Published in the March 11, 2021 edition
By MARK SARDELLA
WAKEFIELD — The School Department is requesting a $45,703,200 budget for Fiscal Year 2022, which begins on July 1. The budget represents an increase of $2,126,541 (4.88 percent) over the current year.
School Superintendent Douglas Lyons and his administrative team presented their proposed budget to School Committee this week.
Lyons stated that the plan is to return to full-time in-school instruction in the fall, and the proposed budget supports that plan.
School Business Administrator Christine Bufagna went over budget numbers. Personnel costs account for the lion’s share of the budget at $38,337,867. There is another $5,432,661 listed under Contractual Services and $1,932,672 in Materials and Supplies.
She noted that the requested budget represents the cost to fund a faculty and staff of 578 in seven bargaining units to educate 3,393 students in grades PreK to 12 and POST Academy.
Bufagna outlined the budget objectives, which include increased Intervention strategies and resources to address learning loss at all grade levels due to the pandemic. The budget also seeks to replace the five full-time positions removed from the FY21 budget due to COVID-related economic shortfalls last year.
The budget also seeks to continue to replenish PPE supplies and materials in FY 2022 and to continue preventive maintenance on buildings in conjunction with DPW to maintain improvements to buildings.
The budget would retain the three additional full-time staff hired last year for cleaning and nursing services. Also included are funds to retain remote teaching positions and support Special Education out-of-district costs and services.
Bufagna said that the budget is intended to address achievement, equity and opportunity gaps as well as recruiting, retaining and developing outstanding teachers, administrators and paraprofessionals.
Bufagna also talked about developing a facilities master plan: including a new High School, and a renovated Greenwood School, with attention to new developments and new enrollment.
Developing a Comprehensive Plan for Special Education and English learner support is also a budget priority, as well as increased course offerings in STEAM, computer science at all levels, and early college opportunities.
Bufagna also noted that the School department in FY 2021 received $1,451,792.50 in one-tme COVID-19 grants, but incurred $1,739,631 in COVID-related costs for things like PPE and facilities updates, overtime custodial and nursing costs ($287,000 and $138,000, respectively) as well as building maintenance and supplies ($150,000).
The schools used $792,881 to fund 16 remote positions, two additional custodians and one additional COVID nurse. COVID testing for school staff cost $56,000 and technology resources including Zoom, chromebooks and hotspots ate up another $310,000.
It may be possible to carry over $376,113 in federal grant funds to FY 2022, Bufagna noted
She talked about some of the budget priorities for FY 2022, including addressing learning loss at all grade levels due to pandemic. She also pointed to a need for extended day for intervention services and technology supports to maintain initial investments.
Safety and health services, direct instruction, intervention, remote services and counseling are now top priorities, she said, and PPE with modified work spaces and cleaning routines will continue to be required.
What is as yet unknown is the ability of school faculty and staff to access COVID vaccines, Bufagna noted, as well as enrollment trends and potential loss of students to private schools. The likelihood of a shortage of teachers, paraprofessionals and substitutes remains an unknown as well as the need to continue remote services that impact class size and schedules.
For FY 2022, the School Department is proposing the reinstatement of the five positions that were proposed last year but subsequently removed due to COVID-related revenue shortfalls.
Also proposed in the new budget are two FTE Science Specialist Teachers at the elementary level in FY22 (with an addition of 2 FTE in FY23); one FTE in Special Education at the Dolbeare School; one FTE in Special Education at the Galvin Middle School; 0.5 FTE in Special Education at Greenwood School; 0.5 FTE in Special Education at Doyle PreK; two Custodians added due to cleaning and moving demands; one COVID nurse added due to contact tracing and screenings; and three remote teachers for students unable to return to an in-person schedule.
Six additional full-time COVID-related positions are also proposed in the FY 2022 budget at an approximate cost of $360,785. These include two custodians added due to cleaning and moving demands; one nurse added due to contact tracing and screenings; and three remote teachers for students not returning to a traditional model.
Lyons anticipated $6,846,919 in Chapter 70 funds from the state in FY 2022.
Lyons also discussed special education plans for the 2021-2022 school year.
“We will continue to develop and support in-district programming to support all learners,” he said. Extended year and extended day services in the summer and during each semester are planned to accommodate the needs of all students. Trauma sensitive practices, additional services, assessments and programming will be needed to support students throughout the 2021-2022 school year, he added.
A public hearing on the proposed budget will be held next Thursday, March 18 at 6 p.m., via Zoom.
