Middleton School Committee | 03 02 2026

Описание: The Middleton School Committee met on March 2, 2026 to handle regular business and review key budget, facilities, and program updates. Members heard a public comment urging no further cuts to the FY27 school budget and approved the minutes from the February 2 meeting. Updates were shared from the PTO and CPAC, including a March 24 special education family workshop, as well as town liaison reports on ongoing budget talks and the upcoming March 7 capital meeting focused on the Fuller Meadow roof and HVAC work. The superintendent and facilities director presented a new “ABCD” door-labeling system to improve school safety and emergency response across all six schools, plus a detailed progress report on the state-supported Fuller Meadow roof replacement project.

The assistant superintendent reported that the district remains in a spending freeze while monitoring revolving accounts and planning for FY26 close-out. The principal highlighted enrollment of 464 students (PreK–6), a net gain of eight students, recent school events, and the upcoming MCAS testing schedule. After reviewing multi-year attendance data, the committee voted to raise before- and after-school program fees by 10% for FY27 to keep the program financially stable, with a plan to reevaluate fees annually. A major budget development was the health insurance increase coming in at 2.9% instead of the projected 20%, saving roughly $334,000 and leaving the school budget about $137,000 under the town’s 2.5% guideline. The committee agreed to accept the lower health insurance rate, asked district leaders to reconsider how best to use the remaining capacity (including possible restoration of cuts and strengthening reserves), and scheduled follow-up budget work ahead of the April 6 public hearing, expected to be held at the new Town Hall.

00:00 – Call to order & Pledge of Allegiance
00:38 – Public comment on budget
01:15 – Approval of February 2 meeting minutes
02:13 – PTO update & upcoming fundraisers
02:55 – CPAC update & March 24 transition/resource workshop
04:01 – Town liaison report: budget discussions & capital meeting plans
05:16 – Superintendent report intro
05:55 – School safety: ABCD door labeling project overview
09:22 – Door signage design, reflectivity, installation details
12:02 – Fuller Meadow roof project overview
15:00 – Roof project scope, history, and timeline )
18:17 – Project logistics, contingency issues & MSBA reimbursement
18:29 – Meeting location discussion: moving to new Town Hall & live broadcasting
22:36 – Decision: April 6 meeting at new Town Hall
23:02 – Assistant Superintendent financial report
24:49 – Principal’s report: enrollment, events, upcoming MCAS testing
27:36 – Gifts & grants
27:49 – Before & after school program: data presentation
32:56 – Recommendation to increase before/after school tuition
35:00 – Committee discussion: impact on families & fee strategy
42:16 – Vote: 10% tuition increase for before/after school (FY27)
43:24 – FY27 budget discussion overview
44:38 – Health insurance comes in at 2.9%
49:38 – Town-wide budget gap & school’s position below guideline
54:54 – Impacts of cuts: PD, supplies, facilities
1:09:00 – Committee debate: restore cuts vs. help town vs. build reserves
1:15:00 – Strategy: use capacity to stabilize revolving accounts & future budgets
1:20:46 – Vote to accept 2.9% health insurance increase & reduce budget
1:21:59 – Plan for potential March 23 working session; April 6 public hearing
1:23:20 – Approval of bills & payroll; adjournment