North Middlesex School Committee Appoints New Treasurer, Adopts AI Guidelines

TOWNSEND — June 23, 2026 — North Middlesex School Committee appoints new treasurer and adopts AI guidelines at lengthy June meeting. The committee voted unanimously to appoint Katie Kazanjian, treasurer-collector for the Town of Groton, as district treasurer for 2026-2027 at an annual salary of $12,629, replacing Michael Hartnett after 35 years. The board also accepted a first set of artificial intelligence guidelines adapted from Boston Public Schools' AI framework, with Superintendent Dr. Bradford Morgan saying a short placeholder policy will follow at the July 21 meeting. A contentious proposal to build an outdoor fitness court backed by a $40,000 Blue Cross Blue Shield grant and a $150,000 state earmark was tabled after member Kim Craven disclosed that the Town of Townsend already owns identical National Fitness Campaign equipment sitting in a storage facility, purchased with grant funds years ago and never installed at its preferred site. The committee directed Morgan to meet with Townsend officials about placing the existing equipment at the high school at no additional equipment cost. The panel also approved a first reading of a full school-day ban on cell phones and wireless devices for all grades, with a final vote expected at the July 21 meeting.