NORWELL - June 8, 2026 - The Norwell School Committee advanced sweeping updates to its district-wide student-parent handbooks for the 2026-2027 school year, instituting a strict $15 replacement fee for lost library books and banning personal electronic devices on school bus rides. Alongside these updates, high school leadership outlined a comprehensive pivot toward a “Vision of a Learner” framework designed to redefine and measure core student competencies from kindergarten through graduation.
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The School Committee opened its regular session by approving its consent agenda, which included executive and regular session minutes from May 18, 2026, and accounts payable warrants signed by Committee members. The meeting quickly moved into major policy and administrative reports, dominated by systemic updates to student regulations and long-term academic strategy.
Superintendent Matt Keegan presented a comprehensive summary of revisions to the 2026-2027 student-parent and athletic handbooks. The updates span all grade levels, implementing website link cleanups, aligned health language, and specific operational adjustments. At the elementary level, the district established a standardized $15 replacement fee for lost library books. Furthermore, the district explicitly expanded its prohibition of personal electronic devices—including smartphones and smartwatches—to encompass the school day as well as bus rides to and from school.
Superintendent Keegan noted that further, more stringent updates regarding cell phones and smart devices remain on hold pending formal, final guidance from the state, which is expected by July 1.
Additional handbook alignments include matching middle school unexcused absence policies with high school standards. Secondary students participating in co-curricular activities will now be strictly required to attend at least half of the school day to remain eligible for that day’s events, unless a pre-approved, documented medical or dental excuse is provided to the main office. In athletic shifts, the high school handbook will reflect that the South Shore League has officially contracted from 11 member schools to 10 following Sandwich’s departure for the Cape Cod League. The Committee unanimously approved the handbook revisions on first reading.
