Medfield School Committee Recommends .87 Percent Increase in FY13 Budget

Medfield’s School Committee voted Monday to approve and adopt the FY13 budget as recommended by Superintendent of Schools, Bob Maguire.

The school department’s proposed FY13 budget is $27,398,849, which is a .87 percent increase over last year’s budget.

Maguire has stated at previous meetings that he is “cautiously optimistic” that this budget process will be “less challenging” than years past, citing information from Town Administrator Michael Sullivan as the reason for the optimism. 

“The numbers Mike Sullivan has been projecting has been fairly safe and conservative,” Maguire said. “Which they should be at this point of the process. … Although the environment is still at a point where you still have to be aware ... we are cautiously optimistic [with this year’s budget process].”

Maguire outlined at the Jan. 9 School Committee meeting why the budget is increasing by less than 1 percent in FY13.

“There are a number of things that have been helpful,” Maguire said. “Decline in enrollment, community groups have provided some relief from pressure to make the numbers more manageable, our bus contract and so forth. At this stage of the game, I’m feeling cautiously optimistic about where we are.”

By approving Maguire’s recommendation, the School Committee voted to transfer the FY13 budget from Maguire’s proposal to the committee’s and will submit to the Town of Medfield as such.

Committee Approves Capital Projects for FY13

At the Jan. 9 meeting, Charles Kellner, director of finance and operations of Medfield schools, presented to the committee the district’s capital budget for FY13 and highlighted proposed projects.

Of those projects discussed, the committee reviewed and voted to approve the following, which totals $157,900:

• Replace gymnasium floor at Dale Street School; Cost is $38,000
• Upgrade exterior lighting for three schools; Cost is $54,500
• Replace side backboards at Medfield High School; Cost is $10,200
• Direct digital control system at Wheelock School; Cost is $55,200

For more on the capital projects and the FY13 capital budget, click here.

Committee Approves Maguire’s Request Regarding the Madelyn L. Grant Scholarship Fund

The school committee voted to approve Maguire’s request to proceed with payment of $3,000 to Stephen Krawec from the Madelyn L. Grant Scholarship Fund. Krawec was awarded the 2011 Madelyn L. Grant Scholarship and is now a student at Boston University (Class of 2015).

The scholarship is awarded each year to a Medfield high School senior who has been accepted by an accredited college or university in a four-year program leading to the degree of Bachelor of Arts of Bachelor of Science. The student must have attended Medfield Public Schools for at least six years and graduated in the top 10 percent of the class academically. Funds for the scholarship are paid to the recipient after successful completion of the first semester of the freshman year at college. The Madelyn L. Grant Scholarship Grant was accepted by the School Committee in 1988.

School Trips Approved

• The School Committee approved the Jazz Ensemble’s trip to New York City to participate in the . The
• The School Committee approved the Medfield High School French students’ trip to France in April 2013. The trip occurs every two years.

Committee Chooses Not to Participate in School Choice

At Maguire’s recommendation, the School Committee voted not to participate in the School Choice program because of enrollment and space issues. School choice is a program that offers families an opportunity or “choice” to choose the school(s) their children will attend.