School Committee Meeting 10-13-2026

At the October 13, 2026 Marlborough School Committee meeting, the committee discussed transportation contractor NRT’s continuing service and safety problems, which had risen to about 300 reported disruptions, including delays, missed pickups, mechanical issues, and safety incidents. District officials said they were meeting regularly with NRT, escalating concerns with legal counsel, and reviewing contractual next steps with the city; NRT had acknowledged driver shortages and provided an action plan, but the district had not seen significant improvement. The finance and operations report also recommended purchasing an 8-passenger, specially equipped vehicle for $99,955 to support student transportation and replace aging vehicles. A motion to approve the purchase was made and seconded, but the transcript ends before the vote result is recorded.

The superintendent reported that Fontaine had been brought on as construction manager for the Richer School project, with design discussions underway on classrooms, furniture, safety, and other facilities needs. The district also planned to submit a Chapter 74 grant application to expand its career and technical education partnership with Assabet, potentially including juniors, and had submitted interest in exploring a dual-language program. The committee discussed—but did not record a vote on—the proposed disposition of inactive student activity funds; members raised concerns about transferring the Class of 2022 and 2024 balances before those classes had an opportunity to use them for reunions. Draft district and superintendent goals were presented for review, with a vote deferred to the next meeting.