School Committee Seeks Two Overrides
Last night, Thursday, March 1, the School Committee voted to request that two questions for the schools be placed on the April ballot. Next Tuesday, March 6, the Selectmen will decide if those two questions go on the ballot and if they go on with the School Committee’s requested dollar amounts.
The first question approved by the School Committee would ask for a Proposition 2 1/2 operating override to fund the schools’ FY08 operating budget. The School Committee voted unanimously for that question in the amount of $1,128,670. However, the School Committee still needs to decide what will be cut if the question does not pass. The Superintendent has recommended cuts (to see them, follow this link and click on FY08 Budget) but the committee has not yet decided to follow that recommendation. The School Committee meets again on Tuesday, March 6.
The other question would ask for a Proposition 2 1/2 debt-exclusion
override of $21 million to fund a High Rock renovation and addition for a sixth-grade center as well as a technology upgrade at Pollard Middle School. The School Committee voted 4-1 for that question. The $21 million includes approximately $20 million for the J-1 High Rock design and approximately $800,000 for the Pollard technology upgrade. The J-1 design is all permanent construction, with some cost-saving features. To learn more about the High Rock design, go download this PDF file. To learn more about the Pollard technology upgrade, follow this link.
The question does not include approximately $450,000 for two additional modular classrooms at Pollard in September 2008. Glenn Brand, Pollard principal, spoke about his plans for the increased enrollment at Pollard in September 2008. He plans to put the new students in two existing modular classrooms. The programs that currently use those classrooms — Experiential Education and Health — will move to other spaces. Experiential Education could use the weight room. Health will either share rooms with other elective classes or go on a cart. If High Rock opens as a sixth-grade center in September 2009, those classes can return to regular classrooms.
A motion to request a question for an operating override to fund the operating of High Rock when it opens in FY 2010 was not seconded and therefore was not voted on.
-Caroline Sabin