We're frustrated with having so many of our tax dollars going to paying lawyers and settlements.

Consistent Polices are Compliant Policies

Policy isn't glamorous. It doesn't get articles written about you in The Reporter. But it's the core blocking and tackling that makes school committees effective.

Our School Committee must spend time on policy for two key reasons.

The first is to align with federal and state standards. We're experiencing a lot of changes in the federal landscape right now. It's still an open question how that'll play out at the state level, but our district must align with what the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education says we should be doing in our buildings.

The second reason for updating policies ensures what's on paper actually matches what's going on inside our schools. Practices change and evolve over time. If we say we're going to do one thing (and we're actually doing another), or the laws or regulations say something else entirely, that opens us up to litigation.

Drafting new or updating existing policies is something I'd excel in as a professional writer with an attention for detail. Policy updates languished for many years, but since last year, we've made progress. Now we're going through the policy manual, starting at the very beginning, examining it section by section to ensure Seekonk Public Schools have the best possible policies in place.

By keeping our policy manual up-to-date and relevant to what's going on in our school buildings, it reduces our legal liability.