreation, and PTO.
📋 Proposed
Meeting adjourned.
May 26, 2026 · agenda
📋 Proposed
Brief opening check-in to start the meeting.
📍 Halifax Elementary School Conference Room
📋 Proposed
Council will review results of the parent survey and determine action steps based on findings.
📍 Halifax Elementary School Conference Room
📋 Proposed
Closing discussion to outline follow-up actions from the meeting.
📍 Halifax Elementary School Conference Room
May 20, 2026 · agenda
📋 Proposed
Committee will reorganize — likely electing new officers/chair — at the start of the meeting.
📋 Proposed
Committee moves to executive session solely to approve and publicly release previously closed-session minutes from February 2022 and November 2024; no return to open session.
May 11, 2026 · agenda
📋 Proposed
Committee will coordinate members attending Town Meeting, likely to support or speak to school-related warrant articles.
📋 Proposed
Budget for Halifax Elementary School up for discussion — specific figures not listed in agenda.
📍 464 Plymouth Street, Halifax, MA 02338
April 30, 2026 · agenda
📋 Proposed
Brief opening check-in to start the meeting.
📍 Halifax Elementary School Conference Room
📋 Proposed
Council reviews results of a parent survey — findings could inform school decisions affecting students and families.
📍 Halifax Elementary School Conference Room
📋 Proposed
Meeting wraps with action item to share session notes with Brian P.
📍 Halifax Elementary School Conference Room
April 27, 2026 · agenda
📋 Proposed
Committee holds required public hearing and votes on whether to participate in School Choice for the coming year, affecting enrollment and state funding.
📍 Halifax Elementary School, 464 Plymouth Street
• Status unclear
Meeting called to order with roll call.
• Status unclear
Pledge of Allegiance.
• Status unclear
Public comment period for visitors.
📋 Proposed
Committee enters closed session to discuss strategy for HTA Grievance and Paraprofessional collective bargaining, plus approval of March 23 executive minutes.
• Status unclear
Chair shares correspondence received by the committee.
📋 Proposed
Approval of March 23, 2026 meeting minutes.
📋 Proposed
Routine approval of district financial reports.
📋 Proposed
Routine approval of district bills and payment warrants.
📋 Proposed
Approval includes a donation to the HES School Library from Linda Redding.
📋 Proposed
Approval of SLYF Warriors program registration flyer for distribution.
📋 Proposed
Committee reviews and may vote on the substitute employee pay rate for the cafeteria, presented by Liz Grindle.
📋 Proposed
Discussion of the school district budget; votes may be taken.
📋 Proposed
Discussion of how kindergarten is funded, potentially signaling a cost or fee change for families.
📋 Proposed
Ongoing discussion about fully regionalizing Halifax schools with Silver Lake district, a major structural change affecting governance and costs.
📋 Proposed
Committee votes on whether to charge families a bus fee, a direct out-of-pocket cost for households using school transportation.
📋 Proposed
Principal, Finance Director, Assistant Superintendent, and Superintendent deliver updates on school, curriculum, and district matters; votes may be taken.
📋 Proposed
Reports from subcommittees including Capital Budget, Negotiations, Policy, and others; votes may be taken.
• Status unclear
Meeting adjourns.
March 26, 2026 · agenda
📋 Proposed
Brief opening activity to start the meeting.
📍 Halifax Elementary School Conference Room
📋 Proposed
Council will spend the bulk of the meeting reviewing results of an unspecified survey — likely related to school community feedback.
📍 Halifax Elementary School Conference Room
📋 Proposed
Council will discuss follow-up actions based on the survey review.
📍 Halifax Elementary School Conference Room
March 23, 2026 · agenda
📋 Proposed
Procedural opening with roll call.
📋 Proposed
Pledge of Allegiance.
📋 Proposed
Open floor for public comment.
📋 Proposed
Committee enters closed session to discuss HTA grievance, paraprofessional contract strategy, Teachers' Feb. 23 PD day dispute, cafeteria aide substitute rate, and approval of executive minutes from Dec. 8, 2025, Jan. 26 and Feb. 24, 2026.
📋 Proposed
Chair shares correspondence received by the committee.
📋 Proposed
Routine approvals: Jan. 26 minutes, financials, bill warrants, grants/donations, field trips, and a Challenger program flyer for staff rooms.
📋 Proposed
Committee may vote to ratify a new contract for paraprofessional staff following executive session negotiations.
📋 Proposed
Committee votes on the pay rate for cafeteria aide substitutes, a holdover from the Teachers' Feb. 23 PD day dispute.
📋 Proposed
School Committee votes on the Halifax Elementary School budget — outcome affects the town's education spending and property tax levy.
📍 Halifax Elementary School, 464 Plymouth Street
📋 Proposed
Ongoing discussion about fully regionalizing Halifax schools, which could reshape school governance, costs, and district boundaries.
📋 Proposed
Updates from Principal Brian Prehna, Finance Director Stefani Hatton, Asst. Supt. Dr. Tricia Clifford (curriculum), and Supt. Dr. Jill Proulx, including the School Committee meeting schedule.
📋 Proposed
Reports from subcommittees including Administrative Review, Pilgrim Area Collaborative, Union 31, Negotiations, Capital Budget, Policy, Liaison/Youth & Recreation, and PTO.
📋 Proposed
Meeting adjourned; next Halifax School Committee meeting is April 27, 2026.
March 3, 2026 · agenda
📋 Proposed
Meeting opens briefly in public session, then immediately closes; no return to open session.
📍 Halifax Elementary School
📋 Proposed
Closed session under MGL c.30A §2 to conduct or prepare for collective bargaining negotiations with Halifax Paraprofessionals union.
