As the economic downturn persists, Walpole schools continue to be plagued by budgetary issues. At the school committee meeting on November 2, Superintendent Lincoln Lynch dismally forecasted that schools already suffering from last year’s cuts can expect to endure even more losses in the upcoming fiscal year. Losses in funding and new expenses for the town were announced, many of which will directly impact the schools. Of these, the most significant are a $110,000 federal reduction in the school utilities account, the $65,000 expense of a new school bus, and additional Special Education expenditures amounting to $60,000. In comparing last year’s school revenues to this year’s, Superintendent Lynch predicted a loss of $1.5 million from reimbursements and other aid.
All of these reductions amount to a loss of three million dollars in spending power in the school budget, said Superintendent Lynch, and since 80 percent of the school budget is personnel, these losses will likely result in layoffs. Lynch announced that schools could potentially experience 85 layoffs, but this is a worst case scenario projection, based on the unlikely event that the schools do not receive any additional federal stimulus money, state aid, or union concessions. The school committee will also try to mitigate the projected 85 layoffs by searching for efficiencies in the budget.
Considering that teachers are already struggling to manage the increased class sizes brought about by last year’s layoffs, the thought of even more layoffs is especially discouraging.
The principals of each school made presentations at the meeting addressing the issue of increased class sizes, some citing that faculty are having difficulty providing for the academic and emotional needs of all of their students in these larger classes. Bird Middle School principal Bridget Gough also commented that technology has been affected, as the 26 computers in the lab cannot accommodate the larger classes, some of which have up to 30 students. Other middle and elementary school principals reported that reductions in staffing sometimes work with small groups and individual support. Not only have cuts affected class sizes, but schools are also facing other losses due to decreased spending power. Old Post Road Principal Steve Fortin said that due to cuts, the average age of a book in the Media Center is 1989.
The school committee will attempt to mitigate layoffs and other losses in service to students, but it appears as though the Walpole school system can expect its financial situation to worsen before it will improve.
