The Pembroke School Committee on Dec. 2 voted unanimously to authorize the district to file a Massachusetts School Administrators Association (MSAA) waiver to allow eighth-graders to participate on the high school winter cheer squad.

The superintendent explained the winter program currently has four or five participants and that the district needs eight to field a squad. The waiver would permit younger students to join the high-school winter team; the superintendent said youth cheer participation in Pembroke is strong and that inviting eighth-graders could help sustain the program.

A committee member moved the motion to approve filing the MSAA waiver; another committee member seconded. The chair called the vote and recorded the outcome as 5–0 in favor.

The committee’s approval authorizes district administrators to pursue the waiver filing with MSAA; no further conditions were attached during the meeting.