WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — The Mount Greylock Regional School Committee on Thursday moved forward with a proposal to fund a consultant with about $66,000 of Williamstown's American Rescue Plan Act funds.

 

Meanwhile, it held off on a decision about whether to resuscitate the middle-high school's Latin program, scheduling a special meeting for Tuesday, June 18, to make that call.

 

The 4-0-1 vote on the DEI consultant work came after the Select Board earlier in the week affirmed its support for the idea, which was brought to both the town and school district by parents concerned about the school district's policies about and response to "bias-based, hate, bullying and Title IX incidents."

 

The parents are asking the district to hire a consultant to review the district's current policies and how it measures progress in making the schools more equitable and inclusive. The parents group also hope the consultant can advise the district on its communications practices, hiring and retention of staff and implementation of restorative justice.

 

"The deliverables from this review should include actionable best practices updates to policies and protocols and sustainable recommendations for measurable change," according to a memo from the parents to the School Committee.

 

Interim Superintendent Joseph Bergeron, who has consulted with the parents group, told the School Committee that the next step following Thursday's vote would be to assemble a committee to draft a request for proposals to find a consultant.

 

In the meantime, Bergeron said, the district would not wait for the consultant but continue to do its own internal review of its policies and procedures to address concerns raised by, among others, the district's Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging/Parent Caregiver Action Network.