Schools

School Committee Agenda: State Reps Visit and Reorganization of Board

The Medfield School Committee will meet at 7:30 p.m. Monday in the TV Production classroom of the high school.

Senator James Timilty and State Representatives Dan Winslow and Denise Garlick are expected to attend Monday's School Committee meeting at the request of Superintendent Bob Maguire and the committee to discuss the importance of the Circuit Breaker fund and other state funding issues/concerns.

In February, Maguire expressed some concern regarding state funding via Governor Deval Patrick's budget.

"I think the concern right now in the state is related to what really is happening with the legislature on the budget,” Maguire said. “It appears the governor’s budget is imbalanced at this point and he has basically recommended that Chapter 70 local education aid remain stable and unrestricted local aid also remain at level funding.”

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Charles Kellner, director of finance and operations for , explained the purpose of the Circuit Breaker.

“Circuit Breaker is a reimbursement program, so we are getting money this year that is reimbursing us for our costs from last year,” Kellner said. “We are budgeting next year’s revenue based on this year’s costs.

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“If [the state] changes the formula on how those costs are reimbursed as the budget may require them to do, as it has in the past, the legislation in creating the circuit breaker program said the legislature is to reimburse cities and towns for certain special education costs up to 75 cents on the dollar. The term is subject to appropriation.

“It hasn’t been 75 percent for a number of years based on the fiscal realities of the state. If they reduce the funding that’s available, say to 45 or 40 percent … we’ve budgeted at 50 percent, trying to be conservative … if that is reduced then it is based on last year’s costs and we would feel it in the year’s budget coming forward.”

Concerned the Circuit Breaker may be impacted if the state doesn't find an alternate solution to addressing the Governor's budget imbalance, Maguire recommended the committee reach out to Medfield’s state representatives and senators.

“I know that’s an area of concern and something we may want to start weighing in on,” Maguire said.

The committee has indeed reached out to its representatives and it is expected to have a discussion on state funding Monday.

Reorganization of the Board

Monday's meeting will mark the after announcing at the March 19 meeting she would be "taking a break."

Replacing Ruzzo on the board will be first-year member Maryanne Sullivan, who was voted into the position at the . Sullivan, a nine-year resident of Medfield, has three children in the school system and says she loves the schools and loves the town.

"I’m a big supporter of the school system,” Sullivan said at last month's . “I have three children – third grade, first grade and kindergarten – in the school systems. It’s why we moved here. What I hope to bring as an asset to the committee would be the fact that I do have younger children and a different perspective coming in other than middle school and high school."

Sullivan was a prosecutor in Boston before moving to Medfield and says she worked for the Attorney General's Office. She has served on multiple boards in the school district and is looking forward to her role as a member of the school committee.

"I think the job of the school committee is to be an advocate for the schools, the curriculum – making sure that we are keeping up with standards so that our schools stay strong and I attend to do that,” Sullivan said.

The School Committee is expected to shuffle its chairs at Monday's meeting – an annual occurrence,, at its first meeting following Town Election. In addition to reorganizing the board and naming its next chairman for the upcoming year, the committee will also welcome Sullivan to the board.

High School Advisory Committee to Attend

The Advisory Committee will be in attendance at Monday's meeting to provide the School Committee with updates from each class at the high school.

MHS students Andy Letai (freshman), Dennis Krawec (sophomore), Henry Gagne (junior) and Andrew Velichansky (senior) will update the committee on the happenings and upcoming events taking place at the school and with each grade.

FY13 Budget Update

Maguire and Kellner will update the committee on the fiscal year 2013 budget, which has not been a hot topic in town this year, calling for a less-than-one-percent increase.

Monday's School Committee meeting is expected to begin at 7:30 p.m. and will be broadcast live on Medfield.TV.


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