Monson School Committee Public Budget Hearing 4/30/25

Minutes of the 

Monson School Committee

Public Budget Hearing 

Date 4-30-25

Present:  Alison Morgan (Chair), Jamie Murphy, Colleen Flynn, Karen Nothe-Valley, Peter Wiggins, Superintendent Roland Joyal, Leah Zippin, Director of Business & Operations. 

Note: This meeting was held in-person and virtual and not recorded by M-PACT TV. 

Ms. Morgan called the meeting to order at 5:00  p.m.

Meeting information:

Public Budget Hearing (FY 2026 School Operating Budget) 

Alison Morgan opened the Public Budget Hearing.  The stated intent of the hearing is to hear input from the public about the draft FY 2026 School Operating Budget.  To get started, brief discussion centered on reviewing and discussing the previously approved budget at a high level. Additionally, Members of the public were informed that the meeting is for public engagement, not a detailed review of each line item. The meeting was kept open for questions, and the participants were encouraged to raise their Zoom hands or use the chat for inquiries.

A couple members of the public made comments. The first individual expressed concerns about the number of student-facing positions planned to be cut due from the budget. Clarification was requested on the exact number of positions, including teachers, instructional aides, and counselors, and an approximation of the total layoffs.  Another community member also asked for clarification to obtain a clearer picture of the cuts and their impact on the community.

In response, members of the School Committee and school administration mentioned that there’s a list of proposed cuts, including positions at Quarry Hill and Granite Valley, but noted that some positions might be filled by retiring staff. The exact number of layoffs versus positions filled by attrition is not entirely clear and there are many moving parts. 

The School Committee discussed the elimination of several positions, including the Superintendent Secretary, Curriculum Director, part-time central business office clerk, and various teaching and support staff. They also mentioned the redesign of the mentoring program and the elimination of the Wonders curriculum.  There was also mention that the school library will continue to function, although at a reduced capacity. It was also stated that there will be one coach for both boys and girls cross country teams (rather than two coaches). 

While discussing the impact of the restructuring of administrative positions, including the elimination of the Curriculum Director position, and its potential effects on grant writing, School Committee members raised concerns about who will absorb the workload and the potential for leaving grant money on the table, which is not advisable given such a tight budget. Additionally, School Committee members acknowledged the importance of student-facing positions and the need for a larger discussion to determine priorities if additional funds were to be made available, for example, by budget amendment on town meeting floor. 

As a result of input from community members, and discussion among members during the meeting, the School Committee made the following comments with respect to possible future steps:

•  School Committee may review and potentially revisit the elimination of the curriculum director position in the future.

• School administration to ensure grant applications continue to be submitted, with principals taking on more responsibility for this task.

• IT department to maintain cybersecurity and technology support with the remaining staff after the elimination of the administrative assistant position.

• School administration to monitor the functioning of the high school library with reduced staffing.

• School Committee to prioritize student-facing positions if additional funds become available in the future.

The meeting was adjourned at 5:48 PM

Documentation for this meeting:

Agenda

Distributed at meeting:  None 

Approved by Committee:

_________________________________________________

Karen Nothe-Valley, Secretary