BUCKLAND — As the Mohawk Trail Regional School District recovers from the pandemic’s economic impact, school administrators are proposing a slew of new programs and staffing positions in a budget that would mark a 2.9% increase over the current fiscal year’s budget.
Speaking during a public hearing last week, Superintendent Sheryl Stanton gave a presentation on the nearly $12.9 million proposed operating budget for fiscal year 2023 — an increase from about $12.5 million over the current year — as the district positions itself to attract more students and reduce the financial burden of funding loss through School Choice.
“We are excited we have the opportunity to use revenues we have not seen in the past to create some of these programs,” Stanton said. “The hope in building these programs is to start to reverse the School Choice receiving and sending numbers.”
According to a chart provided by Stanton, the Mohawk Trail Regional School District has not received more students through School Choice than it has lost to other districts since fiscal year 2017. Additionally, fiscal year 2022 saw the greatest discrepancy between receiving and sending School Choice money.
Stanton laid out several new programs that would go into place at the elementary schools, including an instrumental and choral music program, as well as computer science programs. At the high school, Stanton presented grant-funded programs that emphasize “students as leaders of their learning.” Among these programs are a mountain biking and repair program, computer science and robotics, and digital media and journalism.
She said these programs are designed to make the district an “attractive choice” for students both in and outside of the member towns.
The budget also features several new positions, with some being funded using grants, including full-time positions at Buckland-Shelburne Elementary School. Stanton said every classroom is being used at the elementary school again and an additional secretary, custodian and preschool teachers are needed.
The district is also looking at adding a behaviorist to assist students with mental health needs, as well as help any students who need support adjusting to pandemic schooling. Director of Pupil Personnel Services Leann Loomis said the school district has had a behaviorist in the past, but that person resigned prior to the pandemic.
“The piece around COVID is we had some students with needs and their needs increased,” Loomis explained, adding they may phase the position out in a few years depending on need.
Buckland Finance Committee member Paula Consolo expressed concern about grant-funded positions and the implications it may have on towns’ budgets if the school district is unable to secure future funding.
“I’m concerned we’re funding positions with grant money and towns are going to be asked to pick it up in the future,” Consolo said. “It’s hard to justify adding more people when we’re not adding students. I understand kids may need that service … but this budget includes a lot more positions.”
According to the school district’s enrollment data, 709 students were enrolled as of Oct. 1, 2021, compared to 697 on the same date in 2020. Stanton and School Committee members were unable to estimate the number of students that may be enrolled in the fall because of the uncertainty of the pandemic, students may leave the district to attend Franklin County Technical School and other unforeseen enrollment factors.
Shelburne Finance Committee member Jim Burnham voiced his and his fellow committee members’ concerns about the “unsustainable” increase in the budget.
“The budget goes up every year and enrollment continues to go down,” Burnham said. “Let’s work on getting things the right size so we can be efficient.”
Stanton agreed the school district needs to adapt to its “flat enrollment,” but that doesn’t mean the district shouldn’t pursue adding programs that may draw students and families in.
“We need to be right-sized, yes,” Stanton said, “but we need to offer what families and students want and are excited about.”
The Mohawk Trail Regional School District School Committee will meet Wednesday, Feb. 23, at 6:30 p.m. in a hybrid format to take a formal vote on the budget.
Chris Larabee can be reached at clarabee@recorder.com or 413-930-4081.