School Committee adopts Cushing's four evaluation goals
School Committee · Meeting of September 23, 2026
Beverly School Committee accepts $1.7 million in grants while fiscal 2026 books stay open. Director of Finance Rob Mullen told the Finance and Facilities Subcommittee the city's books remain unclosed six weeks after the town accountant departed, delaying the district's state year-end report past its September 30 deadline. The committee accepted $1,521,629 and $39,494 in federal special-education grants, plus $20,000, $33,500 and $50,000 in state grants, voting 6-0, while tabling a $13,075 Beverly Education Foundation gift to avoid double-counting a prior approval.
A dispute over whether sub-accounts within student activity funds need individual legal reauthorization left two new accounts, for the Class of 2030 and a Mock Trial Club, in limbo pending research by Mullen and subcommittee chair Harndon. The full committee later voted 8-0 to adopt four "SMARTIE" goals for Superintendent Dr. Cushing's spring evaluation and approved a roughly $30,000 music department bus trip for 104 students.
"That put a lot of stress and pressure on the accounting department at City Hall," Mullen said of the staffing turnover.
In the full story:
- Who Was There
- Organizations And Documents Referenced
- The complete report — 3,700 words
Source: the School Committee meeting of September 23, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.
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