Superintendent Michelle Balch presented a more detailed look at the potential impacts tied to the outcome of the override vote set for June 9 during the School Committee’s May 26 meeting.
Screenshot by Trent Levakis.
EASTHAMPTON — Easthampton Public Schools Superintendent Michelle Balch presented a more detailed outlook on the two scenarios the district faces pending the results of the upcoming $6.9 million Proposition 2½ override vote on June 9.
During the School Committee’s May 26 meeting, Balch shared that if the override were to fail, 24 total staffing positons would be eliminated or reduced at Mountain View School, and another 11 would be slashed at Easthampton High School.
Specifically for Mountain View School, this would include the loss of three full-day Pre-K positions, six positions from classroom sections in kindergarten and grades 2, 3 and 5, two special education teachers, two interventionalists, an adjustment counselor, a school psychologist, two registered nurses, two librarians, three speech language pathologists and one position each from band and music.
Easthampton High School would see the loss or reduction of 1.5 ELA positions, a math position, a health position, a technology and engineering position, the equivalent of half a world language position, an early childhood position, two special education positions, a librarian and one Bridge for Resilient Youth in Transition programming position.
Some staffing changes would convert several licensed educator positions into paraprofessionals or assistant roles, including reductions involving librarians, special education, nursing services, and speech and language supports. This applies to and explains the .5 figure when discussing the reduction or elimination of those positions, according to Balch.
A failed override would also eliminate middle and high school athletics, and the district would no longer be able to fund stipends for the advisors of extracurricular activities and clubs, including programs such as Drama Club, Band and Chorus, National Honor Society, Ski Club, Yearbook, Student Council, We the People and additional student clubs and activities.
The School Committee approved a level-service school budget of $24.9 million in March, and now, with the updated outlook on the city’s overall finances, the district has had to reevaluate its budget through two different scenarios tied to the upcoming override vote. The district would still be looking at cuts of just over $922,000 if the override passes. If it fails, however, those cuts would triple, which means $2.77 million would need to be removed.
“We know that behind these line items and behind these programs that we’re going to be talking about is true impact, and this is an unprecedented time for our community, and we are committed to continuing to provide a safe and supportive educational experience for all of our students. There are no easy options here. We have decisions that we have to make in both options,” said Balch of the two budget scenarios.
A failed override would also include cuts across the board for the district, including the elimination of the late bus for after-school, a specialized three-year coaching and mentoring program for newly hired district leaders, laptops for staff, a reduction in software and other utilities, a reduction of progressional development and more.
While there will be cuts to the district regardless of the override’s outcome, a passing of the override would be much less of a hit to the district, according to city leaders. A successful override means Mountain View School would only need to eliminate or reduce one elementary classroom position, one special education teacher position and one registered nurse position. Meanwhile, Easthampton High School would need to reduce the equivalent of half a world language position, 1.5 English teacher positions and one special education teacher position.
The passing of the override would also keep athletics in middle and high school intact. Balch explained that annually, the district budgets approximately $160,000 to support athletics, and the program in return brings in about $200,000 in revenue each year from fees and gate receipts, which in turn supports expenses above and beyond what is supported in the general fund.
“We’d still be able to preserve that with a successful override,” Balch said of sports. “There’s a lot of things to consider in preserving sports. It would have to be an all-or-none position for us because there’s Title IX regulations, there are fees that we pay, the athletic director stipend, which is contractually obligated, so we’re very bound by a lot of parameters for that.”
A successful override would also still mean the elimination of team leader stipends for clubs at the high school. There would also still be reductions in supplies, professional development and summer school options. At Mountain View, similar cuts would occur with the passing of the override.
Balch reiterated that personnel is the biggest bucket, and if the override vote fails, then about $2 million would be cut in personnel expenses.
“Almost 70% of our entire budget are people. They’re the people that run our schools, the people that are directly supporting students. So, when we’re asked to make cuts to our budget, it’s going to touch staff because it’s such a significant portion, and we don’t have a lot of flexibility if we look at tuition, and utilities, and transportation, those are pretty much fixed costs. We don’t have a lot of wiggle room in those numbers,” she explained.
The public comment period during the meeting utilized the entire hour and a half that is allotted. Speakers made up of current Easthampton Public School teachers, staff, and students, as well as members of the public, spoke overwhelmingly in favor of passing the override and shared stories of the impact the district has had on them.
A full recording of the meeting with the public comment period is available on the Easthampton Media YouTube channel. Balch’s presentation is also available at epsd.us/about/school-committee.
Following Balch’s presentation, the committee discussed the dire situation the district finds itself in and also made the case to the public on why they should vote to pass the override on June 9. Committee member Bonnie Atkins called the situation “apocalyptic” and said, as a city, the community will carry this decision into the future for decades to come if they fail to pass the override.
“A lot of people are not taking us seriously … we had an incredible budget. Even though it was level services, we knew that we could get through and have a future. These cuts, even with the override passing, are devastating,” said Atkins. “As a community, I am very hopeful. I truly believe we can come together. I truly believe that. I tend to be a little bit of an optimist around certain things because I believe in the best of people always, and we need every voice to be out there.”
Mayor Salem Derby spoke once again about how much the situation has been weighing on him, especially as a third-generation educator and a parent of children who went through the Easthampton schools. He also spoke in support and appreciation for the public speakers who shared their experiences in the district during public comment.
Derby added that while some people have accused the city of “fear mongering” regarding the override, he disagreed with the commentary and said this is just the reality the community is facing.
“This is not fear-mongering. This is reality. These are real people, real positions, real impact on our community, and I just want to encourage everybody to keep letting people know this is not fear mongering,” said Derby. “When we look at long-term projections for the city, $8.5 million is really what we need to get us on a super stable track, and we had to make the decision that that ask was probably too much for Easthampton, so that’s why we asked for $6.9 [million], and that’s why you’re seeing if the override passes, there still has to be sacrifice, and it’s not just the schools. The schools are the biggest part of the municipal budget, 52% when you take everything into account … Now those numbers are out there. Now we have that, and we can show people what the impact is going to be. All of us need to show everybody in our community what this means because it’s catastrophic.”
Student Representative Walter Baker said that anyone suggesting that city officials were coming from a “corrupt and nefarious” place are misguided, as over 50 municipalities in the state are currently facing similar situations.
“All of the taxpayers in the city are going to pay for it in one way or another,” he said, regarding the implications of the override’s outcomes. “I think that we all need to channel our inner Ms. [Kelley] Brown [EHS’ We the People teacher] and do something that our future selves will thank us for and support the override.”
Committee member Linda Markee said that she hopes the community comes together in support of the override. She added that despite the fact that some in the community are vocally against the override, those same people have not made themselves present in these meetings and public discussions to make the case against it.
“When I arrived here, there were quite a few people standing outside of 50 Payson [Ave.] with vote no signs. I just wanted to note that not one of those people walked in tonight to make any statement about why they were voting no,” said Markee. “Not one of them walked in tonight to hear this presentation and to get the information that I feel is necessary in order to make an informed decision or to make a counterargument.”
