School Committee Endorses Building Oversight Rule
Gardner School Committee endorses tighter oversight rule for building projects, not unanimously.
School Committee · Meeting of September 14, 2026
Gardner School Committee endorses tighter oversight rule for building projects, not unanimously. Vice Chairperson Rachel Cormier led the push for a City Charter Section 40 amendment after the panel learned it was left out of the loop on a summer project; member Paul Cormier warned it could let the mayor "veto" needed repairs. The board authorized up to $750,000 in School Choice and state revolving funds to finish lighting and sound at the Gardner High School auditorium, ratified a stipend deal paying two English-language-learner teachers $9,900 each annually, and cleared $3,746,909.75 in warrants held over the summer.
New member Veronica Gray was seated; longtime member Jennifer Pelavin was honored following her resignation. Superintendent Mark Pellegrino set a goal of 75 percent of K-2 students reading at grade level.
In the full story:
- Who Was There
- Organizations And Documents Referenced
- The complete report — 3,067 words
Source: the School Committee meeting of September 14, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.
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