By John Barrella

MIDDLEBOROUGH — The Middleborough School Committee returns to the Middleborough High School auditorium Thursday evening for its first meeting of the month, with a agenda that pairs feel-good student recognitions with two pieces of business likely to draw more scrutiny: a first reading of a new policy tied to the state’s PROTECT Act and an updated version of the district’s bullying prevention handbook.

The meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. at 71 East Grove Street in the Middleborough High School auditorium.

A required policy on immigration enforcement

Near the top of the agenda’s discussion items, the committee’s Policy, Protocol and Committee Operations Subcommittee is scheduled to bring forward a first read of a policy referred to on the agenda simply as the “Protect Act.”

The item follows a state law, signed this year, that generally bars civil immigration arrests on school grounds without a judicial warrant and requires public schools to adopt formal policies governing how staff interact with civil law enforcement. Gov. Maura Healey’s administration released model policy language and guidance for districts on Aug. 25, with a compliance deadline of Sept. 1 or the first day of the 2026-2027 school year, whichever came first. Districts statewide have been working through the same first-read process now landing on Middleborough’s agenda, adapting the state’s model language or writing their own version for local adoption.

A first read typically means the subcommittee is presenting draft language for initial committee discussion, not final approval — a formal vote would likely come at a subsequent meeting.

Bullying handbook revisions

Later in the agenda, Superintendent’s Report includes what’s listed as revisions and updates to the district’s bullying prevention handbook, though the posted agenda does not detail the specific changes. The superintendent is also expected to brief the committee on a review of the opening day of the 2026-2027 school year.

Student recognitions open the meeting

Before the committee turns to policy matters, Thursday’s session opens with a “Student Spotlight” segment featuring three presentations:

• An introduction to the district’s kindergarten program, presented by educators Carly Paling and Courtney Secher.
• Recognition under the state’s Seal of Biliteracy program, presented by Caterina Swanson.
• An update on the StartStrong initiative, presented by Paul Branagan.

Student representatives Grace Lynch and Ian Pina-Doherty are also scheduled to deliver a report to the committee, a standing feature of Middleborough School Committee meetings that gives students a formal voice in the public session.

Grant funding and routine business

Two items are slated for the consent agenda, meaning they are typically approved together without individual discussion unless a member requests otherwise: a $62,168 Youthworks grant and the minutes of the committee’s Aug. 27 meeting.

The committee’s single formal action item Thursday is a vote to select a voting delegate to the Massachusetts Association of School Committees’ annual business meeting.

Also on the agenda

The committee is also expected to be briefed on an upcoming fundraiser: a family dance at Mary K. Goode Elementary School scheduled for Oct. 16.

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This article previews an upcoming public meeting based on the agenda posted by the Middleborough Town Clerk’s Office pursuant to the state’s Open Meeting Law. Details of the “Protect Act” policy language and bullying handbook revisions were not included in the posted agenda; The G.O.A.T. News will follow up after Thursday’s meeting with reporting on what was discussed and decided.