Nahant parents press school officials on consequences if override vote fails

NAHANT – Parents at the School Committee meeting Tuesday night peppered school officials about the consequences of rejecting a $260,000 override to support Johnson School, as the community continues to debate the necessity of the controversial proposal.”I believe almost all of these (cuts) would happen,” said School Superintendent Dr. Philip Devaux, while addressing concerns that school officials were exaggerating in their statements that art, music and physical education classes as well as substitute teachers would be cut if the override failed. “This is not an attempt to delude anybody, I don’t want the override to fail and people to say ‘I didn’t know what would happen.’ I admit?a small amount of money might be found or raised for programs, but I guarantee you, I’m 90 percent certain” that these cuts would occur.The School Committee proposed the override to fill a budget shortfall due to a $113,000 reduction in state and federal funds coupled with a dramatic increase in special-education costs. The proposal will add approximately $189 or $3.50 per week to the average tax bill, according to numbers from Town Accountant Deborah Waters and based on a median home valuation of $540,000. The override faces two votes for passage: a 2/3 majority vote at the Annual Town Meeting and a ballot question at the town election. Both occur April 30.Many of the questions concerned how the addition or subtraction of one or two children with special needs who need to be sent out of district – Devaux said that it cost $228,000 to educate one student last year? thankfully the state kicked in emergency funding for approximately half the cost – can impact the local school budget so greatly.”Could the school just hire another full-time special ed assistant?” asked parent and PTO member Roxanne Shena.”You couldn’t just have one special-ed teacher teaching a 3 year old and a 16 year old?” said Special Ed Team Chairperson Ann Haskell, explaining that the school is responsible to provide services for any child ages 3-22 identified with a disability.”The most cost-effective way to do it is, honestly, the way we do it,” said Devaux.Parent Panamai Manadee wondered how the budget for special-ed services that are provided out of district would have consequences for Johnson School.Devaux explained that contracts and Special Ed commitments have to be met by state mandate. Money will have to come from the Johnson School to fund those commitments.”So if the override doesn’t pass, it’s the children of Johnson School that suffer?” Manadee said. School officials nodded.