The School Committee had an early look at the fiscal 2025 budget on Wednesday, Jan. 10.
“I feel very comfortable that what I’m presenting here today is what the district needs next year,” Szymaniak said. “We are not adding any programs to the district next year.”
“This is a first presentation, so we all need to understand [that],” said Chair Beth Stafford.
Preliminary calculations put the fiscal 2025 budget – at this point – at $63,565,154. That is an increase of $3,079,996 or 5 percent over the current budget, as voted at town meetings of $60,485,158.
A $63.5 million budget would mean increases to the operating assessments of 11.2 percent for Whitman and 9.98 percent in Hanson. He also offered calculations on budget increases of 4, 3 and 2 percent [see page 3].
“I kind of want to call this a preview, like when you go to a movie, there’s a preview and I don’t know if this is going to be an action-thriller or, as we go forward, or a comedy or all of the above, but it’s budget time in Whitman-Hanson,” said Superintendent of Schools Jeff Szymaniak.
In a more serious tone, he described it as a pre-preview of what he will officially present to the School Committee on Wednesday, Feb. 7. He also noted he was invited by the Whitman Finance Committee to meet with them at 7 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 6, he said that, while he will meet with them at that time he will not share the whole presentation that the School Committee will hear the following night.
“I’ll give them some data backing what I’m talking about today,” he said.
He has already met with administrators of both towns in November to discuss the budget outlook.
“We talked about formulating relationships with both towns and seeing where both towns were at,” he said. “Both TAs told me they were going to earmark a 5-percent increase of the assessment for next year, and I kind of looked at them and said, ‘That’s going to be kind of difficult for me, knowing that we’re coming off of [federal] ESSER [funds] and knowing our cost of living raises and steps and lanes as we move forward.’”
The budget is being drafted “rolls in everything that is in-district today –every person, every program, everything,” Szymaniak said. “It is a mirror image of what we have today.”
That includes all staff that were included in the budget through the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) fund. While the Student Opportunities Act (SOA) is supposed to provide school districts with more money, Szymaniak said he does not know and can only “low-ball guesstimate” the amount for this budget presentation.
“We don’t want to over-shoot,” he said. “Last year, we over-shot in transportation reimbursement, this year we earmarked at 70 percent. If it’s up, it’s up, if it’s down, we’re not overbudgeting for it.”
The budget also maintains the current curriculum cycle of “highly instructional materials” while keeping the same number of staff hired to do instructional interventionists to help support all students, which is not only important for post-COVID, but for students on the whole.
In explaining how the cuts to get closer to the towns’ 5 percent outlook would affect the schools, Szymaniak emphasized that he did not intend to take anything out on anyone.
A 2-percent budget increase would mean a $63.325 million or an increase of $2,839,000, leaving a shortfall of $1,630,293 to be cut from the district’s budget. Under that budget, Whitman’s assessment would be 5.51 percent and 5.41 percent in Hanson.
A 3-percent increase – at $63,325,354 – would mean Szymaniak would have to reduce the general fund by $1,025,441, which would increase Whitman’s assessment by 7.59-percent increase to Whitman’s assessment and 7.11-percent increase for Hanson.
A 4-percent budget increase – at $63,325,154 – would mean a $420,000 cut and would increase Whitman’s assessment by 9.67 percent and 8.8 percent in Hanson.
“I show you these numbers because they’re real,” Szymaniak said, noting he is still hoping for state funds, but is not holding his breath.
“I understand that the pie is going to be divided and that is why we’re going to have conversations,” he said. “We will also look at it to make sure it is as efficient as possible while making sure our students have what they need.”
He also said he would not knock the towns because they have already provided a lot of what the schools need, but added those needs continue to grow and it costs more every year.
Committee member Fred Small asked how the past use of excess and deficiency funds as well as one-time funds from the towns have made a difference in the budget bottom line.
Member Dawn Byers noted that some of the increase was due to contractual obligations, but increases in expenses have also been seen.
“When I think of what you’re going to present, there’s a way to reflect what the contractual percentage increase is as a piece, while consumables would vary line-by-line,” she said.
Szymaniak said teaching applicants are also becoming hard to find.
Member Hillary Kniffen also suggested a breakdown of the increase in English Learner population, which has grown over the last few years, and the staff required to service that population.
Stafford also noted there are only three retirements planned this year, all of which are at the high school.
In other business, Christopher Szkutak, coordinator of the WHRHS after-school program, and the new middle school after-school program at WMS, briefed the committee.
“The high school, for many years, has had a successful program for kids who want to engage in some things after school – extra help, culinary [classes], all kinds of fun stuff, but engaged here until 4 p.m.,” Szymaniak said. “Last year, Chris took it upon himself to apply for a grant from the state to engage our middle schools.”
The district began the program at Whitman Middle School.
“Hopefully, this that grant opportunity will be open that we can do this at Hanson Middle School,” he said.
Szkutak said the federal 21st Century Grant program, administered by the Mass. Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), is focused on providing enrichment opportunities for students after school and ensuring there is equitable access to after-school programs for all students. There is no cost to students and transportation via late bus is available to students who need it.
“We want to make the after-school experience as equitable as possible for all students,” he said. “At the high school, we’ve had this program for at least 10 years and we have approximately 60 students that are enrolled.”
Culinary programs, a Community Connections Club which works on improving school climate, support classes for students re-taking MCAS exams and a World Cultures Club that brings newcomer students together with other students at school to blend and learn about each other.
W-H was only allowed to apply for a grant for one middle school at a time, and applied for WMS last year under an application for 65 students – they now have 160 students taking part. They are applying for Hanson this year.
The grants are for five years.
“We have a lot more interest and a lot more students involved than we expected, which is not a bad thing,” Szkutak said. “We had to expand to two late buses just leaving from Whitman Middle.”
There are nine different clubs open to students, with most students attending two days a week. The state’s guidelines aim for each student to take 90 hours a week of activities.
Ten WMS students spoke about the clubs they are involved in. A seventh-grader, Sophia, involved in Uplift described it as a safe space for girls to talk about issues they encounter at school, such as bullying, as well as lighter topics of skin care and makeup.
Other students spoke of their involvement in a musical theater program, as well as E-Sports Club, D&D Club and a Diversity in Tutoring program. Theater is the most popular club.
Szkutak said he is always looking for other funding sources and has a couple more grants in the pipeline to help expand the program’s reach.
Esports are a program that DESE “almost requires,” he said. There are scholarships available through it, and students are able to connect with one another.
“There’s teamwork, the social-emotional learning you get from working competitively, and the gaming club we offer at the high school is also during enrichment,” he said.
Unlike some other after-school programs, the grant-funded enrichment programs are not permitted to charge a fee for participation.