MARBLEHEAD — The Marblehead School Committee on Tuesday approved several policy revisions, adopted a domestic violence awareness proclamation, reviewed progress on superintendent goals, and discussed next steps for installing lights at Piper Field.
Three policy revisions were approved by the committee, and one was rescinded
Committee members voted unanimously to approve three updated policies and rescind one outdated measure.
The committee “voted unanimously to revise the Public Comment at School Committee Meetings policy (BHE) to remove ‘obscenities’ alone as grounds to terminate speaking, while retaining guardrails against threats, incitement, or disorder, ” said Kate Schmeckpeper, vice chair of the School Committee.
They also voted to “update the Use of Electronic Messaging by School Committee Members policy to reflect district-issued, archived emails and modern practices,” and to “revise the School Committee Member Compensation & Expenses policy to remove inapplicable municipal language and clarify that members may not be employed by the district,” Schmeckpeper noted.
The committee further “rescinded School Committee Memberships (BKA) as unnecessary, given existing practice and guidance,” according to Schmeckpeper.
Members adopted a proclamation recognizing October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month in Marblehead Public Schools.
“The committee approved a proclamation recognizing October 2025 as Domestic Violence Awareness Month in Marblehead Public Schools, encouraging participation in education and prevention efforts,” member Jennifer Schaeffner said.
The proclamation also honors the work of community partners, including HAWC, the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, and the YMCA. Staff will make minor corrections before the final document is signed and posted.
Superintendent John Robidoux reported on his three ongoing goals: professional practice, district improvement planning, and student learning.
For professional practice, which focused on staffing patterns, he said progress was moderate. “He called the goal overly broad and pledged a deeper, classroom-level review as part of this year’s budget process,” according to Robidoux.
He described a draft district improvement plan “built around six goal areas” that is circulating with administrators and staff, with plans to share a full version in January.
On student learning, Robidoux said there had been “significant progress” in promoting student voice. “Principals have expanded grade-appropriate structures for student input; cross-school ‘learning walks’ are surfacing and spreading effective practices,” he noted.
Committee members agreed to complete the superintendent’s end-of-cycle assessments soon and “convene a public workshop to assemble the composite evaluation,” Schmeckpeper said.
Schaeffner said that the aim is to present and vote on the composite at either the Oct. 30 or Nov. 6 meeting, depending on scheduling.
The committee also discussed a recent Planning Board decision allowing limited use of lights and a public address system at Piper Field.
Robidoux said that the Planning Board voted to allow limited use of field lights, up to 89 minutes per school day between the fall and spring seasons, and up to 12 uses of the PA system, subject to subsequent Zoning Board of Appeals action.
Before proceeding with the district, as applicant will need a School Committee vote before filing with the ZBA, and legal counsel is recommended for the application process.
Schaeffner emphasized the importance of being “good neighbors” to residents, citing concerns about “student parking behavior, litter, and off-hours adult league conduct.”
Robidoux said the district has worked with police and event staff on “gate controls and active monitoring” and encouraged residents to report issues directly.
The Planning Board has also asked the district to “track usage and return after one year with data,” Schaeffner said.
