Cummings strikes optimistic note as he presents $41.8 million Grafton school budget
EDITOR’S NOTE: An earlier draft of this story had a typo in the school budget figure. Grafton Common regrets the error.
Superintendent of Schools Jay Cummings presented a $41.8 million budget to the School Committee Tuesday — and, unlike in previous years, this financial discussion came with an extra scoop of something different.
Optimism.
Grafton’s schools were having a tough time financially even before the past two years under the shadow of COVID-19 challenges. Future layoffs were projected back in 2019 if voters did not approve a $6.5 million Proposition 2 1/2 override.
That was then. In Fiscal Year 2023, $41,858,118 — $2.15 million more than last year due to increased Chapter 70 funds and municipal funding — would pay increased staffing costs and the addition of four new positions: a special education teacher for intensive needs at Grafton Middle School, two additional special education teachers at Grafton High School and Millbury Street Elementary School, a Grade 2 teacher at North Street Elementary School and a Drama/Theatre teacher at Grafton High.
“The Grafton School Department’s FY23 budget provides a level of stability that we have not encountered in years,” Cummings said. “An increase in Chapter 70 funding from the state has been incredibly helpful in providing a stable financial foundation for FY23 and allowing for more override money than expected being ‘saved’ for use in FY24 and beyond.”
Cummings said he was grateful for the support of the Grafton community in approving the override as well as the progress made on the budget by Town Administrator Evan Brassard and his team.
The $529,000 capital spending budget will include multiple updates at Grafton Middle School, including replacement of 1964-era expansion tanks in the boiler room, screens in hallways and classroom to prevent insects from entering the building, updating restroom in the auditorium/gym foyer, and replacing hallway tiles. North Grafton Elementary School will replace its 1955 copper roof over the gym with a new metal roof. Old, worn, and broken furniture will be replaced around the district.
Additionally, ARPA funding will replace the HVAC system at the middle school and an overhaul of the auditorium — including the notoriously uncomfortable original wooden seats — is planned for the summer.
Millbury Street Elementary School will need accessibility upgrades and there is a potential for a new playground at South Grafton Elementary School using Community Preservation Act funding.
“It blows my mind how far this district has come since Covid,” School Committee Chair Amy Marr said.
There are still challenges, Cummings said. Covid brought a shortage of people willing to work as substitute teachers or paraprofessionals.
“I believe our most significant budgetary and personnel challenge in FY23 may be in the area of securing paraprofessionals and substitute teachers needed to meet student needs efficiently,” said Cummings, who has at times stepped in as a substitute himself. “Throughout the past year, there has been a statewide shortage of people looking for paraprofessional and substitute teacher positions. This shortage has resulted in the district contracting with outside staffing agencies at high cost for nursing and paraprofessional positions.
“Over the past two years, the district received COVID-related funding that helped offset these costs. This additional funding is not expected in FY23. In addition to the increased need to contract with outside agencies, we have continually asked staff to cover shortages at the expense of time spent collaborating, planning, preparing, etc. While our team has done a fantastic job in taking an ‘all-hands-on-deck approach, I am concerned that a need to continue in this manner in FY23 will be at odds with the critical work that will be done in identifying and meeting the social-emotional and academic needs of all of our students.”
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