Brookline School Committee News

Each year after the Town election, the School Committee reorganizes and elects its leadership. At our recent reorganization meeting, Dr. Bob Weintraub was elected Chair and Danna Perry was elected Vice Chair for the coming year.

The Brookline School Committee is comprised of nine elected, volunteer members who serve staggered three-year terms. We encourage community members to visit the Public Schools of Brookline website to learn more about your School Committee members and the subcommittees on which they serve.

In Massachusetts, School Committees are responsible for governance, policy, long-range planning, budget oversight, and hiring and evaluating the Superintendent. The School Committee establishes goals and priorities for the district, while the Superintendent and administration are responsible for day-to-day operations and implementation.

In short, the School Committee helps set the direction for the district and monitors progress toward achieving that vision.

At our June 4 meeting, the School Committee launched a new agenda feature called Moments of Inspiration. While School Committee meetings often focus on budgets, policies, and governance, those responsibilities are ultimately in service of student learning. This new feature is intended to help keep that academic mission at the center of our work. The inaugural presentation featured Bass Value, a Brookline High School a cappella ensemble directed by Michael Driscoll. Their performance was a phenomenal reminder of the talent, creativity, and dedication that can be found throughout our schools.

The second Moments of Inspiration took place on June 18, when the School Committee honored educators and staff who have served the school district for 30-years/31-years. The thoughtful and inspiring remarks from our extraordinary honorees who have dedicated over three decades of their professional lives to our students are not to be missed! Click here to watch and listen.

One of the most valuable parts of serving on the School Committee is the opportunity to spend time in our schools and see teaching and learning firsthand.

Roland Hayes School
Committee members recently toured Hayes with Principal Sevelius, visiting classrooms, the school library, RISE programs, and the Maker Space. The visit highlighted the unique strengths of the K-8 model, including strong relationships, continuity, and a school culture in which students are deeply known and supported.

Brookline Early Education Program
Led by Margaret Eberhardt, Principal of Early Education, Committee members also visited the Brookline Early Education Program (BEEP), which serves children across 24 classrooms districtwide. Conversations focused on the critical role that early childhood education plays in developing executive functioning, self-regulation, confidence, and readiness for kindergarten and beyond.

Amos A. Lawrence School
Alongside Principal Vanessa Bilello, School Committee also had the opportunity to spend time at Lawrence. Lawrence's commitment to academic excellence and inclusion was evident throughout the school community. The visit served as another valuable reminder that while each Brookline school has its own unique culture and strengths, all are united by a shared commitment to helping every student realize their potential.

Justice in Action at Brookline High School
Brookline has long been recognized for educational innovation, and Brookline High School's Justice in Action course offers a powerful example.

Supported by the BHS Innovation Fund, this interdisciplinary elective is the brainchild of BHS Social Studies teacher Marcie Miller and English teacher Rob Primmer. More than just “learning in front of a white board,” the course connects students with community partners while engaging them in authentic research and real-world problem solving. Earlier this spring, students showcased their work at the annual Justice Fair, presenting projects developed in partnership with organizations including the Brookline Police Department, the Transformational Prison Project, and many others.

Courses like Justice in Action demonstrate how academic learning, civic engagement, and community partnership can come together to create powerful educational experiences for students.

Brookline Food Services
Whether through innovative academic programs like Justice in Action or districtwide sustainability initiatives, Brookline continues to be a place where new ideas are developed, tested, and shared. This month, members of the Newton School Committee, Newton City Council, and the Arlington Public Schools visited Brookline to learn more about PSB's food service sustainability and composting programs, which have diverted the equivalent of 36 school buses' worth of waste from our schools’ waste stream since 2022.

As the school year comes to a close, we want to congratulate the Class of 2026 and all students celebrating important milestones in the weeks ahead. Thank you to our students, educators, staff, families, and community partners for another year of growth and achievement. We wish everyone a safe, restful, and enjoyable summer.

Want to stay in the loop? Click here for meeting agendas and recordings, click here to watch negotiations with the Brookline Educators Union, and reach us anytime at school_committee@psbma.org. We'd love to hear from you.

Finally, if you regularly watch School Committee meetings live, please note that beginning in September 2026, our regular meetings will move to Wednesday nights at 6:00pm.

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