January 15, 2025 Budget Subcommittee Meeting
Weymouth School Committee
Budget Sub-Committee with Full School Committee
Adams Library Conference Room | 89 Middle Street, Weymouth
January 15, 2025 | 6:00 p.m
Agenda
- Call to Order 6:00 pm
- Grants & Gifts
- Audits & Reports
- Contracts & Procurement
- FY26 Budget Planning
- Review Proposals: Curriculum, Professional Development, Student Services, Health, Transportation
- FY26 Budgeting Schedule
- Public Comment
Public Comment shall be in accordance with Policy BEDH
The three members of the Budget Subcommittee wish to encourage all members of the School Committee to attend and participate in budget discussions whenever they like. Because the Open Meeting Law requires that any meeting that includes a quorum of school committee members (4) deliberating on matters under their jurisdiction be posted as a meeting of the full committee, all Budget Subcommittee meetings are listed as full School Committee meetings.
Pursuant to Chapter 2 of the Acts of 2023, this meeting will be conducted in person and, as a courtesy, via remote means in accordance with applicable law. Please note that while an option for remote attendance and/or participation is being provided as a courtesy to the public and School Committee, the meeting/hearing will not be suspended or terminated if technological problems interrupt the virtual broadcast, unless required by law.
To join the meeting via Zoom by computer or internet-enabled phone:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82812956009?pwd=WaGMd5lvSPAmpwjl2vvHTpTrnWml21.1
Meeting Recording
MINUTES
Weymouth Budget Subcommittee with Full School Committee
Adams Library | 89 Middle St., Weymouth
January 15, 2025 | 6:00 p.m
Members In Attendance: Danielle Graziano (Chair), Dr. Sherlock-Shangraw, Tracey Nardone
Members also present: Mary-Ellen Devine
Also Present: Melanie Curtin, Superintendent; Brian Smith, Assistant Superintendent
The meeting came to order at 6:00pm.
The Chair advised that the meeting is being recorded.
Grants & Gifts
Ms. Harris will be at the 2/25 meeting to present the semi annual gift report.
More information will be forthcoming regarding the sizable donation to WPS from the Jack Murray GoFundMe. Concentration right now is on healing and working with the family.
FY26 Budget Planning
Tonight is the first of 3 nights of cost center proposed budget presentations. Next meetings will be 1/22/25 and 2/5/25. Public Hearing on the budget will be at the School Committee on 3/13/25.
Assistant Superintendent Smith reflected on last year's budget and priority of addressing the structural deficits. $5.3M is cuts (including loss of 1 time funding and ESSER) were made for FY25. In building the FY26 budget, the same process is being used with a goal of level service staff and level funded expense. Mr. Smith prefaced that for FY26 the Town is facing a revenue issue and expressed concern for a decrease in revenues. The School Department is preparing a budget which satisfies the needs of the district.
Transportation
Robin Howard and new Transportation Manager Faith Howland presented the proposed FY26 budget for transportation (attached). Account lines highlighted: Special Education Transportation (outside vendor transportation for out of district students) and Regular day transportation provided by First Student (contractual increase, fuel increase as well as late bus fees). Circuit Breaker transportation reimbursement of $824,662 will help offset the increase for FY26. There are 30 buses in the Weymouth First Student fleet; 26 used for WPS and 4 used for private/parochial school transportation.
There are currently 3 people staffing the Transportation department from 5:30am-5pm; they are proposing an additional position for a morning dispatcher; the district has never had one before. The mornings are especially busy (weather, mechanical issues, absences, parent phone calls) and an additional person to ensure that information is relayed correctly and to the right person is helpful. Currently, if there is an accident the offi ce is unstaffed as they have to visit the site.
Committee/Community Discussion:
Previously circuit breaker transportation reimbursement was allocated for special education. Cost of the parochial school buses is ~$320K-discussion on how Newton is not offering private transportation was had. Article from the ‘Newton Beacon’ was referenced. Increasing demands and needs of students have grown; the district is responding/handling/meeting needs of students per IEPS. There are sub drivers and monitors if need be; there does seem to always be driver/monitor position postings. Kudos was expressed to the department.
