Pembroke School Committee Advances Cell Phone Policy Survey as District Prepares for State Compliance Review
PEMBROKE - November 18 - The Pembroke School Committee unanimously approved a mobile phone usage survey on Tuesday evening as part of a professional development initiative that could reshape how students use technology in schools, while simultaneously addressing multiple policy changes mandated ahead of a state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education review scheduled for December 1st.
The Full Story
The mobile phone survey, designed by district staff as part of their professional development work, will gather feedback from students, staff, and families about current cell phone usage in schools. The nine-question survey asks respondents about what students are using phones for and whether they believe such usage is beneficial or detrimental to the learning environment. School Committee member Allison Glennon emphasized the importance of including information about pending state legislation that could limit local control over cell phone policies.
Student Advisory Council member Joe provided insight into current practices at Pembroke High School, noting significant inconsistency across classrooms. “Some classes we’ll use our phones all the time for classwork. Like in AP Psychology, he’ll put questions up on the board and we’ll submit our answers through our phones. And then some classes, we’ll get detention if we even see one on our desk,” Joe explained. Assistant Superintendent Marybeth Brust indicated the staff group hopes to present a draft policy to Superintendent Erin Obey by the end of the professional development window.
The committee also approved a Plymouth County Comfort Dogs Program survey in partnership with Bridgewater State University. The survey will evaluate the impact of Sasha, the comfort dog that works alongside School Resource Officer Mary Beth Simmons. School Committee Chair David Boyle acknowledged that “Sasha has her own Instagram page” and noted the dog has become extremely popular with students throughout the district.
The meeting’s substantial policy work centered on preparations for the upcoming DESE Cycle B compliance review focused on civil rights issues including special education and Title IX. DESE representative Julie Evans had provided advance feedback on submitted documents, allowing the district to make corrections before the December 1st site visit to avoid official findings.
Director of Special Education Jessica DeLorenzo explained that DESE’s requirements have evolved since the district’s last review three years ago, partly due to a federal review of the state agency itself. “You may have been approved the last time around. So we had to do some updated trainings with staff as well,” DeLorenzo said, noting that even documents previously deemed acceptable now required additional explicit language rather than hyperlinks to referenced policies.
The committee approved several policy updates on first reading, including Policy ACB on Equal Access and Annual Evaluation of K-12 Programming and its accompanying procedures (ACB-R). Superintendent Obey characterized this as “explication of the obvious,” noting the district already evaluates programs annually but DESE now requires a standalone policy stating this practice. No sample policy exists yet from the Massachusetts Association of School Committees, though Obey anticipates one will be forthcoming as all districts in the same review cycle face identical requirements.
The committee approved revisions to Policy JKKA-R on Physical Restraint and Behavior Support procedures, incorporating detailed procedures into the main policy document as requested by DESE. The district also approved revisions to its Bullying Prevention and Intervention Plan, with DeLorenzo explaining that red-line changes reflected language that had appeared in previous versions but had been lost through various document iterations over the past decade.
The most contentious discussion involved required updates to all three student handbooks—elementary, Pembroke Community Middle School, and Pembroke High School. The revisions include definitions from the bullying intervention plan, language about reengagement practices when suspension occurs, and removal of text suggesting disciplinary obligations could carry over to the next school year. Obey clarified that long-term suspensions under different statutes have different rules, but routine detentions cannot follow students into a new academic year, though end-of-year privileges like prom attendance or walking at graduation could still be affected by outstanding discipline issues.
School Committee member Allison Glennon expressed frustration at having to revise handbooks that had been distributed at the start of the school year. “This makes it look like we’re unprepared. And yet you guys worked, and then we did it,” Glennon said, noting the handbooks were completed before school started and already signed by families during K-14 registration. School Committee member Sue Bollinger echoed this sentiment, calling the requirements “an overreach” and noting the Policy Subcommittee had engaged in “really meaningful conversations” the previous year about linking to policies rather than duplicating content.
DeLorenzo confirmed that when she asked the DESE representative whether linking to the updated bullying prevention plan would suffice, the answer was definitively no—the specific language must appear explicitly in the handbooks. Obey assured the committee that failure to obtain updated family signatures on the revised handbooks would not prevent the district from implementing established practices regarding discipline, attendance, or grading, as the changes are not substantive in that sense. However, the revised handbooks must be posted by December 1st to avoid a compliance finding. The committee ultimately approved the handbook revisions by a 5-0 vote, though members voiced strong objections to what they viewed as state overreach.
The meeting included extensive reports on the Massachusetts Association of School Committees (MASC) annual conference attended by School Committee members Katrina Delaney and Sue Bollinger. Delaney presented detailed information from multiple sessions covering topics including outlier behavior on school committees, school building needs, using data to close achievement gaps, crisis communication, and addressing incidents of harm or bias.
Delaney highlighted key takeaways including the importance of viewing disagreement on school committees as potentially productive rather than inherently dysfunctional, provided a toxic environment doesn’t deter dissent. She suggested the committee consider an annual self-evaluation and meeting protocol review, potentially around the same time as the superintendent evaluation. One district mentioned in conference sessions has a policy ending all meetings at 9 p.m. regardless of remaining agenda items.
