Amherst-Pelham Regional School District meeting summaries, agendas, and minutes

School district agendas: staffing votes pending, superintendent contract talks ahead

No vote results have been published from the Amherst-Pelham Regional School District's meetings over the past two weeks. Every meeting in the period is listed as agenda-only, with minutes not yet published, and two subcommittee meetings scheduled for Oct. 15 and Oct. 16 were postponed. What follows is what the posted agendas show was scheduled, not what was decided.

Amherst School Committee: two staffing items on the Oct. 6 agenda

The Amherst School Committee, meeting separately and jointly with the Pelham and Amherst-Pelham Regional School Committees and Union 26 on Oct. 6 at the Amherst Regional High School library, 21 Mattoon Street, had scheduled votes on two staffing changes: increasing an English Language Arts intervention position by 0.2 FTE at Amethyst Brook, and adding a 1.0 FTE English Language Learner teacher position at Crocker Farm Elementary. The agenda also listed an executive session under Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 30A, Section 21, Purpose 1, to discuss an individual's reputation, character, physical condition or mental health, or discipline, dismissal, or complaints against a public officer, employee, staff member, or individual, with no intent to return to open session. No vote tallies or outcomes from this meeting have been published.

Budget subcommittee takes up RSC priorities

The Regional Budget & Audit Subcommittee met virtually on Oct. 13 from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. Its agenda listed public comment, up to three minutes per speaker, with comments also accepted at [email protected]; approval of minutes; and one new-business item on RSC budget priorities. The posted agenda did not include dollar amounts, contracts, or detailed proposals.

Superintendent goals, evaluation and search groundwork

Also on Oct. 13, the Amherst School Committee's agenda listed discussion of the Superintendent's goals for the 2026-27 school year and the evaluation plan following the 2025-26 year, groundwork for a superintendent search, and creation of a new Communications Subcommittee and a Finance Working Group. The agenda also listed approval of minutes from eight previous meetings and review of warrant reports for payroll and payables from September and October 2026.

Two subcommittee meetings postponed

The Superintendent Evaluation Subcommittee meeting scheduled for Oct. 15 was postponed. Its agenda had listed review of evaluation tools and timeline best practices with counsel and discussion of potential goals for the 2026-2027 school year. The Joint Superintendent Transition Plan and Search Process Subcommittee meeting scheduled for Oct. 16 was also postponed; its agenda had listed search best practices, lessons from past searches and superintendent tenure, the committee's scope of work and needed budget, a project planner structure, and a meeting schedule.

Coming up

• **Oct. 19:** The Amherst-Pelham Regional School Committee and Union 26 meet in joint executive session to discuss strategy or conduct contract negotiations with Superintendent Dr. E. Xiomara Herman. The committee will adjourn directly from this session without returning to open session.
• **Oct. 20:** The Amherst-Pelham Regional School Committee meets to review student discipline data for SY23-24 through SY26-27 and the Superintendent's annual state of the school system report. Possible votes include student handbooks, sabbatical requests, a proposed building substitute position, re-establishing a Budget & Finance Subcommittee for the OPEB Trust, and the Regional Agreement Review subcommittee structure. FY28 budget guidelines and capital needs are also on the agenda.
• **Oct. 20:** The Amherst School Committee holds a special meeting, a listening session for community feedback on proposed transportation routes.

Amherst-Pelham school committees scheduled staffing and policy votes; minutes not yet published

Three joint meetings of the Amherst, Pelham, and Amherst-Pelham Regional School Committees and Union 26 were held in the past two weeks, but only agendas have been published so far. Minutes are not yet available, so no votes or outcomes from those sessions can be confirmed. The most consequential items on the posted agendas were scheduled votes on school staffing and on district policies.

Staffing votes scheduled for Oct. 6

The Amherst School Committee was scheduled to discuss and vote on increasing an English Language Arts intervention position by 0.2 FTE at Amethyst Brook and on adding a 1.0 FTE English Language Learner teacher position at Crocker Farm Elementary. The meeting was set for 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. in the library at Amherst Regional High School, 21 Mattoon Street. The Amherst School Committee, the Pelham and Amherst-Pelham Regional School Committees, and Union 26 were listed as meeting separately and jointly. Because minutes have not been published, whether the votes were taken and what the results were are not established by the available record.

Policy revisions and superintendent search groundwork (Oct. 1)

The Oct. 1 joint meeting agenda listed a review of proposed revisions to Policy ACAA, Commitment to Identity-Affirming School Culture and Staff Accountability, with a possible vote. It also listed a vote to approve procedures for Policy JKAA, Physical Restraint and Behavior Support, and the establishment of a Superintendent Transition and Search Process Joint Subcommittee. Public comment was accepted by email or voicemail until 3 p.m. on the meeting day, with speakers limited to three minutes under policy BEDH.

Executive session items

The Sept. 29 joint meeting agenda consisted solely of a call to order, a proposal to enter executive session under Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 30A, Section 21, Purpose 1, to discuss the reputation, character, or discipline of an individual, and adjournment. The agenda stated there was no intent to return to open session.

The Oct. 6 agenda also listed consideration of executive session under the same provision, Purpose 1, to discuss an individual's reputation, character, physical condition or mental health, or discipline, dismissal, or complaints against a public officer, employee, staff member, or individual, again with no intent to return to open session. The agendas do not identify the individual or individuals involved.

Coming up

Oct. 13, 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. — Regional Budget & Audit Subcommittee. Meets virtually only via Zoom (Meeting ID 446 346 3299, Passcode iPPc9H). New business is listed as RSC budget priorities, along with approval of minutes and agenda planning. Public comment is up to three minutes per speaker, and comments are also accepted at [email protected]. The posted agenda does not include specific dollar amounts, contracts, or detailed proposals.

Oct. 13 — Amherst School Committee. Scheduled to discuss the Superintendent's goals for the 2026-27 school year and the evaluation plan following the 2025-26 year, groundwork for a superintendent search, and a new Communications Subcommittee and Finance Working Group. The agenda also lists approval of minutes from eight previous meetings and review of warrant reports for payroll and payables from September and October 2026.

Oct. 15 — Superintendent Evaluation Subcommittee. Scheduled to review evaluation tool and timeline best practices with counsel and to discuss potential goals for the 2026-2027 school year.

All three recent meetings are listed as agenda only, with minutes not yet published.