Last night the School Committee hosted the Public Hearing on the budget. For those who were not able to attend, it will be up on Pegasus’ Video on Demand page sometime soon.
Big Picture Summary of the Superintendent’s Recommendation
The Superintendent has put forth an approx $80.5M budget. The Town has suggested a $79M appropriation. The schools are confident the difference can be made up using “cost saving measures, grants and revolving accounts.”
After a few special education add ons that NPS will make to ensure students receive the services they need… The major place of emphasis in this budget is retaining our teachers and staff in a negotiation year with our unions. (slide 8)
Secondary to that, the Superintendent is suggesting positions to add support into the middle schools and 2 of the elementary schools “What I need” (WIN) time periods. These WIN periods (or blocks) are meant to provide students with the kind of personalized learning, extension and/or recovery that we promise in our mission statement. In order to do that, the schools need more hands on deck in some cases and more flexibility in the schedule in others. (slide 11)
This budget also provides a continuation of most of the supports that were added via the COVID recovery grants: social emotional learning curriculums and support staff, after school sports and club opportunities, orchestra and music add ons and continued reading specialists to name a few. (slides 11, 12 and 15)
What’s Next?
The School Committee will continue to analyze the budget, consider the rationale behind the Superintendent’s recommendations and consider constituent voices. If you haven’t given your two cents yet, now is the time!
On Monday, March 21st: FY23 Budget Review and Final Vote from School Committee
After that, the budget becomes the School Committee’s budget, it goes to the Fin Com for a recommendation and finally to Town Meeting for the final vote.
Documents for your own review:
Slide 5 is a new slide showing how the budget is aligned to the priorities of the district - Very grateful to see a slide like this!
Slide 11 is the preferred adjustment to the FY23 Budget by the Administration on new positions that will be funded through some COVID recovery grants and the Town Appropriation.
Slide 15 is a preview of what decisions will need to be made in the future years as grant funding goes away.
Within the big budget, there are several lines that are presented individually to the committee:
Click here to see the budget that details the line item Pupil Services
Click here to see the Transportation Budget
Click here to see the budget that details the line items: Technology, Curriculum and Online Learning
Memo to the School Committee on Grant Expenditures - Grants are not part of the town appropriation, but they are part of how Natick Public Schools covers some of the costs for our district.
As always, you can connect with individual school committee members to give feedback or email our committee and the administration as a group: schoolcommittee@natickps.org
Don’t forget - Virtual Coffee Hours with the Members of the Committee
next Wednesday, March 16th at 12:00 p.m.
Topic: Communication and Engagement
Link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86724275279?pwd=aUYzNHpYY3V5UWVaSjNsOVZyeVllZz09 Meeting ID: 867 2427 5279