GREENFIELD — Superintendent Jordana Harper will present her roughly $20 million budget to the public, at 6:30 p.m. today in the John Zon Community Center.
The budget has been criticized by Greenfield School Committee members Mayor William Martin and Susan Hollins, the former superintendent, as being too high and for jumping too much from this year’s $18.6 million budget.
Harper and Greenfield School Business Manager Stephen Nembirkow have emphasized that the budget, while a 7.5 percent jump in spending, is just a 1.6 percent, or $300,000, increase in the request for local taxpayer money.
For this upcoming school year, state school aid increased by about $1.1 million to a total of $13.7 million, which the Superintendent’s Office says allows more spending on the students.
The budget eliminates two bus routes, which will be replaced with three crossing guards. These are for routes where students were already supposed to walk to school.
Other proposed cuts include: four paraprofessionals and before- and after-school care that costs $43,000.
Proposed additions include: three staff members: a teacher, a paraprofessional and a custodian for the slated-to-open Green River School; one special education teacher at Newton Elementary School; one behaviorist; and a part-time speech language pathologist.
The Greenfield School Committee is expected to vote on the budget March 7. The City Council needs to approve a budget by May.
You can reach Joshua Solomon at:
jsolomon@recorder.com
413-772-0261, ext. 264