WEYMOUTH — Superintendent Jennifer Curtis-Whipple would like to provide an update to the school community about the FY21 budget discussions:
“Tonight the leadership team of the Weymouth Public Schools met with the Town Council to discuss the status of the $2.2 million budget shortfall for the FY21 school year.
“The proposal we presented at tonight’s meeting was the product of significant work by the Weymouth Public Schools and our assistant superintendent of finance and operations to help stabilize the budget for next year. While difficult cuts are necessary under this proposal, it does allow the Nash School to remain open next fall.
“The new budget proposal will affect every school and department in the district and will include cuts to the IT improvement projects and a halt to the 1:1 Chromebook program, which is a hallmark technology program of the district.
“At this time, it is the intention of administration and the school committee to fully fund free full-day kindergarten for FY21 using funds in a specially earmarked revolving account. We previously promised our families that the kindergarten program would start next year; our families budgeted around it and made childcare arrangements around it. Therefore, we are unwilling to go back on our promise.
“Under the current fiscal climate, the full-day kindergarten will be a one-year pilot program and would then be re-evaluated for FY22 with no expectation to continue the free full-day kindergarten program if the financial climate does not rebound.
“We want to reiterate that we are committed to working with the Town of Weymouth and our school families and community stakeholders throughout this process to determine the options that will work best for all involved. We also value the feedback that we have received from parents and residents throughout the process and we will continue to consider the community feedback that we receive.
“Though these are difficult decisions to make, our decisions are always made with the well being of our students and their education as our top priority.”
Tonight’s budget presentation can be found here.
###