School Committee Delays Vote on 3 Union Deals

School Committee · Meeting of September 9, 2026

Beverly School Committee delays vote on three settled union contracts after an initial tabling motion failed 4-5. Member Harnden pressed Superintendent Dr. Cushing on whether "we are supremely confident in the numbers" in the administrative assistants' agreement before the body voted 8-1 to push the matter to a special or future meeting.

The committee separately approved, 9-0, a $1,392-per-student eighth grade trip to Quebec City run by tour operator Promator. Dr. Cushing told members he is "seriously considering a district ban" on e-bikes and e-scooters through eighth grade after three diesel buses broke down in the opening weeks of school and families reported children arriving up to an hour late.

A resident, Samantha Lavadier, used public comment to question the district's decades-old school-assignment map after her son with an IEP was districted away from a school within a mile of home.

In the full story:

• Who Was There
• Organizations And Documents Referenced
• The complete report — 2,842 words

Source: the School Committee meeting of September 9, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.