Board proposes override to fund Nahant school

NAHANT – The Nahant School Committee’s decision to seek an override vote in order to close a $250,000 gap in next year’s budget dominated discussion at an open meeting among parent volunteers, teachers and school officials Tuesday night, prompting concerns that – if the override proposal fails – such a large gap could decimate the Johnson School.”The magnitude of this issue needs to be known in the larger community,” said Nahant School Superintendent Dr. Philip Devaux, handing out a proposed school budget that showed the funds to be dedicated to each line item both with and without the proposed override.The proposed override would add $188 or $3 per week onto the annual tax bill of a home worth the town’s median price of $540,000, according to the town. Nahant hasn’t had an override since 2000.At a joint meeting with the School and Finance committees tonight, the Board of Selectmen will vote on whether to add the override proposal to the April 30 Town Meeting warrantBut without the override, 21 line items will need to be eliminated in next year’s budget, Devaux said. This includes funds for health supplies in the nurse’s office, stamps in the principal’s office, substitute teachers, math, music and physical education programs and more.”There is no alternative if the override fails,” said Devaux, emphasizing the gravity of the situation. “Without the override, all we can fund is the basic classroom teachers and no support materials.”Parents attending the meeting were irate at the news.”I knew it was bad, I didn’t know it was this bad,” said parent and PTO Secretary Roxanne Schena. “I want to have a school that has art, music and gym? and toilet paper!”Devaux and the School Committee attributed the shortfall to two main factors:? The town faces a $113,000 reduction of state funds for special-education costs and federal stimulus funds.? State-mandated transportation costs for special-education students have tripled due to evolving student needs and new students entering the district.With a budget that was already “as bare bones as you can get,” according to School Committee member Christine Kendall, an override was the best alternative. Devaux said that it was cheaper than closing the town’s only school, which serves approximately 250 students in Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 6, and paying tuition to send those students to another school district. Nahant students currently are sent to Swampscott Public Schools for middle school and high school.Parents wanted to know what they could do to ensure that the override was successful.”You’re presenting this to compassionate people who don’t want their kids to go to this (type of) school,” said parent and PTO Treasurer Kelly Frary, while holding up the list of line items to be cut. “Do you have a plan to convince people who might not have any children in the schools?”The School Committee said that they could not engage in any advocacy.”That’s what this committee cannot do,” said Committee member Michael Flynn. But he and other committee members mentioned that the parents and groups present at the meeting can advocate for the override and raise money for the schools. In fact, Committee Chair Mickey Long had congratulated the Nahant Education Foundation earlier in the meeting for raising $80,000 over two years to help with enrichment opportunities.”We’re hoping that you can use the numbers that Dr. Devaux provided to show residents what the school would be like without the override,” added Flynn.But such a “skeletal” school may have more problems than adequate funding, suggested Kendall.”I don’t know how many parents will want to keep their kids in a school like that,” she said.