Ash-West school committee reduces budget
By Josh Farnsworth JOURNAL CORRESPONDENT

The Ashburnham-Westminster School Committee voted unanimously to certify a $283,000 net reduction of the committee's proposed override amount.

The certification came Tuesday at Overlook Middle School at a special meeting of the school committee in order to address concerns about the regional school budget. The reduction took the certified budget to under $28 million.

Committee members discussed four budget scenarios that would reduce the override amount to somewhere between about $1.1 million and $1.4 million. The override figure will be divided on a 54-46 percent basis for Westminster and Ashburnham because of student population.

"We are still going to have an override regardless of what happens," said Superintendent of Schools Michael Zapantis. "It is a result of fixed costs such as utilities, health insurance and transportation needs."

The reduction included a $99,000 decrease in the transportation budget and the elimination of $110,000 in additional positions recommended by the superintendent's proposed budget.

Other items discussed by the committee included the potential loss of the curriculum renewal cycle program.

"I think we would be crazy to throw curriculum renewal out the window," said Committee Chairman David Christianson Jr. "We've spent three years on it. It would be a step back."

School committee members also agreed to pursue ways to hire additional adjustment counselors for the near future.

"One thing so positive about them is they have the ability to see abnormalities (in students) a teacher might not be able to," said Laura Weiderman, a committee member. "(Hiring additional counselors) would be proactive instead of reactive."

"I am concerned about not moving forward, at least at the high school level," Weiderman added. "We are very understaffed."

Committee members estimated that hiring a sufficient number of adjustment counselors would increase the override amount by about $59,000.

"The message is do the best you can to fill the adjustment counselor position," Zapantis said.

The next scheduled meeting for the school committee will be held Monday, April 23, at 7 p.m. from the library of Overlook Middle School. "We are still going to have

an override regardless

of what happens."

- MICHAEL ZAPANTIS SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS