Updates from Public Meetings

Do Something! Here is how to take Action What’s next?  We need the School Committees to reject at least some of these reductions and vote budgets higher than the amount that the Town of Amherst has indicated it would support. They did this last year for the Regional Schools – and hopefully they will do it again. It’s a move that will not be popular with Town Council and so we need to apply public pressure so they know that the community wants them to take this vote. Our time frame to do this is between now and 3/11 for the Region and 3/18 for the Elementary Schools. The School Committees will hold Public Forums on the Budgets (Regional – Wednesday 2/26 @ 6:30 PM; Elementary – Thursday 2/27 @ 6:30 PM) in the ARHS Library.   On March 18, the Amherst School Committee will vote on the Elementary School Budget On March 11, the Regional School Committee will vote on the Middle/High School Budget   How do we do this? We get loud!  Show up at the Budget Forums. Bring friends. Bring...

The budgets are out: The Elementary Schools budget contains $1,561,314 worth of reductions and impacts the following positions: (Budget Book Part 1, Budget Book Part 2) Three Special Education Teacher positions (one at each of Crocker Farm, Fort River and Wildwood) eliminated One Special Education Reading Teacher position eliminated One Building Blocks/AIMS Teacher position eliminated One Crocker Farm Kindergarten Teacher position eliminated  One Wildwood General Education Teacher position eliminated One Caminantes Paraeducator position eliminated One ELL Paraeducator position eliminated One Crocker Farm Kindergarten Paraeducator position eliminated All specials/band/orchestra teachers reduced from full time to .9 3.4 Central Office positions reduced/eliminated The Regional Schools budget contains $1,391,998 worth of reductions and impacts the following positions: (Budget Book Part 1, Budget Book Part 2) Five Middle School Teacher positions eliminated Removal of Curriculum and Summer Program...

Lots to catch up on and pay attention to this month Budget deficits remain in the $1-1.5 million range (down from $2 because health insurance has been negotiated down from the 19.9% increase reported). This is over 1 million each for the elementary schools and the regional schools budgets. Next Town Council Meeting – Monday 2/24 6:30 PM – this is another opportunity to push the Town Council to consider additional funding for our schools. Tentative Dates for School Budget Hearings – this will be a time to advocate for the needs of our children & schools and ask School Committee to not just accept the limited increase the Town would like to give. The School Committee is working on possibly making these a hybrid format. Amherst (Elementary) Budget Hearing – Tuesday 2/25, 6:30 ARHS Library  Regional Schools Budget Hearing – Wednesday 2/26, 6:30 ARHS Library  SOS Amherst is planning an in-person meetup/teach in – please take our poll to...

Amherst families try to correct combative narrative around school funding This weekend, Amherst District 3 Councilor and newly elected Council Vice President George Ryansent an update on the Regional Schools budget to constituents on his mailing list. The full text of hisstatement is included below. Unfortunately, Councilor Ryan’s update contains a number of inaccuracies, as well as statements that demonstrate a lack of understanding of the challenges facing our Regional Schools.It is crucial that we do not circulate incorrect information that creates division in our community. Tothat end, we hope the following clarifications will illuminate realities that were misrepresented inCouncilman Ryan’s update. Claim #1: Ryan states that the Town Council “doesn’t understand” why spending for the RegionalSchools is increasing faster than the town’s revenue, “especially given the significant long-termreduction in the number of students we teach”. Fact: There is no mystery as to why education...

Actions you can take Ongoing Action Item – Tell Town Council that our schools matter to you, that they are currently NOT sufficiently funded and that another year of cuts will be devastating. Contrary to the narrative that is often coming from the Town Council, our school budget cuts and elimination of staff positions have actually been outpacing the decline in student enrollment. Put simply, we are shrinking our budgets and staff faster than our schools are shrinking.  Upcoming Amherst town meetings with Public Comment where you can make your voice heard:  Town Council: Monday February 10, 6:30 PM, Town Hall or via Zoom Town Council: Monday February 24, 6:30 PM, Town Hall or via Zoom Finance Committee: Tuesday February 4, 2-4 PM, via Zoom (https://www.amherstma.gov/Calendar.aspx?EID=29480&month=2&year=2025&day=4&calType=0) Budget Coordinating Group, Wednesday February 5, 12-2PM via Zoom (https://www.amherstma.gov/Calendar.aspx?EID=29485&month=2&year=2025&day=5&calType=0)...