Health
Coordinator of Health Services, Gena O’Hara presented the proposed level funded FY26 health budget of $ 37,435.00 (attached). No additional staff is being requested.
Committee/Community Discussion:
The third nurse at Chapman previously funded by ARPA has been worked into the operating budget and will remain. There are 19 nurses throughout the district with 1 float, 2 resource, and one, one-one nurses (reimbursable by Medicaid). It was confirmed that the proposed budget will include staffing totals. DESE recommended regulations of 1 nurse for every 250-500 students was discussed.
Student Services
Executive Director of Student Services Dr. Verlicco and Assistant Director of Special Education presented the FY26 Student Services budget (attached) of $5,972,624 a slight Kristie Edelman(~$33K) increase over FY25. Budget lines highlighted:
-Contract Services for medical/therapeutic services (provided to out of district students and teacher of the deaf services for in district)
-Independent Evaluation Services (IEE), marked increase in educational and psychological testing
-Instructional equipment savings-(Audio FM Systems)
-Shift in Legal Services from District to special education ($75K)
-Instructional Hardware-for IEP virtual meetings
-Out of District Tuition-decrease over the past 3 years with students aging out (who were placed at expensive residential institutions)
-Professional Development-Program training and evaluation, interventions (Anne Donovan and Wilson certification/practicum-previously funded by ESSER)
Additional staffing requested:
An increase to 1.0 from .6 for out of district team chair, Increase to 3 district RBTs-2 of which hired in FY25, increase in FTE for SLP.
Committee/Community Discussion:
Cost of IEE’s, state rate, turn around time of evaluations and trust in district lead evaluations was discussed. Request was made for the state rate, number/type of evaluations broken down by grade. Disappointment was expressed that a BCBA was not included on the proposed staffing and worry shared that observing RBTs was getting done and will be monitored. There are currently 7 BCBA’s in the district. There are currently ~1400 students on IEPs. Reassurance was given that RBT observation and caseload are being handled and will be monitored. Specialist missing appointments-usually self reported and collaboration and cross professional development was talked through concerning pull out services (optimizing the students learning environment). Collected data and rolls of ABA (28-30) and RBT (4) were clarified. Kudos were expressed for handling the challenges of the department.
Curriculum
Superintendent Curtin reviewed the FY26 proposed Curriculum budget (attached). Text books and licensing were highlighted. $25K will be allocated to Chapman lab curriculum. Curriculum and assessment platforms were talked over. Some platforms are used district wide and some by primary and secondary. Once the curriculum is adopted it is adjusted to meet state standards as well as EL needs. Effectiveness of the curriculum depends on the teachers and their buy-in. District ELA & Math is up this year; Big Ideas and Wit Wisdom.
Addition of 3 primary teachers for modular classrooms and increase in FTE for EL (Academy has ~50 EL students) was proposed.
Committee/Community Discussion:
1, 3, 5, year review and curriculum cycle was discussed. It was reassured that every student has a hard copy and or licensing and that buildings manage additional copies if/when needed. Partnering with other districts for buy-in power was mentioned. Science and Social studies is weaved into the Wit & Wisdom curriculum. Extensive discussion of the loss of STEAM was had. Worry for the library block at the primary schools was expressed. More information was requested on Classwize, Generation Genius, and Common Sense Media. Google chat usage at the primary level was talked about. Bringing the ‘Needs List’ back was suggested.
Professional Development
The professional development budget of $300K was reviewed. Tuition reimbursement has increased $4K due to Unit D negotiations. Units A/C = $ $220K and Unit D = $24K.
The budget schedule was reviewed. The next meeting will be 1/22/25.
The Meeting adjourned at 8:26pm on the motion by Dr. Sherlock-Shangraw and seconded by Mrs. Nardone. Motion passed unanimously.