Committee drops Facebook goal, adopts new policies

School Committee · Meeting of August 18, 2026

NORTHBRIDGE — The Northbridge School Committee voted 5-0 to strike a proposed Facebook page from its 2026-2027 goals after legal concerns, while adopting an overhauled student restraint and seclusion policy tied to a state law change effective August 17. Members approved warrants totaling $591,782.82 and a new residency-verification addendum requiring annual checks at second, fifth and eighth grade. The superintendent, identified only as Amy, reported the district will receive a DESE-funded literacy tutoring grant serving 23 students through vendor Catapult Learning, and described a difficult hiring season with "not atypical" late resignations days before school starts.

Senior class advisor Neil Pellucha pitched a whitewater rafting trip to Maine, calling it "a once in a lifetime opportunity for a lot of these kids." The committee also backed a fall Town Meeting capital article for the middle school auditorium and chose a student, rather than a committee member, for a land-and-trails stewardship role.

In the full story:

• Who Was There
• Organizations And Documents Referenced
• The complete report — 2,377 words

Source: the School Committee meeting of August 18, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.