File: BEDCA

MEETING REMOTE PARTICIPATION

The School Committee of Greater Fall River School District permits access and remote participation of its members, including voting, if physical attendance at the meeting is not possible due to personal illness, personal disability, military service, geographic distance, or an emergency that could not be reasonably predicted.  

A quorum of the School Committee, including the chair or, in the chair’s absence, the person authorized to chair the meeting, must be physically present at the meeting location.  If the minimum requirements for a quorum is not met by those present at the meeting (four members from at least three communities), remote access by a member cannot be used to constitute a quorum.  Members of the School Committee who participate remotely may vote and shall not be deemed absent.

If a Member of the School Committee of Greater Fall River School District intends to participate in a School Committee Meeting by remote access, he/she must notify the Chairperson who will announce this publicly at the beginning of the meeting.  The Member participating by remote access must have access to all documents considered by the committee.  All votes must be done by roll call and if the Committee enters into Executive Session, the Member who is participating by remote access must disclose that there is nobody else is in the room or within hearing.

It is the sole responsibility of the School Committee of Greater Fall River School District to determine which method to be used by its members for remote participation.  Possible methods include telephone, internet, or satellite enabled audio or video conference so long as the remote participant(s) and all persons present at the meeting location must be clearly audible to each other.  If video technology is used, remote participant must be clearly visible to all persons at the meeting location.  Any other technology that enable the remote participant and all persons present at the meeting location to be clearly audible to one another may also be considered. 

The Chairperson will decide how to address any technical difficulties if the arise.