Regular School Committee Meeting - November 10, 2026

The Regular Peabody School Committee meeting was held November 10, 2026. The committee approved four warrants, subject to audit: warrant 655 for $96.13, warrant 6556 for $149,230.97, warrant 6557 for $584,209.75, and warrant 6559 for $142,765.57. The CFO presented the FY2027 first-quarter operating-budget report: the district had spent $13,783,523 and encumbered $38,172,561 of its $101,967,320 appropriation. Budget pressures discussed included health insurance, declining entitlement-grant offsets, and transportation. The district budgeted for 26 yellow buses through Healy Bus at $90,000 per bus, then added a 27th bus to address delays and capacity; staff are seeking route efficiencies. The committee also accepted a donation from the J. B. Thomas and Leahy Foundation for the high school post-graduation program; no amount was stated.

The committee received an update on the MSBA high school project, with school-building committee meetings moving to a biweekly schedule as preliminary construction planning proceeds; site/security and educational-visioning work were on the upcoming agenda, with a community meeting anticipated in January. No construction contract award or procurement vote was reported. The committee voted to support a resolution opposing the proposed Pioneer Charter School expansion, citing potential effects on district funding and transportation costs. The vote was 5–1, with one member opposed. The committee also accepted the amended quarterly budget report by roll call and approved prior meeting minutes.