The School Committee recently presented its budget presentation to the Select Board, calling for a 4.4% increase from the previous fiscal year, down from the 5.5% increase that was presented at the committee’s meeting last week.
“The change is because we finalized the terms with the New England Center for Children,” interim Superintendent Tom Geary said, referring to a partnership with the center’s differentiated learning programs for the town’s Middle School and elementary schools.
Geary reiterated the need for staffing changes, because the additional needs “need to come from somewhere else.”
“The major place is, I think a lot of people have felt that we’ve gotten a little heavy in the central office in the last couple of years,” Geary said. “We’re gonna reduce five positions at the central office. That’s equivalent to reducing 22% of the salaries at the central office.”
Geary also said that the district will also eliminate the position of assistant superintendent of teaching and learning at the end of fiscal year 2025.
There are also no changes to the proposed budget reduction for the high school media specialist position.
“We feel confident that we can provide the same experience for students without these resources. Will it look exactly the same? No. But we can provide a similar level of experience,” Geary said.
The Select Board reiterated its support for the town’s schools.
“We, as the town administration, are going to give an additional $260,000 to the proposed school budget, so that our (special education) classrooms, two at Huckleberry and one at the Middle School, will have everything it needs to be successful,” according to meeting notes sent by Select Board Chair Joe Connell.
At the meeting, Connell also listed the school-related needs that the town is responsible for but are not included in the school budget, such as busing, custodial services, the maintenance of sports fields, energy costs, facilities upkeep, health insurance for teachers, snow removal, and property insurance.
“These costs the town takes on, is between $9 and $10 million,” the meeting notes read.
According to the meeting notes, it was identified that many voters asked for more transparency in the school budget, and the line items will be posted on the town’s website. School Committee member Kate DePrizio said that the budget materials and presentation slides have been posted on the School Committee’s website since a day or two after the committee’s last budget presentation.