📍 Halifax Elementary School
March 2, 2026 · agenda
📋 Proposed
Coming up March 2 at 5:00 p.m.: public hearing on the school budget — residents may attend and comment via Google Meet (link: meet.google.com/byf-sked-jsk).
📍 Google Meet (virtual)
February 25, 2026 · agenda
📋 Proposed
Brief opening icebreaker to start the meeting.
📍 Halifax Elementary School Conference Room
📋 Proposed
Council will review and finalize survey questions ahead of the spring community send-out.
📍 Halifax Elementary School Conference Room
📋 Proposed
Discussion on how to attract more community members to participate in the School Council next year.
📍 Halifax Elementary School Conference Room
📋 Proposed
Wrap-up and assignment of action items from the meeting.
📍 Halifax Elementary School Conference Room
February 24, 2026 · agenda
📋 Proposed
Budget hearing opens the meeting at 6:00 p.m. before the regular session — residents can attend via Google Meet.
📋 Proposed
Routine call to order and roll call at 6:00 p.m.
📋 Proposed
Committee enters closed session to discuss strategy for HTA grievance and paraprofessional collective bargaining, and to approve December 8, 2025 executive minutes.
📋 Proposed
Chair shares incoming correspondence with the committee.
📋 Proposed
Routine approvals: January 26 minutes, financials, bill warrants, grants/donations, field trips, and flyers.
📋 Proposed
Continued discussion on fully regionalizing Halifax schools — a major structural change that could reshape the district.
📋 Proposed
School update from the building principal.
📋 Proposed
Update from the Director of Finance and Operations.
📋 Proposed
Curriculum, instruction, and assessment update from the assistant superintendent.
📋 Proposed
Superintendent presents district update and budget update; a vote on the budget may be taken at this meeting.
📋 Proposed
Reports from subcommittees including Capital Budget, Policy, Negotiations, and others — votes possible.
📋 Proposed
Meeting adjourned.
February 24, 2026 · agenda
📋 Proposed
Meeting opens at 6:00 p.m. with a public budget hearing before the regular session — residents may attend to weigh in on school spending.
📍 Halifax Elementary School, 464 Plymouth Street, Halifax, MA 02338
📋 Proposed
Routine call to order and roll call.
📋 Proposed
Committee enters closed session to discuss HTA grievance and paraprofessional contract bargaining strategy, and to approve executive minutes from December 8, 2025.
📋 Proposed
Routine batch approvals: January 26 minutes, financial reports, bill warrants, grants/donations, field trips, and flyers.
📋 Proposed
Ongoing discussion of fully regionalizing Halifax schools — a structural change that could affect governance, costs, and your children's district.
📋 Proposed
Halifax Elementary principal reports on current school operations.
📍 Halifax Elementary School, 464 Plymouth Street
📋 Proposed
Finance and operations director presents update; votes may be taken.
📋 Proposed
Assistant superintendent reports on curriculum and instructional programs.
📋 Proposed
Superintendent presents district budget update with a possible vote — this could set spending levels affecting the tax levy.
📋 Proposed
Superintendent shares general district news and confirms upcoming School Committee meeting dates.
📋 Proposed
Reports from subcommittees including Capital Budget, Policy, Negotiations, Pilgrim Area Collaborative, Union 31, and PTO liaisons; votes may be taken.
📋 Proposed
Meeting adjourned.
February 4, 2026 · agenda
📋 Proposed
Brief open session convenes only to vote to adjourn into closed executive session, with no return to open session.
📍 Halifax Elementary School
📋 Proposed
Closed-door session under M.G.L. c. 30A §21 to discuss negotiation strategy or conduct bargaining with Halifax Paraprofessionals union; no public return.
📍 Halifax Elementary School
January 26, 2026 · agenda
📋 Proposed
Routine meeting opening with roll call.
📋 Proposed
Routine pledge.
📋 Proposed
Open floor for public comment.
📋 Proposed
Committee enters closed session to discuss strategy for HTA grievance and paraprofessional contract negotiations, then returns to open session.
📋 Proposed
Chair shares incoming correspondence with the committee.
📋 Proposed
Approval of two sets of prior meeting minutes.
📋 Proposed
Routine approval of school financials and bill schedules.
📋 Proposed
Approval of any incoming grants, donations, or awards.
📋 Proposed
Approval of field trips and a flyer for South Shore Children's Chorus.
📋 Proposed
New individual Stefani Hatton introduced to the committee by Liz Grindle.
📋 Proposed
Committee discusses whether to exercise a contract extension option (year 7) with First Student, the school bus provider.
📋 Proposed
Ongoing discussion of fully regionalizing Halifax schools with neighboring districts — a major structural and budget decision.
📋 Proposed
Principal's update on school operations.
📋 Proposed
Finance and operations update from the district's finance director.
📋 Proposed
Assistant Superintendent reports on curriculum, instruction, and assessment.
📋 Proposed
Superintendent presents district update and the proposed 2026–2027 school year calendar.
📋 Proposed
Reports from subcommittees including Capital Budget, Policy, Negotiations, and others.
📋 Proposed
Catch-all for any topics not anticipated 48 hours before the meeting.
January 20, 2026 · agenda
📋 Proposed
Brief opening activity to start the meeting.
📍 Halifax Elementary School Conference Room
📋 Proposed
Council will review the SIP (School Improvement Plan) and continue developing survey questions — key input shaping school priorities.
📍 Halifax Elementary School Conference Room
📋 Proposed
Wrap-up and planning for follow-up actions from the meeting.
📍 Halifax Elementary School Conference Room