To the editor:
As members of the Lynnfield School Committee, we are writing to express our unanimous support for, and asking you to join us in supporting, the upcoming Proposition 2½ override vote. Lynnfield has long taken pride in its excellent public schools, which have been driven by amazing educators. Niche.com ranks Lynnfield in the top 5% of Districts with the Best Teachers in the COUNTRY. Our educators consistently foster student achievement and prepare our children for future success. This excellence is also a direct result of the ongoing investment in robust academic programs that our community has made in public education.
Remarkably, Lynnfield has gone an entire school-aged generation (nearly 15 years!) without the need for an override, thanks in large part to the revenue generated by Market Street, strong financial management, and, more recently, thoughVul but difficult budget reductions that have cut programming. These efforts have allowed us to maintain a high standard of education while avoiding broader financial appeals to the community. However, these measures can no longer fully sustain the growing needs of our schools without compromising the quality of education and opportunities we provide our students.
Unfortunately, without the override, our schools face a significant budget shortfall that would result in extreme cuts, including the layoff of 56 dedicated staff, reduction of programs, and increased class sizes, many classes exceeding 30 students, across all levels of the district. These changes include, but are not limited to, reducing the district to one foreign language, down from four, two years ago; eliminating all kindergarten classroom support staff; and reducing Advanced Placement offerings. This will undoubtedly impact the quality of education our students receive and opportunities our students have when they leave LPS, which would lead to an erosion of not only our community values around education, but also the market values of our homes. The bottom line is that these cuts would set the district back decades.
The additional funding in this override, for the library, also has an impact on education, especially at the High School where the librarian position was cut last year. While the final piece of this override, funding for the Senior Center, does not directly impact the schools, we share a desire as a school committee to help those who have come before us in support of education, and who now rely on these services that will be funded with this override. This override is critical to maintaining the standard of excellence our community expects and deserves.
We are deeply grateful for the ongoing support our community has shown to our schools over the years. Your commitment has helped make our school system one of the most respected in the state, and a reason why so many choose Lynnfield as the place to raise their families. As we face this challenging moment, we ask for your continued support to preserve the strength and vitality of our public education system. Together, we can ensure that our schools remain a source of pride and a foundation for future generations.
Sincerely,
Kristen Elworthy
Jim Dillon
Jamie Hayman
Kate DePrizio
Kim Baker Donahue
Lynnfield School Committee
