Gill-Montague School Committee Approves Paris-Rome Student Trip, Rates Superintendent Proficient

GILL — June 22, 2021 — Gill-Montague School Committee unanimously backs a student trip to Paris and Rome and rates its superintendent proficient. The committee voted to grant initial approval for an eight-day trip through travel company Explorica, proposed by teacher Megan Bendixson and a school administrator identified as Jess, with approximately 22 students expressing strong interest at a per-person cost of roughly $3,000. Business manager Joanne flagged approximately $800,000 in bills due July 1, including a $645,000 retirement assessment payable to the Town of Montague, and requested five committee member signatures before that date. All seven evaluators rated Superintendent Brian Beck proficient across instructional leadership, management and operations, family and community engagement, and professional culture — a rating the chair described as potentially deserving "exemplary" given the circumstances of Beck's first year. The committee also unanimously approved funding for members to attend the November MASC/MASS joint conference in Hyannis, with an early-registration deadline of July 15.