Ask Jay: Cummings takes to Facebook to answer school budget questions

Superintendent of Schools James Cummings is well aware that Grafton residents have a lot of questions about the school budget in light of the recently proposed override.

He says his office door is open. He’s planning future information sessions.

But in the meantime, he decided to take discussion to the place where he knows residents are gossiping anyway: Facebook.

Last month, Cummings started the GPS Budgets Questions and Answers Facebook group, responding directly to questions about issues like high school sports fees, circuit breaker funds, and reasons why the school department is requesting additional funding.

“I know people have questions, and I wanted to make sure they were being answered with as much accurate information as we can give them,” Cummings said. “Our hope with this page is that it will be helpful in providing timely, brief responses to questions along with access to additional, in-depth information when needed.”

The group now has 548 members and is moderated by Cummings and School Committee Chairperson Laura Often.

Last week, Cummings revised his budget proposal for Fiscal Year 2021, submitting a $38,740,627 budget request, a 3.5 percent increase over the current year. That version of the budget, as opposed to the 5.9 percent increase that would be covered by the proposed override, would entail the layoffs of eight people, including assistant principals at both North Street Elementary School and Grafton High School, three high school teachers, two elementary school teaches and a custodian.

The proposed override would ask voters to approve a $6.5 million override to fund the school and town operating budgets over the next five years.