Athletic Director Jeff Maidman presented a stark financial overview to the School Committee, reporting that the cost to operate Duxbury’s athletic programs has reached approximately $1.2 million annually. Maidman noted that while student participation remains high at roughly 70 percent of the student body, revenue from gate receipts and user fees has plummeted by 16 percent. Everything else costs—rental fees, officials fees go up, transportation goes up, Maidman explained, emphasizing that fee structures have remained stagnant for a decade. Business Manager Lisa Freley added that as graduating classes shrink, the athletics program is increasing its reliance on the general fund to support it. Laurel Deacon noted the community's historical support, stating, I think the parents in Duxbury are very generous for their kids and for the programs.

The committee discussed several potential revenue streams to bridge the gap, including field banners, digital advertising on the Huddle streaming platform, and charging for replay access to games. Matt Gambino pointed out that existing town regulations present a hurdle, noting, The town has a bylaw about signs and advertising. To address these challenges, the board moved to create a formal study group. Motion Made by Matt Gambino to assign Dr. Klingaman to form a working group for the purpose of investigating revenue sources for the athletic program and to come back with a set of proposals by sometime in the fall of 2026. Jen Weedon weighed the success of the programs against their costs, remarking, It seems like it’s working well here because people are participating, but then there’s also obviously fiscal sustainability. Vote Passed 5-0

In a midyear achievement update, administrators celebrated significant gains in literacy following the adoption of new curriculum materials. Sarah Milner, Elementary Curriculum Supervisor, shared data placing Duxbury in the high-performance, high-growth quadrant. We really love this visual here because it really showcases our literacy for the middle of the year, Milner said. While reading scores were strong, math performance showed more room for growth, particularly at the elementary level. Student learning and growth is complex and it’s also individualized, noted Dr. Wilcox during a review of the district's support frameworks. Kathryn Marshall praised the depth of the data shared with the community, stating, I really appreciate the year-over-year information too because it is so helpful—we don't remember things year-over-year.

Superintendent Dr. Danielle Klingaman highlighted the ongoing progress in middle school mathematics, noting, We now have the high-quality math curriculum at the middle school that are really lending itself to us seeing continued improvements. The committee also addressed procedural items regarding the FY27 budget and the Alden School building project. Kellie Bresnehan clarified the board's unified stance on the district's spending plan, stating, I think we just decided that as a board we want to make it official that we are endorsing the school committee budget of 4.83%. Looking ahead to next year's schedule, Bresnehan observed that Labor Day is very late this year on September 7th, which will push the start of the 2026-2027 school year into late August.

The meeting concluded with the first reading of several policy updates, including a significant change to the district’s tobacco policy. Administrators recommended expanding prohibitions to include all nicotine products, regardless of tobacco content, to keep pace with evolving trends in student use. The meeting was adjourned at 1:16:54