On communication strategies, Delaney noted that “unverified incidents of something like discrimination still creates real harm for communities whether it happened or not.” She described a tiered framework presented for addressing such incidents that supports the entire community throughout the investigation process. Bollinger highlighted a session on municipal collaboration, including ideas like having National Honor Society students breakfast with the Council on Aging and quarterly meetings among board chairs to discuss capital planning and tour each other’s facilities.
Both members attended the keynote address by new DESE Commissioner Pedro Martinez (not the baseball player, as Obey clarified), who outlined strategic objectives including supporting the whole student, enhancing learning experiences, building a diverse and effective workforce, and expanding college and career pathways. Delaney praised Bollinger for productive conversations at the conference about how their different personal beliefs and ideologies strengthen the committee’s ability to represent diverse community perspectives and model respectful public disagreement.
Superintendent Obey presented her fifteenth annual evaluation to the committee, with all members providing written feedback and public comments. School Committee member Sue Bollinger commended Obey’s leadership through “post-pandemic stabilization and fiscal realignment, facility improvements, and a renewed focus on community engagement.” Bollinger particularly praised Obey’s handling of the Hobomock Elementary School air quality issue, calling it “a standout example of responsiveness and professionalism” involving coordination with state and local experts and formation of a staff committee to report any concerns.
Bollinger also recognized Obey’s work during the South Shore Tech exploratory process, specifically “making sure that we were protected legally with our regional agreement, especially if we weren’t going to move forward with funding.” She noted Obey’s professional and empathetic approach to community concerns around classroom neutrality, a difficult topic where Obey maintained professionalism “no matter what someone believed.”
School Committee member Katrina Delaney rated Obey as “exemplary” in the areas of laws, ethics and policies, fiscal systems, and family concerns. Delaney highlighted that Obey has served as both superintendent and business manager since her arrival, “saving us over $100,000 a year annually every year that she’s here because she’s serving multiple roles.” Delaney noted that the district hasn’t required a budget override since 2014, calling this achievement evidence of “effective resource management and aligning our expenditures with district priorities.”
Delaney praised Obey’s consistency in responding to family concerns, noting she always follows the same protocol regardless of which family raises an issue. “You’re constantly making sure that we’re following the same protocol, regardless of the family or the issue, which I think is just—it’s the way it should be, but also not always in some districts the way it is,” Delaney said.
School Committee Vice Chair Allison Glennon called Obey “a fiscal budget ninja” and noted she “always shows up prepared, no matter when the meeting is, how much time she’s had leading up to it.” Glennon highlighted Obey’s commitment to professional development, noting she has taken courses to become “a mold air quality expert” to better understand facilities issues. “I can’t think of any other people that would take their time to do that,” Glennon said.
School Committee member Katrina Scarsciotti, the newest member, rated Obey as “proficient” in most areas and “exceeds expectations” in fiscal systems, despite her limited time on the committee. Chair David Boyle, serving his ninth year, emphasized that Obey holds “literally two full-time jobs rolled into one person” and joked about looking for “the Wonder Woman cape at the end of the day.” Boyle noted the committee has never failed to deliver an on-time, on-budget financial result with a surplus during his tenure. “When most of the people in the room are playing checkers, Erin is playing chess. She’s about three moves ahead of you,” Boyle said.
Obey, completing her fifteenth year with the district, responded with self-deprecation about the “fiscal ninjaness” being evident in motion-sensor lights that frequently shut off during meetings. She acknowledged the challenges of the position but emphasized the rewards. “It is so rewarding. Mary Beth, Jess, and I are fortunate to sit right here in the corner at North Pembroke and hear our preschool students every single day,” Obey said, adding that “it is the kids and our staff that make it worth it every single day.”
In subcommittee reports, Obey announced that the Negotiations Subcommittee held its eighteenth meeting since January with the Pembroke Teachers Association, working toward successor agreements for four collective bargaining units. The subcommittee scheduled another meeting for Friday evening, with Obey expressing optimism about reaching agreements before the end of the calendar year. School Committee member Katrina Delaney thanked Glennon and Obey for their extensive time commitment, noting the schedule had unintentionally aligned negotiations meetings with strategic planning sessions every week.
The Vocational Planning Subcommittee met Tuesday afternoon to discuss updating frequently asked questions about the South Shore Tech proposal and planning educational opportunities for the community ahead of the spring town meeting vote. The subcommittee plans to meet with Council on Aging members in January, coordinate with existing community center programming, and present at both a mock town meeting and the actual town meeting.
The Strategic Planning Committee continues its accelerated schedule, holding its third of six meetings on Wednesday. The committee has broken into stakeholder subgroups to analyze survey feedback, focus group results, and district data to identify “three to five big rocks” that repeatedly surfaced in the feedback. The next meeting will focus on refining the district’s mission and vision statements. Obey explained the accelerated schedule ensures the strategic plan document will be available during the budget development process, with completion targeted for late January or early February.
