Mattapoisett School Committee Chairman James Higgins is adamantly against adding further School Choice slots as a way to supplement the budget as a source of revenue – but on November 9, Superintendent Doug White told the School Committee that it is going to have to decide whether School Choice will be an option to address serious shortfalls in revenue, and if not, how the committee proposes to fund the district’s ever-increasing needs.
“Over the past three years, the district has lost $100,000 due to the cutting back of School Choice,” White said. “All three districts are going to have to sit down and discuss [School Choice] and get on the same page…. There needs to be a conversation.”
Higgins insists that the risk of having to spend more as a result of students coming into the district via School Choice outweighs the financial benefit. For each School Choice student, the district receives $5,000, which arrives the following fiscal year.
The chairman continues to advocate for a Proposition 2½ override to help supplement the school’s budget, but the idea is still only being discussed. No one yet is certain that a Prop 2½ override is the answer.
“Increasingly, the committee is asking us to fund the budget using the Excess and Deficiency Account … and that’s not how you fund a budget year after year.” The rainy day account funds are being depleted and continued use of the account is not sustainable, White said.
Higgins commented that school administration is going to have to bite the bullet when it comes to approaching town officials during budget season and advocate for the district’s needs versus the Town’s unwillingness to fund them.
“It’s a tough job,” acknowledged Higgins, “but that’s what they are there to do.”
Also during the meeting, Director of Student Services Michael Nelson gave a speedy summary of imminent changes to school policy and the student handbook. Under the bullying policy, school staff and employees will be added to the list of possible aggressors during bullying incidents, and the district is refining its physical restraint policy to prohibit methods such as isolation, and to limit the use of the prone position (face down) restraint. Staff will also be exposed to more training about limited use of physical restraint and how to operate within the school’s policy.
The next meeting of the Mattapoisett School Committee is scheduled for December 14 at 7:00 pm at Center School.
By Jean Perry
