Duxbury approves oral-pouch ban across student handbooks
The School Committee unanimously approved adding oral pouches to the district Code of Conduct in all four student handbooks.
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Saturday, October 24, 2026
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The policy desk
What’s moving in phones
The debate over phones, screens and the school day.
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What’s moving in AI
How artificial intelligence is changing classrooms and school rules.
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What’s moving in student voice
Students speaking up, organizing and helping shape their schools.
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Latest Massachusetts stories
New rule bars civil arrests on school grounds
Duxbury adopted policy ACL after Governor Healey signed the PROTECT Act on August 5, 2026. Except where state or federal law requires it, civil arrests — including federal immigration enforcement — are not allowed in non-public areas of school grounds while schools are operating. The superintendent put it in place before school started under her emergency authority, and the School Committee ratified it on September 9, 2026.
Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational Technical
Student-handbook updates were scheduled for review
The August 13 subcommittee notice scheduled discussion of student-handbook updates for school year 2026-27.
Committee scheduled a vote on student restraint and seclusion rules
The August 10 agenda scheduled a second reading and expected vote on policy governing time-out, seclusion, and physical restraint of students.
Student restraint policy reached a scheduled action item
After a June first reading, the August 4 agenda listed policy JKAA for discussion, adoption, or rejection.
District is developing student screen-use guidance
After analyzing student screen use during the spring, the administration planned an August update on guidance for appropriate technology use and monitoring screen time. The collected agenda does not establish a final policy.
North Middlesex Regional School District
Committee adopted updated time-out, seclusion, and restraint rules
The committee adopted a legal-counsel revision of its student time-out, seclusion, and restraint policy before the new school year.
Pioneer Charter School of Science
Trustees scheduled handbook updates
The July 23 notice listed handbook updates before the 2026-27 school year.
Pioneer Charter School of Science
Charter renewal and an expansion amendment reached the agenda
The July 23 notice listed PCSS renewal and a PCSS expansion amendment.
More from the news desk
Policy subcommittee reviewed student restraint and seclusion rules
The July 22 policy-subcommittee agenda included time-out, seclusion, and restraint of students among the policies under review.
Revised student restraint and seclusion policy reached a possible vote
The July 22 agenda scheduled a second reading and possible vote on revised Policy JKKA governing time-out, seclusion, and restraint of students.
North Middlesex Regional School District
Committee adopted districtwide restrictions on student phones
The committee adopted policies governing staff and student cell phones and portable devices, aligned with high-school rules restricting student phone use during the school day.
Board scheduled a vote on a student cell-phone policy
The July 15 agenda called for a vote on a 2026–27 student cell-phone policy; the reviewed archive did not include minutes establishing the outcome.
District plans residency reverification in grades 3, 7, and 9
Winthrop reported that it will re-establish residency verification for students entering grades three, seven, and nine.
Benjamin Franklin Classical Charter Public School
Board begins modeling a possible West Brookfield replication
After a West Brookfield group asked BFCCPS to serve as the proven provider for a replicated charter school, the Board agreed to explore the concept through financial and staffing models rather than apply in the current cycle.
Benjamin Franklin Classical Charter Public School
YMCA takes over before- and after-school care
BFCCPS is transitioning its before- and after-school program to the YMCA, with an earlier 7 a.m. start and additional care on some days when school is closed.
Policy JKAA on Time-out, Seclusion, and Physical Restraint Scheduled for Approval
The June 24, 2026 agenda schedules approval of Policy JKAA (Time-out, Seclusion, and Physical Restraint of Students), skipping the normal two-meeting first/second read process because the policy must be in place by August to align with amended state regulations (603 CMR 46.00, effective August 17, 2026).
North Middlesex Regional School District
Committee approved district artificial-intelligence guidelines
The committee unanimously approved AI guidelines adapted from Boston Public Schools and reviewed by legal counsel.
Mystic Valley Regional Charter School
FY27 employee guidelines and paid-family-leave policy reached the Board
The June 8 agenda listed FY27 employee guidelines, and the June 22 annual meeting listed employee guidelines and Massachusetts PFML.
Elementary-day agreement adds preparation time and extends Wednesdays
The committee approved an agreement with the teachers union that extends elementary Wednesdays by 15 minutes, adds daily teacher preparation time, and stabilizes specialist schedules.
High school advances classroom phone-caddy rule
The proposed 2026-27 high-school handbook would require students to place phones in classroom caddies during every class and study hall, while still allowing use at lunch and between classes.
Manchester Essex Regional School District
School Committee to consider adding hockey for 2026–27
The June 16 School Committee agenda scheduled an athletics proposal to add hockey for the 2026–27 school year.
School Committee moves to adopt a new phone policy
The School Committee's June 15, 2026 agenda calls for a final vote on a brand-new policy, JICJA, setting districtwide rules for cellphones and personal electronic devices. The policy followed months of work: Fitchburg High School's council first discussed it in February 2026, the Policy Subcommittee surveyed families and reviewed other districts' rules through the spring, and the committee opened a first reading on June 1, 2026 before scheduling the final vote for June 15.
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