Plymouth School Committee

Plymouth School Committee Members

2024-2025 Meeting Dates
Policy Manual
Electronic School Board
Committee Video Gallery

Plymouth's School Committee is comprised of seven members elected for three-year, overlapping terms at the Town Elections held each May. Their primary responsibilities are to:

(1)  Oversee the annual school budget,
(2)  Develop school system policies,
(3)  Hire and review the performance of the Superintendent of Schools, and
(4)  Advocate for the school system with citizens and Town Government.

The district organized a Strategic Plan Committee in FY20 that collaborated on updating the district's 2021-2024 Strategic Plan. 

As we continue transitioning into a paperless environment as a society, the School Committee in 2008 made the conscious decision to take their meetings paperless. Resulting from this change, the School Committee continues to save hundreds of reams of paper on an annual basis, along with ancillary supplies such as binders, dividers, and more.

The School Committee maintains membership in several professional organizations, including the Massachusetts Association of School Committees (MASC) and the National School Boards Association (NSBA). These organizations provide ongoing training for School Committee members and help inform of the issues and events of importance in fulfilling the role of School Committee member.

2024-2027 Strategic Plan
2024-2027 Strategic Plan Outline
Town of Plymouth CivicClerk Meeting
MASC
NSBA

Meeting Preparation Logins

Use the links shown below to login to the Committee's electronic meeting platform and the Town's public meeting notice platform.

Committee members can use the Electronic School Board login for pre-meeting review of materials and participation at meetings.  Administrative staff can use this login to post supporting documents for presentation during meetings.

Administrative staff can use the CivicClerk login to create the official public meeting notice.

Electronic Meeting Login
Public Meeting Notice Login

School Committee Resolutions

Signed Secure Gun Storage Resolution
Be SMART: Secure Gun Storage

Members 2024-2025

The respective roles of the school committee and the superintendent are described in a position statement published jointly by the American Association of School Administrators and the National School Boards Association in the 1994 booklet, Roles and Relationships: School Boards and Superintendents:

The school board is a legal agent of the state and must, therefore, fulfill both state and federal mandates. At the same time, the board must be responsive to the community it serves. The board is a legislative body that develops, evaluates, and oversees education policies. The superintendent is the professional educator chosen by the board to implement policies and to provide professional leadership for a district's schools. With such vital responsibilities, a sense of teamwork is essential.

In an enterprise as complex as a school district, the line between policy and administration is rarely clear-cut. Nonetheless, harmonious and productive relationships can flourish if two-way communication is established and maintained.

Michelle Badger

Michelle Badger

Chair

Contact Michelle Badger

Years of Service: 2011 - Present

Background: Grew up in Plymouth and moved back in 2008; proud graduate of Plymouth South High School. Currently the Vice President of Institutional Advancement at Massasoit Community College and prior to that was the Director of Advancement at Massachusetts Maritime Academy

Education: Sweet Briar College - Bachelors Degree in History and International Affairs; Suffolk University - Masters in Public Administration, Masters in Political Science

Involvement in Related Activities or Organizations: Served for 13 years on Plymouth No Place for Hate Board; Pilgrim Area Collaborative for about 9 years; Plymouth Fragment Society for 6 years; Plymouth Antiquarian Society Nominations Committee

Personal Interests: In her free time, Michelle loves to volunteer, serve her community, travel, read, play field hockey (with her adult team at Starland), exercise, bake, go on walks with her Boston Terrier, and spend quality time with family and friends.

Luis Pizano

Luis Pizano

Vice Chair

Contact Luis Pizano

Years of Service: 2021 - Present

Background: Moved to Plymouth in 2010. Parent of children who attended Federal Furnace and PCIS and now a 2024 PNHS graduate and a current junior at PNHS. Employed by Eversource Energy as a Program Director.

Education: M.I.T. - Bachelor of Science in Materials Science and Engineering; minor in Political Science

Involvement in Related Activities or Organizations: Served on school councils and school other volunteer roles prior to joining the school committee. Have served on Building Committee since 2021 and also chaired capital improvements committee from 2022 to 2024.

Personal Interests: Watching my son compete in track and cross country (now at the collegiate level) and watching my daughter dance.

Katherine Jackson

Katherine Jackson

Secretary

Contact Katherine Jackson

Years of Service: 2021 - Present

Background:

Education: University of Massachusetts at Amherst BA in Political Science 1995, Suffolk University some MBA classes, SNHU currently enrolled for Masters in Clinical Mental Health

Involvement in Related Activities or Organizations: Served several years on No Place for Hate, Land Use and Acquisition Committee

Personal Interests: Swimming, Art, Travel, Family

Robert Morgan

Robert Morgan

Member

Contact Robert Morgan

Years of Service: 2009 - 2012, 2014 - Present

Background: Moved to Plymouth in 2000. Father of a 2023 PNHS graduate. Veteran of Massachusetts Army National Guard. Employed as the Property Claims Manager at Providence Mutual Fire Insurance Company.

Education: Associates of Arts degree in Business Administration from Berkshire Community College. Bachelors of Science degree Business Administration with a concentration in Management from North Adams State College, now known as Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts

Involvement in Related Activities or Organizations: Served 9 years on West Plymouth Steering Committee. Served 2 years on Nuclear Matters Committee. Served as a Town Meeting Member for precinct 11. Served 2 years on Advisory and Finance Committee. Currently serving on Building Committee and Master Planning Committee. Served on Plymouth School Committee as Secretary 2011, 2018-2021 and as Vice Chair 2012.

Personal Interests: RV camping, serving the community on various boards, watching local sports teams, outdoor cooking.

Ashley Shaw

Ashley Shaw

Member

Contact Ashley Shaw

Years of Service: Newly Elected in 2024

Background: Lifelong Plymouth resident; graduate of Plymouth Public Schools. Mother of a 2023 Plymouth North Graduate and an elementary student at Nathaniel Morton.

Education: Associates degree in Paralegal Studies

Involvement in Related Activities or Organizations: Served 6.5 years on the Advisory and Finance Committee. Served as a co-lead of the Plymouth SEPAC. Served as a co-lead of Indivisible Plymouth.

Personal Interests: Local Government, True Crime, Horses, and Disney

Katherine Jackson

Vedna Lacombe-Heywood

Member

Contact Vedna Lacombe-Heywood

Years of Service: 2018 - Present

Background: Moved to Plymouth in 2009 with a son in the Plymouth School System. Currently a Surgical Trauma ICU Nurse at the Brigham & Women's Hospital. Life long community servant.

Education: Nursing Degree - Broward College. Social Work Florida Atlantic University. Currently enrolled in Simmons University's MSN-Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Program.

Involvement in Related Activities or Organizations: Served 12 yrs on Plymouth No Place for Hate Committee. Plymouth Area Board Member for the Dept of Children & Families 2011-2015. Foster Care Reviewer (DCF Plymouth) 2012-2016 & Foster Care Review Practice Committee Founding Member 2yrs. Plymouth League of Women Voters Executive Board 4yrs. State board 2yrs, and recently elected to 2nd term on the National Board in DC serving on the executive committee. Advisory Board Member for Plymouth BID Hospital, Chair of the Engagement Committee and a member of Community Benefits Advisory Committee. Board member Hope Floats in Kingston and former co-lead for perinatal to toddler loss group.

Personal Interests: Traveling with my family, writing, drawing, singing, dancing, civic engagement/community service, politics, theater and international affairs.

James Sorensen

James Sorensen

Member

Contact James Sorensen

Years of Service:

Background:

Education:

Involvement in Related Activities or Organizations:

Personal Interests: