The meeting’s most significant topic was the contract negotiations between the Norton School Committee and the Norton Teachers Association. The committee addressed accusations from the Teachers Association, which claimed that the committee had failed in its bargaining obligations. A letter was read aloud, stating that the accusations were “inaccurate, misleading, and do not reflect the reality of ongoing negotiations.” It was emphasized that negotiations began on November 7, 2024, and had involved at least 15 formal meetings and numerous informal discussions.

The committee detailed the resolution of numerous proposals, with 29 of the Teachers Association’s 41 proposals and 10 of the district’s 16 proposals settled either through agreement or withdrawal. Key unresolved issues included paid parental leave, fair pay, and paraprofessional benefits and job security. The committee offered 10 fully paid parental leave days for employees with at least one year of service, a new benefit compared to the previous contract, while the Teachers Association had initially proposed eight weeks of paid leave but had yet to respond to the current offer.

In terms of salary, a significant increase was requested by the Teachers Association, aiming to boost starting teacher pay from $48,775 in fiscal year 25 to $58,572 in fiscal year 26, representing a 20.09% increase for new hires. The committee countered with cost-of-living increases of 2.5% and 2.75% in subsequent years, alongside opportunities for additional pay through professional development days. The committee maintained that their proposals aimed to increase teacher payroll by over 16% by the end of the three-year contract, balancing educator recognition with fiscal responsibility.

Attention also turned to the job security and benefits of paraprofessionals, with proposals for enhanced access to leave benefits and job security provisions. This focus on paraprofessionals underscored the board’s intention to address various staff concerns comprehensively.

The meeting then transitioned to discussions on school safety policies, particularly the first reading of a new policy incorporating sex offender registry information into background checks for school employees and volunteers. This update aimed to bolster existing safety protocols, with calls for separate state database queries raising questions about current process efficiencies.

In addition to these operational discussions, the board celebrated community engagement and student accomplishments. The meeting began with the recognition of Eric Wallace, a social studies teacher honored as the grand marshal of the Veterans Day parade by the Norton Veterans Council. This recognition was followed by celebrating a group of students who achieved perfect scores on the spring 2025 MCCAST assessments. The chair expressed pride in these students, acknowledging their hard work and comprehension of complex academic material.

The meeting further highlighted ongoing community engagement at JCS, including a recent Veterans Day ceremony that invited veterans and community members to participate. Despite weather conditions forcing the event indoors for the first time, students displayed respect and engagement, introducing themselves to veteran family members. However, PreK students were unable to attend this year, in contrast to their participation in previous outdoor ceremonies.

The board also discussed changes in school scheduling and programming, notably reducing daily lunch periods from four to three to allow staff more time for other responsibilities. Adjustments were made to class timings to provide specialists a five-minute transition between classes, facilitating better time management for teachers. The introduction of physical education for PreK students was positively received, and a rotation for library visits was reinstated for younger students.

The meeting concluded with discussions on budget planning for the upcoming year, setting a timeline for budget requests from school principals and administration by December 10, with the first budget presentation scheduled for January 28. The continuous challenges of budget planning were acknowledged, with gratitude expressed for the collective efforts of all involved.