School Committee to Vote on $50.5M Budget

The  on Thursday will likely vote on the school district's budget, which assumes a 3.6 percent increase in revenue for fiscal year 2013.

Superintendent Kathleen Bodie said the priorities of this year's budget focus on maintaining level services, expanding Special Education programmatic needs and restoring administrative capacity district-wide, among others.

Bodie said she's hoping to also anticipate potential budgetary impact of contract negotiations and provide some teaching staff reserve, in case of enrollment increases.

The budget for fiscal year 2013 assumes about $50.5 million in revenue, where $44.6 would come from town appropriations, $2.1 would come from grants and $3.7 would come from revolving funds, such as  and  fees.

In total, the new budget would be a total increase in revenue of $1.75 million.

Among others, the new budget proposes the hiring of a full-time assistant superintendent, permanent principals at and , and a full-time math curriculum director.

Bodie also emphasized the importance of keeping some reserve money for teachers and teaching assistants.

Schools Chief Financial Officer Diane Johnson explained to the committee that the new proposes a reduction of 16 teaching assistants district-wide. But the document also reserves enough money to hire five teaching assistants, in case there is need based on enrollment levels.

The School Committee meets on Thursday, March 8, 6:30 p.m., at 's sixth-floor meeting room.

What are your thoughts on this year's proposed budget? Find the document attached to the right of this article. Please leave your comments in the box below.