Hadley School closing put off

SWAMPSCOTT – Hadley School will remain open even under the worst possible scenario given the budget predictions the district currently has. Earlier this year the district announced closing Hadley could be the only way to close the projected budget gap of $1.3 M.But at the School Committee meeting Tuesday evening, Superintendent Matthew Malone said the elementary school would remain open for FY ’10.”I am not recommending closing Hadley for FY ’10,” he said. “I cannot ethically make that recommendation and I will not.”Malone said closing Hadley would lead to large class sizes at the elementary school level and would fragment SPED programs.”It’s a price we cannot pay,” he said. “We have to protect our most fragile learners.”In earlier budget forecasts, Malone had predicted a deficit of $1.3 million for level services but town employees recently adopted the Group Insurance Commission, a health insurance plan through the state, and he said the district would receive a budget increase of $450,000 from the town due to the passage of the GIC. He said the town is also giving the school $352,000 more than it received for the current fiscal year.According to the figures Malone presented Tuesday evening the district is facing a budget deficit of $418, 315 to provide level services in what Malone called his “best possible scenario,” which assumes level funding from the state.In order to achieve a zero deficit budget, Malone said an elementary reading specialist, a fourth-grade teacher and a high school guidance counselor are retiring so he recommended leaving those positions vacant. He is also recommending eliminating one support position, the METCO academic advisor, one foreign language teacher at the high school, one maintenance position and two security positions. In addition to those positions he is recommending eliminating DARE at the middle school and $45,000 for new athletic equipment and uniforms.Malone emphasized he would not recommend eliminating sports or increasing user fees.Malone also prepared a “worst case scenario” that assumes a 10 percent reduction in state aid, which would mean approximately $364,000 in additional cuts.If state aid is reduced by 10 percent for the next fiscal year Malone said he would recommend eliminating activities at the middle school and high school levels. He would also eliminate two physical education teachers, one elementary school principal, a technical education teacher, a fine arts teacher at the high school level and a band/music position along with stipends for curriculum specialists at the high school level.