School Budget Cuts, A Real Concern
We are at a crossroads in Holliston. Like many other towns, we are faced
with a serious budget gap between the services the town provides and the
money that is available to pay for them. The school department, being the largest department to fund in town, has a very serious shortfall. Because there have already been so many cuts over the last four years, there's not much left to cut without severely impacting the children. It is imperative that every person in town seek out updates from the school committee on the magnitude of the situation (They can be found on Holliston Reporter.com)
The School Committee is working diligently to explore all available options
to solve this budget crisis. However, the Administration and School
Committee is responsible for educating our children with the money that we provide them. Following is a list of only SOME of the cuts that have been proposed for next year:
-Increase PreK/Full Day K Tuition (this change has already been made, it is not proposed)
-Increase Athletic Fees
-Eliminate the MS/HS Late Bus
-Eliminate more than 31 teachers and paraprofessionals at Placentino (13.73
positions), Miller (5.2 pos.), Adams (6.7 pos.), and at the High School (5.5 pos.)
-Eliminate Band and Jazz Bands at both Miller and Adams
-Eliminate the Elementary Spanish program at Placentino and Miller
-Eliminate ALL After-school Clubs/Activities and Miller and Adams, and
almost all after-school clubs/activities at the High School
-Eliminate Boys' Hockey Team
Please educate yourselves on what choices are facing us, and share your
feelings with the people who have been elected to make these critical
decisions. The next School Committee meeting is Thursday, April 15th and is open to the public. Most importantly, please plan to attend Town Meeting on May 10th because in a town of over 14,000 people, the decisions should not be made by the few people who find that they have the time to attend these meetings.
If you have any questions, please contact any School Committee member or member of the Administration. They are actively seeking the opinions of the public. If we don't share with them what's important to us, they have to make assumptions. The future of this town should not rely on assumptions.
A Reminder: The next School Committee Office Hours are Friday, April 16 from 9-10 at Coffee Haven and Friday, April 30 from 9-10 at Pejamajo.
Please remember all the people out of work, those on fixed income and those about to lose their home to forecloser. What will happen to them if we continue to spend more then the avarage person can pay? I want the children to get a good education also. I just don't want to lose my home to the tax collector. Uncontrolled spending in the past has put us where we are today. I'm on a fixed income. What will happen to all the people who are? What is going to happen to poor and disabled? The tax help thay are given doesn't come close to saving them form losing their home. Warren Legee
warren legee | 2010-04-10 07:02:37
HollistonReporter.com received this email from Paul LeBeau: The Selectmen will not be making a decision regarding an override question at their meeting on April 12. They have scheduled a meeting for Tuesday, April 20 at 7:30 p.m. in anticipation of receiving a specific request for an override. The Finance Committee and the School Committee will be invited to attend the April 20 meeting, assuming that a specific request for an override has been received. The School Committee is scheduled to meet on April 15 to continue budget deliberations. Paul D. Le Beau Town Administrator Town of Holliston Town Hall 703 Washington Street Holliston, MA 01746 Tel.: 508.429.0608 Fax: 508.429.0642
Paul Saulnier | 2010-04-09 19:33:43
I was thinking it would be great if the finance dept and town hall was to provide the town with simple numbers. 1. How much state aid has been lost in 2008, 2009 and now 2010. 2. Is there any plan of getting that back. 3. If not please share the raw net numbers with the town so that we know what we are dealing with. Just my thoughts
edward | 2010-04-09 16:08:46
Thank you, commentor, for a reminder that this funding challenge is being faced not only by the school department, but by all other departments, and impacts all services they provide. While school cuts may be described as "Draconian" (School Supt.), so might we characterize, for example, laying off police officers. Hard decisions have to be made as to what we can continue to do well with the limitations on resources we all face. Sharing budget challenges equally is my intrepretation of the the policy espoused by the Finance Committee; since I hope we are not - as a town - creating any 'untouchable' department budgets, we need to work together to identify, describe, and share reductions where money is just not available.
Kevin Robert Malone | 2010-04-09 12:03:45
Thank you Jennifer for your awareness of this critical situation for the Holliston School District. It is also important to note that this is a town wide dilemma. There are cuts being felt in every department in this community, Library, Police, Public Works, Town Clerk, Assessor's office, Fire department, just to touch on a few. Our schools are one of the attractions that bring families to this town, they are supported by all of the other public offices and services that provide this community with that great sense of pride. It is a shame to see level of services that will be realized by these budget reductions. I hope that as a community we can all work together to solve this problem in a civil and courteous fashion, that benefits everyone.
pottle1021 | 2010-04-09 09:35:43