Mahar School Committee Ratifies Superintendent Contract 7-1, Bans Student Cell Phones

ATHOL -- June 11, 2026, Athol's Mahar Regional School Committee ratified a new three-year superintendent contract 7-1 and unanimously adopted a cell phone ban set to take effect this fall. Acting Chair Pat Smith presided in place of the absent committee chair at the June 11 meeting, where the board also voted unanimously to approve a new ESP collective bargaining contract covering school years 2026-27 through 2028-29. Under the adopted cell phone policy, middle and high school students must store phones in locked classroom boxes from 7:45 a.m. to 2:05 p.m., while elementary students may not bring phones to campus at all; exceptions apply for students with IEPs, 504 plans, or documented health needs. Director of Finance Michelle presented the fiscal year 2025 audit with no material findings, though auditors flagged $213,954 of the district's $4,669,357 bank balance as previously exposed to custodial credit risk, a gap since resolved through a collateralization agreement. The committee also approved a new attendance policy making students ineligible for extracurriculars after accumulating more than four unexcused absences in a quarter, with members raising equity concerns about students whose families struggle to produce medical documentation.