Middleboro school district awaits word from town on future budget impacts, further cuts anticipated

MIDDLEBORO — School district leaders will give answers to the scope of cuts and financial impacts to next year's budget at their next April 9 meeting, said Interim Superintendent Michael Perrone.

During a Thursday, March 26 School Committee meeting, Perrone said the committee did not vote on a budget update since the district is still waiting on final numbers for the town’s fiscal contribution to the district. 

“We do expect a further cut,” Perrone said. “We don’t know what that is, and hopefully we’ll have that number next week.”

Once they get a budget figure, Perrone and district leaders including principals, the special education director and technology director will come together to determine the impact to the district and what cuts to services and personnel will have to take place.

After district leadership determines the cuts, they will bring their decisions to the committee to vote on and then meet with staff as to what the cuts are, Perrone said.

The district is currently facing a $2.2 million budget shortfall that could eliminate 18 teacher positions, but with recent uncertainty in the town’s own budget — the cuts are anticipated to grow.

School Committee Vice Chair Susan Pennini said the committee continues to “look at how we might respond to it,” as they await the town’s response.

Ashley Ferrini, who works in the special education department at the Mary K. Goode School asked Perrone if cuts to the administrative level — rather than teacher positions — will be closely considered in the district’s plan to level the budget.

Perrone said the district is “looking at everything.”

School Committee Member Allin Frawley said residents should contact members of the Select Board to advocate for funding, since the budget process is “still in flux."

“Let them know how you feel about the budget, and that you’d like to see schools funded adequately," he said. “I mean, level funding is a pipe dream right now.”

Alexis Burrows, a first grade teacher in the district, asked if there is enough time before Town Meeting for the district to look at the cuts “critically”.

“I just want to make sure that whatever the town throws at us, that we're not making haphazard decisions,” Burrows said.

School Committee Chair Jessica Chartoff said if information changes and there's a windfall, the budget being approved is “the number, not how the number is executed.” Chartoff said changing how funds are allocated doesn't require a new motion at Town Meeting, such as if last-minute grant funding alleviates a budget line.

“We understand your anxiety,” Chartoff said to the audience. “We feel it as well. The process to go through all this and then to have to wait even more than we had originally anticipated is excruciating.”