BRAINTREE – Most of the 28 teaching jobs that would be eliminated under the proposed school budget are because of enrollment declines, School Superintendent Frank Hackett told the school committee Monday night.
The proposed 2021-22 school budget of $74.68 million represents a 2 percent increase over the current budget, but is $2 million less than what Hackett said is needed to maintain current school programs. There are several positions we would reduce without the budget situation, Hackett said.
Among them are 10 teachers at the middle school, where enrollment is expected to fall by 80 to 100 students next year, Hackett said.
At the elementary level, nine classroom teacher jobs would be eliminated, also due to enrollment declines, the superintendent said.
We re going to pause things, school committee Chairman Thomas Devin said.
Marybeth McGrath, the town s director of municipal licenses and inspections, told the school committee Monday night the town has seen 213 new cases of COVID-19 in the past week, There were 13 new cases reported among students on Monday.
McGrath said many of the recent cases are people who became infected at Thanksgiving gatherings and travel. She expects even more new cases to appear two weeks or so after over the upcoming Christmas and New Year s holidays. She said all the new cases are coming from the community, not from nursing homes and other long-term care facilities.