Concord Board of Education Special Meeting | 6-8-26

The Concord School District Board of Education held a special meeting on June 8, 2026, primarily focused on community concerns regarding a proposed new traffic plan for school bus routes associated with a new school construction project. Residents expressed strong opposition to routing 19 school buses through residential neighborhoods lacking sidewalks, citing safety, traffic congestion, and quality of life issues. The board discussed the challenges of balancing professional traffic engineering recommendations with neighborhood input. Additionally, the board reviewed value engineering recommendations for the new school construction, approving $1.36 million in cost-saving measures. The board also ratified one-year contracts with educational tutors and the Concord Association, including health insurance plan changes. A significant agenda item was the approval to set a public hearing for July 13, 2026, regarding ballot questions on selling unneeded district properties, including the Dewey School and Curtisville Road land, with discussion on timing and public engagement. Finally, the board approved a three-year contract to provide SAU leadership services to the Pittsfield School District for approximately $263,000 in year one, with provisions for financial and HR oversight and transparent reporting of expenses. Motions related to contract approvals, value engineering savings, and setting public hearings were passed during the meeting.