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Date: 5/4/2021
AGAWAM – The Agawam School Committee hosted a public hearing on the fiscal year 2022 (FY22) school budget and presented a redistricting update for the elementary schools on April 27.
“Developing the FY22 school budget has again challenged us with the unknown of what lies ahead, and the additional obstacles brought forth by the COVID-19 virus pandemic. Will we continue to purchase personal protective equipment? Will masks be mandated? As you can imagine, these and other answered questions may significantly affect our school budget. Fortunately, the elementary and secondary school emergency refunds covered some of these costs. In addition, this funding significantly offset our FY22 information technology budget,” Superintendent Sheila Hoffman said.
One thing they learned from parental feedback is that there was a lack of consistency with software programs in the district over the past year.
The funding will be used for summer programming, school adjustment counselors, potential temporary staffing, and a family resource coordinator position.
As a result of retirements and redistricting, they anticipate a reduction of 3.43 full time equivalent positions which will positively affect the FY22 school budget.
“The proposed FY22 school budget has no elimination of programs, no increase in existing fees, and no additional fees. In addition, this budget includes additional ‘fixed costs,’ such as an increase in transportation, special education services and supplies, and an increase in out of district regular education tuitions. This included a decrease in the instructional technology budget,” Hoffman said.
The committee formally moved to approve the FY22 budget of $47.8 million.
Hoffman also announced they will be moving forward with the redistricting of the four elementary schools to balance enrollment numbers and provide equitable services across the schools.
The last redistricting in Agawam took place nearly 20 years ago.
The benefits of redistricting that were presented were equal enrollment numbers which will allow for smaller class sizes, equitable services for students, available rooms and spaces, and shorter car lines.
The current enrollment of each school is 260 at Clark, 248 at Granger, 358 at Phelps and 373 at Robinson.
The estimated projected enrollment numbers for September 2021 after redistricting is 309 for Clark, 320 for Granger, 307 for Phelps and 308 for Robinson.
Some students will move from Phelps School to Clark School and some students will move from Robinson Park School to Granger School.
The redistricting will take place beginning September 2021.
Meetings have been scheduled with teachers who are being displaced.
An email will be sent out to all families being affected by the boundary line.
Granger and Clark will follow up with families on when they would be able to visit the new school.
There will be a virtual Town Hall taking place on May 4 at 6 p.m. for anyone that has questions.
For more information, including what streets have been added to the schools, visit www.agawamed.org.