Committee approves Puerto Rico trip, advances policies

School Committee · Meeting of October 28, 2026

BEVERLY — The Beverly School Committee voted 8-0 to approve a spring 2027 eighth-grade trip to San Juan, Puerto Rico, and gave a first reading to new travel and e-bike policies. Teachers Alyson Nichols, Lydia Ames and Edgar de Leon presented the trip, priced at roughly $2,568 per student through vendor Explorica, covering airfare, lodging, excursions and a tour guide. A micro-mobility device policy restricting scooters and e-bikes on school grounds drew debate, with one member warning "I think there needs to be a little bit more concrete discipline" and another countering "not all children are the same, not all children are wild gremlins." Chair Visnick pushed the second reading on both policies to November 18 after members Harnden and Taylor, heading to a state conference, reported constituent feedback.

Superintendent Dr. Cushing also announced the district's eight electric buses saved roughly $1 million in grant-funded purchases, and the committee held a moment of silence for middle school nurse Katie Tobin, whose family's fundraiser has drawn nearly $100,000.

In the full story:

• Elementary School MCAS Presentations
• Policy First Readings: International Travel and Micro-Mobility Devices
• Puerto Rico Trip Proposal
• Operational Sustainability and Finance Updates
• Wellness Committee: Food Equity in Classroom Celebrations
• Committee Reports and Moment of Silence
• Who Was There
• Organizations And Documents Referenced
• The complete report: 2,851 words

Source: the School Committee meeting of October 28, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.

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