Middleton School Committee Adopts New Restraint Policy
School Board · Meeting of August 3, 2026
Middleton School Committee adopts new restraint and seclusion policy amid safety concerns. The panel voted unanimously to approve a redlined version of Policy JKAA, required under new state regulations by August 17, after student services administrator Matt warned that rules limiting staff from blocking students from exiting a room could increase reliance on physical restraint, calling it "always a very last resort." Project manager Clifford told the committee the Fuller Meadow roof and HVAC project, led by Stanley Roofing of Ipswich, is on track for substantial completion before school opens, though door replacement work will likely slip into the fall. Assistant Superintendent Steve Greenberg closed out fiscal 2026 with a $104,000 general fund deficit to be zeroed out through year-end transfers, and flagged a roughly 15 percent first-draft health insurance premium increase for fiscal 2027.
The superintendent also outlined a pending state bill that could send Middleton about $84,000 in one-time Chapter 70 funding.
In the full story:
- Who Was There
- Organizations And Documents Referenced
- The complete report — 3,752 words
Source: the School Board meeting of August 3, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.
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