SAUGUS — The School Committee voted to accept nearly $11,000 in gifts for local schools and approved the payment of about $1.6 million in bills from the last fiscal year at its meeting Tuesday.
The vote ensured that Saugus Middle School will receive an $8,400 donation from waste-management company Wheelabrator Technologies and a $300 donation from JSC Management Group LLC, which owns and operates over 60 Burger King restaurants on the east coast.
The School Committee also approved a $1,940 donation from O’Connor Portraiture for the Belmonte STEAM Academy. School Committee Chair Vincent Serino said it’s common for Saugus Public Schools to rely on donations like these from businesses in the area to fund programs not included in the general budget.
“A lot of these are write-offs,” Serino said in an interview. “They might have a kid in the school or they might not but it helps out a lot because it will help fund things like robotics.”
The $1.6 million bill payment is “par for the course” when closing out the fiscal year, according to Serino. He said that while the state and federal governments are responsible for some expenses, it is not unusual for the School Committee to approve payment for things like transportation, payroll, food service, energy, and tuition reimbursement for teachers enrolled in career development programs.
Serino added that the School Committee is hoping to soon receive Chapter 70 funding to start its next fiscal year “on a good note.” The Chapter 70 program provides state aid to support school operations and establishes minimum spending requirements for each school district. Allocations are based on formula calculations meant to determine the most accurate and equitable distribution of funds.
Following years of virtual schooling due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Serino said there are additional expenses involved with the return to in-person classes. Between maintenance of existing Saugus Public Schools and costs related to the opening of Saugus Middle-High School last fall, the committee approved a slightly higher budget than usual.
Before the meeting’s end, Superintendent of Schools Erin McMahon thanked all donors for their financial support.
“We appreciate every single dollar the community shares with us,” McMahon said.
Rachel Barber can be reached at [email protected].
