Staffing, literacy, mental health may benefit
Published in the August 7, 2015 edition
By GAIL LOWE
WAKEFIELD — Members of the school board’s budget subcommittee met this morning to discuss what will be done with an additional — and unanticipated — $40,000 from theTitle 1 program.
The school board expected $203,000, but the money added up to a total of $243,000, said Budget Subcommittee Chairman Christopher Callanan.
Dr. Kim Smith, superintendent of schools, will raise the topic of where best to use the money at the school board meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 11 at the board’s regular meeting.
Callanan noted that the additional money could be used for staffing, literacy and mental health programs.
Title 1 money comes from the federal government under the U.S. Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and is tied to low income families and the free or reduced-fee lunch program.
“The amount we receive varies from year to year,” said Callanan.
School board members Kate Morgan and Gregory Liakos also serve on the budget subcommittee.
At the upcoming meeting on Tuesday, school board members will vote on where to best spend the “windfall.”
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Also at this morning’s budget subcommittee meeting, the post-graduate program for students ages 18 through 22 housed at the Greenwood Fire Station was discussed.
The town of Reading has expressed an interest in forming a partnership with Wakefield public schools with regard to the program, but before any agreement is signed Dr. Smith and Business Administrator Michael Pfifferling wanted to review the draft of the contract.
At Tuesday’s meeting, a vote will be taken to endorse the contract, said Callanan.
Following this action, the boards of selectmen for both towns will be required to sign the contract.