The committee addressed logistics for the Student Advisory Council, with School Committee members confirming they can communicate via email about scheduling details like meeting times and locations without violating the Open Meeting Law, provided they avoid discussing agenda topics or matters subject to committee votes. Student Advisory Council representative Joe indicated that 4 p.m. on Tuesdays works best for the student members, as it follows the end of most after-school clubs. The council’s next meeting is scheduled for the following Tuesday at 4 p.m., with Chair Boyle promising to bring pizza, setting “the bar a little high” for other committee members, as he joked.
For upcoming meetings, Obey announced she will present the fiscal year 2027 maintenance of effort budget at the December 2nd meeting. She explained she deliberately postponed the budget presentation from the current meeting to allow negotiations to conclude Friday, enabling the budget to reflect a tentative agreement with the unions rather than assumptions. The committee will also receive school improvement plans at that meeting. The committee confirmed meeting dates of December 2nd and 16th, and January 13th and 20th, all at 6 p.m. Joe noted that January 13th falls during midterm exams week and is also his birthday, with committee members encouraging him to prioritize his studies and celebrations over attendance.
Why It Matters
The mobile phone policy survey represents a potentially significant shift in how Pembroke students interact with technology during the school day. With inconsistent classroom practices currently creating confusion for students and pending state legislation that may mandate certain restrictions, this survey gives families, students, and staff an opportunity to shape local policy before decisions are made at the state level. The results could influence whether students continue using devices for educational purposes in some classes while being prohibited from having them in others, or whether a more uniform approach emerges. For parents concerned about screen time and digital distractions, this survey offers a voice in the process before policies are finalized.
The extensive policy updates required before the December 1st state compliance review illustrate how federal oversight of state education agencies cascades down to affect local districts, sometimes requiring changes to practices and documents that were previously deemed acceptable. While district officials emphasized that substantive practices aren’t changing—Pembroke already evaluates programs annually, already has reengagement practices for suspended students, and already implements bullying prevention protocols—the requirement to document these practices explicitly in multiple locations creates additional administrative work and necessitates collecting thousands of new handbook signatures from families mid-year. The tension between local control and state mandates was evident in committee members’ frustration, even as they ultimately voted to comply to avoid formal findings that would require corrective action plans. Families should be aware they will be asked to sign updated handbooks in the coming weeks, though the changes reflect existing practices rather than new policies affecting their students.
Meeting Minutes
Key Motions & Votes
Motion: Approval of school committee meeting minutes from October 21st and November 6th, with minor edits. Outcome: Approved. Vote: 5-0 unanimous. (Timestamp: 25:09)
Motion: Approval of Plymouth County Comfort Dogs Program Evaluation survey. Outcome: Approved. Vote: 5-0 unanimous. (Timestamp: 54:24)
Motion: Approval of Pembroke Public Schools Mobile Phone Policy Survey as amended to include information about pending state legislation. Outcome: Approved. Vote: 5-0 unanimous. (Timestamp: 57:30)
Motion: First read of Policy ACB (Equal Access and Annual Evaluation of K-12 Programming) and Policy ACB-R (procedures). Outcome: Approved for first read. Vote: 5-0 unanimous. (Timestamp: 1:00:59)
Motion: First read and approval of Policy JKKA-R (Physical Restraint and Behavior Support procedures). Outcome: Approved. Vote: 5-0 unanimous. (Timestamp: 1:02:14)
Motion: Approval of revisions to District Bullying Prevention and Intervention Plan. Outcome: Approved. Vote: 5-0 unanimous. (Timestamp: 1:04:17)
Motion: Approval of revisions to Student Handbooks for Elementary, Pembroke Community Middle School, and Pembroke High School. Outcome: Approved. Vote: 5-0 unanimous. (Timestamp: 1:14:16)
Motion: Enter executive session pursuant to Chapter 30A, Section 21A.3 to discuss collective bargaining strategy. Outcome: Approved by roll call vote. Vote: 5-0 unanimous. (Timestamp: 1:20:37)
Public Comment
No members of the public spoke during the public comment period. Student Advisory Council member Joe provided feedback during the discussion of the mobile phone policy survey, describing the current inconsistent practices at Pembroke High School where some teachers require phone use for classwork while others issue detention for having phones visible. Joe also noted that one of the upcoming school committee meetings in January falls during midterm exams week and on his birthday.
What’s Next
The school committee will meet on December 2nd at 6 p.m., when Superintendent Obey will present the fiscal year 2027 maintenance of effort budget and school improvement plans. The Negotiations Subcommittee will meet Friday evening in continued efforts to reach tentative agreements with all four bargaining units before the end of the calendar year. The Strategic Planning Committee meets Wednesday for its third of six sessions to refine the district mission and vision and identify key priorities based on stakeholder feedback. The Vocational Planning Subcommittee will coordinate educational opportunities for the community regarding the South Shore Tech proposal ahead of spring town meeting, including a presentation to the Council on Aging in January. DESE will conduct its Cycle B compliance site visit on December 1st to review civil rights issues including special education and Title IX. The mobile phone usage and comfort dog surveys will be distributed to students, staff, and families in the coming weeks. Additional school committee meetings are scheduled for December 16th, January 13th, and January 20th, all at 6 p.m.