HWRSD School Committee votes to approve operating budget, hears from community
The budget roundtable with the HWRSD School Committee begins.
Photo credit: Erin Dowding
WILBRAHAM — Tempers flared and some tears were shed at the Hampden-Wilbraham Regional School District School Committee budget roundtable and vote on March 17.
During the meeting that lasted more than five hours the financial situation was described as a “monsoon” on multiple occasions.
Joining the School Committee for the roundtable were the Hampden Selectboard, Wilbraham Select Board, state Reps. Angelo Puppolo and Brian Ashe and state Sen. Jake Oliveira.
In a motion that passed 5-2, the committee voted to bring in front of the towns an operating budget of $59.85 million for fiscal year 2027. In this number, Hampden has an assessment of $9.9 million and Wilbraham’s assessment would be $33.1 million. The towns will vote on the budget at town meetings in May.
The total regional capital budget was approved at $170,000, with Hampden’s assessment at $34,653 and Wilbraham’s at $135,347.
Chapter 70 aid for the upcoming year is currently placed at $75 per pupil, with the committee budgeting with the assumption it will be increased to $150 per pupil like it was for FY26. In the case it isn’t, $204,000 of the leftover $304,000 in the excess and deficiency fund will be used to cover that Chapter 70 gap.
Previously proposed reductions were restored in this vote, increasing Hampden’s assessment by $569,181 and Wilbraham’s by $1,154,472. The committee chose not to reduce a Green Meadows teacher and a Mile Tree teacher, while keeping three Minnechaug Regional High School gym teachers to avoid a major increase in class sizes, which would have also brought a decreased option for course selection.
Excluded from the proposed reductions as well was the Wilbraham Middle School strings program, which offers a variety of performing ensembles and classes for music students of all abilities.
Christine Goonan, Stony Hill teacher and vice president of the Hampden-Wilbraham Education Association for pre-K through eighth grade, first used the term “monsoon” when discussing the strain on teachers and educators brought on by the unresolved contract negotiations, ongoing for more than 300 days, and the current financial state in the district. She said education needs to be a priority without a cut budget.
“Our teachers are at a breaking point,” Goonan said. “We’ve been dealing with this for close to 20 years, this monsoon, it’s been creeping up on us. I’ve been here for 20 years. I know.”
Multiple community members, including HWRSD staff and parents, spoke against the proposed reduction to the middle school strings, which would have made the program a solely after school activity. One parent spoke through tears as she said the program has helped her son as an outlet and form of enrichment, and that reducing the program is “damaging to our kids.”
Oliveira brought up the funding formula and said that over the last five years, the district saw an 8.65% increase in Chapter 70 aid, while Springfield saw a 35% increase and Chicopee saw a 38% increase.
“They need it desperately, but so does Hampden-Wilbraham,” Oliveira said. “We fought very hard to change the Chapter 70 funding formula, and we were able to pass the Student Opportunity Act, which was a seven year plan for the commonwealth to write and fix that funding formula for our neediest of school districts … that’s why we’re these greater increases over time, but we also understand that this funding formula is broken for school districts like Hampden-Wilbraham.”
He added that if there is anything that can collectively be done, it’s to advocate for changes to the funding formula. School Committee member Tim Collins said children are the future, and it’s time for the state to “bite the bullet and start supporting the children.”
Collins and fellow School Committee member Sean Kennedy both voted against the operating budget motion, with Collins opting not to vote for anything that included cuts.
“I’m already on the record that I’m not going to vote for a budget that has cuts in it,” Collins said. “I will, if we can separate the two. If we can vote on the cuts, come up with a figure and then have a vote on the figure, that’ll give me the ability to get you where you want to be and also stay honest to the community out there that I’m voting against the budget.”
