Swampscott School Committee Stands Behind Budget $600K Above Target

SWAMPSCOTT, MA — The Swampscott School Committee appears set for a clash with town administration over next year's budget as it unanimously approved a $33,323,089 budget Thursday night that was nearly $600,000 higher than the target the town told the school department it could afford for Fiscal Year 2024.

The budget approved is the revised budget that Superintendent Pamela Angelakis presented to the School Committee on Feb. 2 with a 4.41 percent increase year over year that restored some of the cuts that were made — and still would have had to have been made — to match the town's target of a 2.59 percent spending increase.

Angelakis said she recently met with Town Administrator Sean Fitzgerald and he "made it clear that he cannot support a school department budget that does not adhere to the 2.59 guidance that has been our directive."

"While I understand his position, and I am committed to working with the town, it would also be irresponsible of me not to advocate for the budget that I believe meets the needs of all our students," Angelakis told the School Committee Thursday night.

The budget approved Thursday was $584,742 higher than the one proposed on Jan. 30 when the administration submitted one that would meet the town's guidelines but included $650,000 in savings as well as the use of nearly $800,000 in "circuit-breaker" funds. The School Committee bristled that night at what members called a budget to meet the town's number as opposed to fully funding the district needs, and asked Angelakis to restore up to $1.4 million in cuts and circuit-breaker fund borrowing.

The superintendent largely split the difference in the revised budget that restored some of the proposed cuts, as well as $200,000 in technology spending that officials said once came under the town's capital improvement budget but was shifted to the schools during the COVID-19 health crisis.

"How we're using technology is like a pencil now," School Committee member Suzanne Wright said on Thursday night. "It's not a nice to have, it's a need to have. ... The amount of money and the amount of work that has gone into technology over the past three years is incredible."

The School Committee has argued that they did the town a solid by absorbing that technology cost and other givebacks to the town during the remote and hybrid learning when some expenses — such as substitute teachers and facilities that we not being used full-time — were less, but now should be fully restored without cutting additional programs or personnel.

In hindsight, Angelakis said on Thursday, the district should have insisted that the full budget item be restored at the time and the extra money put toward further out-of-district placement costs.

"We were trying to be great partners in saying that we really didn't need this because we had some savings because of our models," Angelakis said.

Angelakis said on Feb. 9 that while efficiencies within the middle school would be examined as part of the $500,000 still to be reduced under the revised budget, no decisions had been made on specific programs or personnel cuts — contrary to some messages circulating on social media amid the budget discussions.

The School Committee will now attempt to work with the Finance Committee and town administration on securing the additional funding as part of the overall town budget that heads to the annual town meeting in May.

"For those of you out there who have a vested interest (in the schools) and I think everyone should," School Committee Chair Glenn Paster said prior to Thursday's emphatic vote, "now is the time to contact those people who you put into office. Ask the questions. Are you going to support 'X?' Are you going to support 'Y?' Call or email us, call the Select Board, call or email the Finance Committee, call or email the town administrator.

"Everyone is here and works for you, and your students, and the town. So feel free to reach out to anyone."

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)