The School Committee spent much of Thursday’s meeting discussing the fiscal year 2026 budget process as well as reviewing the district’s finance report.
Members also approved an amended agreement for construction management at risk services associated with the Hopkins Lower Middle School project.
Outlining the budget timeline, Susan Rothermich, assistant superintendent for finance and operations, said that this month and next, directors and principals are evaluating needs and building budgets “starting with one that is zero based.”
Rothermich is establishing a capital budget plan that she first will present at the next meeting on Sept. 26 and at subsequent meetings this fall.
From November to January, various presentations will be made to the School Committee by building principals and directors. A public budget hearing and School Committee vote will take place in January, and the district’s budget then is turned over to the town.
Committee members also reviewed various data from previous years, including 2021 figures showing enrollment at 3,962 with a $51.2 million budget increasing in 2024 to $63.1 million and an enrollment of 4,237 students.
Budget drivers discussed
During her superintendent’s report, Carol Cavanaugh talked about budget “drivers,” consisting of enrollment, special education needs and contractual obligations.
She noted that 14.2% of students are receiving special education services, up 2% from 2020. In FY 25, the district added three full-time paraprofessionals to address growth, and those positions will carry over into the FY 26 budget.
Cavanaugh said contract negotiations will take place in FY 26 for custodians, nurses and teachers, with negotiations with paraprofessionals having finished.
“This will be a tricky year for budgets,” the superintendent said, noting that teachers are entitled to step increases and “lane” increases if their degree statuses change (i.e., master’s degree vs. 15 credits beyond that, for example). Cost of living increases also must be figured.
She said salary increases for the FY 25 operating budget were at 2.5%, but all contractual obligations for FY 25 were at 3.07%.
She also talked about the special education stabilization account of $1,094,000, adding, “It may not have as much buying power as it had in the past.” She added however, that last year the costs came in at $50,000 less.
On staffing, the superintendent said projected enrollment for June of 2026 is 4,355, up 109 students from September 2024 enrollment of 4,246. If those students are put into average-sized classrooms, it would mean an additional 7.7 full-time teachers. At $75,000 per teacher, that could mean $577,500 in costs.
Cavanaugh said nothing is set in stone, but these are factors impacting the budget process. Another priority is growing building leadership, “because it is getting unwieldy with the number of students,” an increase of more than 800 since she started in the position nine years ago.
Cavanaugh concluded by saying the town “gets a bang for its tax dollars . . . a top-notch education at reasonable prices.” Per-pupil expenditures of $16,000 puts Hopkinton in the bottom 25% in seven out of 10 categories when compared with other communities in the state. The district falls in the bottom 50% for the other categories, she said.
Rothermich presented highlights of the year-end, balanced finance report, pointing out how and where positive variances in the budget are offset by negative line items. (For example, positive variances in payroll are offset by negatives in expenses.)
One area that was high was the substitute account, mostly because of attrition and the fact that it is difficult and takes a long time to find people to fill positions once someone leaves. Rothermich said some jobs are contracted out and others are left vacant.
Rothermich said completed capital projects like the Marathon School and high school additions and roof replacements came in under budget. The debt was reallocated to the Charleswood Elementary School project at May’s Town Meeting.
Construction price for Hopkins project approved
In other business, the School Committee voted to approve the guaranteed maximum price (GMP) of its construction contract with Commodore Builders LLC, the construction manager at risk for the Hopkins Lower Middle School project.
Members approved a total of $29,951,449, the cost for all remaining trades, project requirements and general conditions. The vote constitutes a formal notice for Commodore to proceed and contract the work.
According to Vertex project manager Chris Eberly, the current construction value is $39.2 million and includes the alternatives of pneumatic controls replacement, the original main electrical breaker replacement and an upgrade from precast concrete curbing to granite curbing.
He said that GMP construction costs are down $2.3 million, “which is really good news.”
The overall cost of the project is $52 million (what Town Meeting approved). In answer to a question from School Committee member Chris Masters about contingencies, Eberly said $844,938 in contingencies are contained in the $39.2 million construction value.
The only way the amount would ever exceed $52 million, Vertex project director Jeff D’Amico said, is if the contingencies for construction plus the owner’s contingencies are “fully exhausted” and, added Eberly, “you still have more you wanted to do.”
D’Amico said change orders have to be approved by the School Committee for items above $125,000. Change orders can be signed by chair Nancy Cavanaugh for things totaling $75,000 to $125,000, while the project team handles the smaller change orders.
School improvement plans, student rep introduced
Regarding school improvement plans, Marathon Principal Lauren Dubeau and Hopkins Principal Matt Cotter spoke about elementary level goals involving incorporating writing into other disciplines and strengthening social emotional learning.
Middle School Principal Matt Lefebvre’s goals included developing a school-wide model for literacy across disciplines; providing social-emotional learning and equity; and increasing inclusionary practices such as becoming a Unified Champion School. . . .
The new student representative to the School Committee is Savannah Rivera. She talked about upcoming sporting events and the Senior Sunrise gathering, which she felt brought classmates closer together.
She also referred to an event where students are introduced to the high school’s 50-plus available clubs, which she praised for their “variety and diversity.”
Rivera noted, “[Clubs] help underclassmen get involved and make connections.”
Based on the information provided, it looks like from 2021 to 2024 our student enrollment increased by 6.9%, however the budget ballooned by over 23%? This rate of spending is simply not sustainable given the realities of the town’s fiscal constraints.