The Manchester-Essex Regional School Committee on Oct. 7 voted to charge its Policy & Advocacy subcommittee with developing a formal communications plan and separately approved a motion to issue a monthly written communication summarizing prior meetings and announcing upcoming agendas.

The first motion tasks the Policy & Advocacy subcommittee with creating a communications roadmap for approval by the full committee. Some members urged the subcommittee to prioritize work and triage tasks so the committee’s limited time focuses on the highest priorities.

The committee then approved a related motion to issue a monthly written communication for the 2025–26 school year. That motion specifies that a draft will be generated monthly by a designated school committee member in partnership with the superintendent, presented for approval at the first business meeting of the month, and then disseminated via local print media, official district social channels (with comments turned off) and an opt-in email list. The maker of the motion volunteered to serve as the initial drafter for the year.

Members discussed the legal and ethical limits of school-committee communications around ballot initiatives and elections. The superintendent and staff reported they had consulted the Office of Campaign and Political Finance (the transcript refers to the Office of Campaign Finance) on a prior communication and were advised about the technical neutrality rules; no fines were assessed for that prior matter, but officials said the advice reinforced the need to run potential ballot-related communications past the agency. The meeting referenced MGL c.5, §318(b) (described at the meeting as an authority permitting towns to publish neutral voter information) as a possible legal avenue for district communications on ballot questions, subject to counsel review.

The two motions passed; the committee expects the subcommittee to return with a proposed communications plan for full-committee approval and the monthly update format to be reviewed as a standard agenda item.