WILMINGTON — The Wilmington Finance Committee received the fiscal year 2025 school division budget at its Thursday, Feb. 29, meeting. Superintendent of Schools Dr. Glenn Bland and Associate Superintendent of Administration and Finance Paul Ruggiero provided information to the committee and highlighted the overall budget. It will increase by 3.75 percent from this year to next.
As part of this, some changes had to be made to the budget after meeting with the interim town administrator. Bland explained that this budget meets both the interim town manager's requirements and the district's operational needs for the upcoming school year. While he wants the budget to be as conservative as possible, he said the construction of this budget includes stagnant state reimbursements and increased out-of-district special education tuition. He also said that there are major challenges.
Other factors he cited include renegotiating transportation contracts, lack of funding for key positions, and continued increase in student needs.
Bland explained that even though enrollment was down this year and general education staff was reduced, student needs necessitated the addition of special education staff.
Finance Committee Vice Chair Teresa Manganelli asked about the savings made by the school division as requested by the interim mayor, capping the increase at 3.75 percent.
Mr. Ruggiero responded that since the budget process began, he had estimated new salaries to replace staff who retired or resigned and used reimbursements from the previous year's circuit breaker fund to offset this budget. . He explained that the law allows redemptions to be carried forward, but must be spent in the following year.
Brand cited other cost factors, including inflation in services, programs and school operating costs. The impact of learning loss due to COVID-19. Expand student needs. and the expectation that public schools provide social services to the community.
Mr. Manganelli asked about improvement from learning loss due to COVID-19. Assistant Superintendent Christine Elliott responded that the scope of the impact in this regard was still being determined.
Brand also detailed that the district is following a statewide trend of increasing numbers of students who meet the definition of “high need.” He cited legal requirements to ensure an appropriate level of service for English language learners, whose student population in the town has grown to his 55. He listed about 40 different languages spoken by families in Wilmington.
Joseph Lavino wondered if his students' needs overlapped. Mr Brand agreed that it was possible, but could in some cases lead to the provision of grants or the identification of legal obligations. He also added that the goal for English language learners is to improve their skill level beyond the need for services.
Brand then said he expects next year's enrollment to be relatively stable, despite the enrollment provided over the past several years. He said the cuts for next school year did not result in a decrease in the number of teachers, with only 23 students lost in Grade 12. He also said enrollment could increase due to new school construction, increased retention rates for eighth- and ninth-grade students, and new housing projects in town.
Last year, the retention rate for eighth- and ninth-graders was 71 percent, and 30 students returned to the high school this year, he noted. He then showed how the town's enrollment numbers compare to surrounding communities.
The committee asked about the number of students returning for Year 9, and Mr Brand said that would need to be confirmed.
The concern Mr. Manganelli raised was the information provided to eighth-graders to help them make the best decision when deciding where to attend high school. Mr. Brand responded that high school principal Ryan Gendron has put in a lot of effort to build connections with eighth-grade students and families and understand why students return to the high school.
Andrew Lavigne asked about the insights gained by surveying 8th graders about their school preferences, and the brand said it will continue to conduct surveys, even though it won't get 100 percent answers.
Lavino asked about the district's retention goals for 8th and 9th grade students. Brand said their goal is to help families make the right choices and allow students to pursue other educational experiences for the right reasons. He also suggested that 100% retention is low.
Ruggiero noted that most students who attend the high school from grades 9 to 12 are retained, with retention rates exceeding 100 percent in some cases.
Mr. Brand also discussed proposed changes to payroll and non-salary expenses from this fiscal year through fiscal year 2025 due to personnel changes. He said the budget will help ensure high-quality staff, educate as many students as possible in the district, increase support for English language learners, and increase access to athletics, extracurriculars, and transportation without user fees. It said it will ensure access and provide comprehensive services to students and their families.
The committee asked about budget expenditures related to adjusting school start times, but the only changes Ruggiero identified were adding buses and extending the workday for teachers.
Brad Jackson asked about the quality of the literacy curriculum, and in response, Elliott described a new curriculum pilot program funded by a $386,000 grant.
Mr. Jackson also emphasized that running eight schools is inefficient from a financial and interpersonal perspective, which would also limit enrollment.
David Tamman wondered how expanding special education programs could impact labor costs. Mr. Bland responded that they are doing their best to adjust staffing as much as possible as enrollment declines, but schools need space to run these programs.
Marianne Galezzo noted the small class sizes at the high school, and Brand said the school's upcoming schedule changes will allow students to take more classes and expand class sizes. He said it would be.
The commission invited Brand to present an update on the new Wildwood MSBA project, and Brand said it would follow up.
