Sudbury Public Schools Committee Reorganizes, Welcomes New Members

The Sudbury Public Schools Committee began its Wednesday night meeting at the by choosing a new chair and vice chair.

Richard J. Robison was chosen as chair by a unanimous vote. Robison held this role previously, during the 2002-03 school year. He will officiate at meetings, sign the payroll and serve as the main contact for the media and for members of the public who have questions about School Committee business.

Lisa Gutch was chosen as vice chair. "I will be an active vice chair, so we can kind of divide and conquer," she said while accepting the post. 

Wednesday night's meeting also represented the first meeting for two new members of the School Committee. Robert Amour of Brookside Farm Lane and Lucie St. George of Concord Road won the seats during the March 26 election.  The races for the two open seats on the School Committee were uncontested.

"I'd also like to add my appreciation to Bob and Lucie for taking on these roles," Robison said during his first comments as chair.  "Certainly, it's a commitment."

Amour and St. George fill the seats vacated by Jeffrey Beeler and Susan Iuliano, who opted not to seek re-election.

Much of the discussion at Wednesday night's meeting focused on subcommittees and collaborations with other schools and school districts, and on choosing new liaisons to other Sudbury town committees. The Committee decided that Robison and Ellen Winner Joachim will continue their current work on a subcommittee that focuses on labor relations, and Armour will also join that subcommittee. St. George also signed on to various subcommittees.

Assignments to an anti-bullying committee were delayed until a future meeting. The Committee noted that Sudbury was pro-active in bullying prevention even before state law made it mandatory for every school district in Massachusetts to prepare and implement an anti-bullying plan.

The Sudbury Public Schools Committee is also preparing to welcome a new assistant superintendent. Todd Curtis will join Sudbury Public Schools in that position on July 1. He comes to Sudbury from Floral Street Elementary School in Shrewsbury.

The next School Committee meeting is set for Wednesday, May 30, at 7:30 pm at the Senior Center.

The first day of school for the 2012-13 school year in Sudbury is planned for Aug. 28.