By NEIL ZOLOT

NORTH READING — The School Committee and School Department’s timeline to formulate its Fiscal 2024 budget will be similar to what it’s been in past years. The committee approved the budget calendar and discussed its tentative budget goals Monday night.

On October 17, the School Committee will hear a Large Capital Improvement Plan; principals will be given budget request sheets October 21; the School Committee will vote on Large Capital Projects November 14; budget requests are due December 6; and preliminary budget books will be given to members February 17, with a presentation made at a March 13 meeting, followed by a noon webinar March 24.

A budget workshop will be held April 3 and a Public Hearing April 10. A second workshop will be held April 19, if necessary, followed by a vote April 24, and its presentation to the Finance Committee April 26. On May 8, the Select Board will finalize the warrant for the June Town Meeting, which is anticipated to be as early as June 5. “It’s very early,” Assistant Superintendent for Finance and Operations Michael Connelly told members at the August 29 School Committee meeting.

The current Fiscal 2023 budget is $35,709,330, up 4.2% from Fiscal 2022’s $34,276,665, which was a 5.2% increase from Fiscal 2021’s $32,593,256. For Fiscal 2024, the system will need a 3-3.5% increase to maintain level service, Connelly reported.

TENTATIVE BUDGET GOALS

Tentative budget goals discussed at a workshop meeting held earlier that day include approval of a budget that adequately meets district requirements for optimum student achievement; to continue to explore opportunities to reduce operational costs including energy savings by pursuing solar power, boiler upgrades, energy management modulation, etc.; to continue to pursue a universal free full day kindergarten program through a phased in approach of a reduction of tuition fees and/or alternative state funding options that may be available; and to explore options for the reduction of all fees (e.g., athletics, transportation, fine arts and all educational programs) as a long-term goal.

Additional committee goals include continuing to monitor the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the budget development process and maximize all areas of available funding through federal, state and local sources, and to continue to collaborate with representatives of the Select Board, Finance Committee, the Town Administrator and Director of Finance to discuss potential changes to the budget development calendar with a goal of having a revenue guideline budget amount earlier in the process.

“We didn’t vote on anything,” chair Scott Buckley said. “We just got some ideas out.”

SCHOOL OPENING UPDATES

In his update to the members on the opening of school next Wednesday, Superintendent Dr. Patrick J. Daly outlined adjustments to the student handbook regarding “use of obscene language, verbal, written or online, including slurs, jokes and derogatory comments directed at marginalized groups; pandemic protocols that call for students to be out of school for five days if they are infected; the availability of self-test kits, and announcing the general timing of evacuation and fire drills to ease tension for students.

Daly also said it’s been a busy summer. “People ask, ‘What do you do in the summer?’” he related. “It can be our busiest time,” referring to work on computer systems and buildings and grounds, among other things. “We’re in a good position to start the school year.”

He also reported the school system has not lost many teachers since last year. “We had a high retention rate of returning staff,” he said. “Education across the nation is feeling the crunch but we haven’t been in that position. We were able to build from within. Substitute teachers became paraprofessionals and teachers became administrators.”

Nevertheless some positions remain open and the number of applicants is lower than in past years.

“When you look at the number of people who left last year, we did great and that’s a credit to you,” member Jeff Friedman told Daly.

Daly also introduced two new employees to the School Committee, Human Resources Director Morgan Soares and High School Assistant Principal BarriAnn Alonzo.

Soares moved to the town four years ago. “I’m excited to be here and part of the North Reading team,” she said.

Her previous job was Partnerships, Business, and Grants Manager at Charlestown High School, part of Boston Public Schools.

“She jumped right in from Day 1 and has done a great job getting to know the Central Office team,” Connelly reported. “We’re excited to have her and she frees up some of my time to focus on the financial end.”

Alonzo is coming to town from Lawrence High School, but added her time at Georgetown High School gives her experience “with a similar community. I’m really excited to be here and am looking to move North Reading forward.”

Daly said Alonzo has “fit right in like she’s been here a long time.”

The next regular meeting of the School Committee is Monday, September 19.