Recap of 1/28 school committee meeting Amherst School Committee/Regional School Committee Meeting 1/28 – You can watch the recording here. Public Comment – A number of commenters spoke in support of Dr. Xi and the work she is doing, including staff representing the LGBTQIA+ Caucus and the Black Caucus.  Presentation on Strategic Planning – The School Committees heard a presentation from Dr. Allison Layland on the work she is beginning in strategic planning with the districts. You can view her slide deck here.  Discussion of a draft letter to Amherst Town Council on school funding – The Regional School Committee’s Fiscal Sustainability Subcommittee put together a letter to Amherst Town Council in response to the Budget Guidelines for FY26 that Amherst Town Council has approved. The School Committee began but did not finish discussing this letter and will continue at the next meeting. It’s...

This is who is voting on budgets Recap of this week –Town Council Meeting 1/27 – You can watch the recording here. Finance Committee: Council President Lynn Greisemer appointed Councilors: Mandi Jo Hanneke, Robert Hegner, Cathy Schoen, Andrew Steinberg, Ellisha Walker (these are the same Councilors as the prior term). You can see more details here in terms of who requested which committee. Joint Capital Planning Committee – this is the committee that advises the Town Manager on the creation of the annual Capital Improvement Plan, via which capital funds are dispersed for ongoing repairs/equipment/smaller projects in town, including at the elementary schools. Councilors are voted onto this Committee by the entire Council. Councilors who were selected were: Robert Hegner, Cathy Schoen and Heather Hala Lord. Discussions in this committee will be important, especially this year, because the town is poised to restrict these funds in order to pay for the four large capital projects...

Amherst Elementary Schools budget to cut over 10 positions At last night’s Amherst School Committee meeting (video here), Dr. Xi and Interim Finance Director Shannon Bernacchia presented a budget update (attached) for the Amherst (elementary) Schools for next year. The elementary budget is currently $1,478,143 over budget for next year. This will likely necessitate the elimination of 8-9 teachers, 1 clerical position and 4 paraeducators at the elementary schools, as well as five positions at the Central Office (see page 4 of the attached presentation). Dr. Xi and her team have been working with the principals to identify specific positions that would be eliminated.   The Amherst School Committee will hold their annual budget hearing on Tuesday February 25th at 6:30 PM in the ARMS library. Dr. Xi has indicated that she will release a draft budget in advance of that so that community members have time to review before the budget hearing. This budget hearing is the main opportunity for...

Still facing massive cuts — more than 50 staff may be lost Updates:  At the 1/14/25 Regional School Committee Meeting (watch here), Dr. Xi and her team provided a budget update for the Regional Schools (middle and high school). The exact deficit amount isn’t yet known as the four towns that fund the Regional Schools are still determining funding for next year, but the deficit is likely between $1-1.4 million. Preliminarily this translates to eliminating 11 positions at the high school ( 4 professional, 4 clerical, 3 paraprofessionals), 8 positions at the middle school (4 professional, 1 clerical, 3 paraprofessionals), and 5 positions at the central office (see Page 16 of the presentation for details). See the coverage in the Hampshire Gazette here.  We haven’t seen an update on the elementary school budget deficit, but last we heard it was approximately $1.4 million, so likely in the range of 25-30 positions.  School Committee Member Bridget Hynes very aptly referred to...

Check out Superintendent Xi’s presentation! 12/17/24 joint school committee meeting: The meeting between the Amherst School Committee and the Regional School Committee was packed with discussion and information and is really worth watching. Dr. Xi presented her entry plan findings, detailing some of the challenges she found in the district and some initial recommendations. Other important topics were also discussed, including the budget for the elementary schools. Video available here – try watching at 1.5x speed to save yourself some time! Time stamps are below for specific topics. Regional Schools Four Towns Meeting Recap: Discussion of the timeline of when towns can reasonably predict their revenue for the next year and therefore when the school districts can negotiate for that money. Frustration at how the Town of Amherst breakout session went with the Amherst Town Council President running that conversation.  Dr. Xi’s Entry Presentation (Time Stamp 1:01:00): Dr. Xi...