Public Forum to Discuss Budget To Be Held Thursday, March 5 at Medway Middle School
MEDWAY — Superintendent Armand Pires presented a preliminary Fiscal Year 2021 operating budget to members of the Medway School Committee Thursday, Feb. 27.
The proposed budget is $28,490,125. This budget amount represents a 3% increase from the current FY20 budget.
Several improvement efforts are included in the proposed budget. They include:
- Improving content area expertise and time on learning
- Ensuring curriculum alignment
- Meeting the unique needs of students
- Ensuring fiscal support of Medway athletic programs
To ensure these improvement goals are met, the budget lists the following requests:
- Adding a grade K-2 science-technology-engineering teacher similar to the model that currently exists in grades 3 and 4
- Procuring core curriculum resources to support K-8 Mathematics, grade 6 and 7 history/social sciences, honors/AP U.S. History, Tier 2 mathematics resources, K-8 and advanced training in responsive classroom philosophy.
- Procure two district-operated minivans
- Add two minivan drivers
- Membership in The Education Cooperative Collaborative, a state-based non-profit organization
- Add one School Social Worker
- Increase general funding to support athletics
“We believe these budget increase requests will help us achieve the goals we have set around meeting the needs of students,” Superintendent Pires said. “The requests cover a variety of areas across the district, from classroom instruction to athletics, to our support of social-emotional learning.”
Forum on Budget Development:
Now that the preliminary budget has been presented, Superintendent Pires and the School Committee invite interested community members to attend a public forum to discuss budget priorities for the 2020-21 school year.
The forum will take place on Thursday, March 5, from 6-7 p.m. in the Presentation Room at Medway Middle School, 45 Holliston St.
The forum will also provide the district with an opportunity to seek input on the development of a three-year improvement plan required through The Student Opportunity Act, which was signed into law in late November and aims to address persistent achievement gaps throughout the Commonwealth.
Residents will vote to approve the Fiscal Year 2021 operating budget on Monday, May 11 during the annual Medway Town Meeting.
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