Amherst Gains Extra Seat On Regional School Panel

School Committee · Meeting of October 20, 2026

AMHERST — The Amherst-Pelham Regional School Committee voted 5-3 to create a Regional Agreement Review Advisory Committee giving Amherst four voting seats to three each for Pelham, Shutesbury and Leverett, after an equal-representation version deadlocked 4-4. Committee member Tim, who sponsored both motions, said the compromise would help "fashion a new agreement that wins consensus from all four towns." The committee also voted 8-0 to create two Unit C substitute "floater" positions and 7-0 to revive a Budget and Finance Subcommittee to invest roughly $1 million sitting idle in the district's OPEB trust. Superintendent Dr. Z reported bus routes run by contractor Cosmescus have dropped from 18 to 14 amid driver shortages, with some students arriving up to 45 minutes late.

Member William pressed the superintendent on bullying-reporting compliance gaps identified in a Strong Harbor investigation, saying the committee still lacks "a clear accounting" a year after a corrective-action vote.

In the full story:

• Public Comment: ICE Contingency Planning
• Consent Agenda and Gifts
• Subcommittee and Liaison Reports
• Director of Student Services Presentation
• Principal Updates and Chestnut Street Academy
• Student Handbooks
• Secondary Discipline, Attendance and Academic Data
• State of the School System
• Bullying Policy Compliance and the Strong Harbor Investigation
• Building Substitute Floater Positions
• Capital Needs, Budget Guidelines and Legal Counsel Memo
• OPEB Trust and Budget and Finance Subcommittee
• Who Was There
• Organizations And Documents Referenced
• The complete report: 4,064 words

Source: the School Committee meeting of October 20, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.

Checked against the record: before publication this article was automatically compared with the meeting transcript.