( ( This should not be mistaken for the toxic waste site located upstream of Lake Dennison on the Millers River. ) )
Opinion:
3% of the population of Winchendon voted [NO] to job losses (Pink Slips), raises for the elite (Admin) due to unavoidable budget cuts, and a lack of Government handouts to keep our Winchendon Public Education system functioning past July 1st, 2024.
Opinion:
3% of the population of Winchendon voted [NO] to job losses (Pink Slips), raises for the elite (Admin) due to unavoidable budget cuts, and a lack of Government handouts to keep our Winchendon Public Education system functioning past July 1st, 2024.
This leaves uncertainty to the handful of parents who dump their unruly children off to strangers who attempt to control and parent them with their hands tied behind their backs with looming legal or administrative chains.
Some parents fear the Scooter Gang may see a drastic increase in recruitment as children look for alternative outlets to act like hooligans. Homeschooling is once again a hot topic. Meanwhile, families live paycheck to paycheck on dual incomes or spend their state handouts on lottery tickets and nips.
The future of the children Educated by Winchendon Public Schools is left to many old people who just figured out how to use the internet (FB), the 3% of the voters who sway our budget (Taxes), and the people who complain about whom they elected (probably the same people). Their decision is Swayed by a shrinking educational budget, Facebook drama, and their self-interests.
Keyaways regarding the issue appear to be:
Superintendent salary: An increase is in the works while it is already more than twice the median average household income of Winchendon Residents.
Admin Raises: While a handful of teachers are let out due to budget concerns, the Administration seeks wage raises as the school system eats its own.
Job Cuts: “Pink Slips” is what they call not being rehired for the next school year, terminology to the likings of a Hub Genre and the urban dictionary definition to follow it.
Position Consolidation: Reducing the Music and Library Resources for children. The same year, the Outdoor performance theater draws in local performers displaying their musical talent for the surrounding community. The Local Library hosts Men dressing up as women while feeding our children brunch.
Budget Cuts: Despite record tax revenue, the state decided to give Winchendon less money than last year. This, among other factors, is putting a squeeze on the town's fiscal obligations.
Budget Cuts: Despite record tax revenue, the state decided to give Winchendon less money than last year. This, among other factors, is putting a squeeze on the town's fiscal obligations.
Not all the destruction of wildlife and nature to put up solar panels and dumping of toxic waste next to the Millers River upstream from our local parks could generate enough tax revenue to save the Teachers.
Article
In the small town of Winchendon, the Annual Town Meeting took a dramatic turn when voters axed the entire school budget with a two-thirds majority on May 20. This left the School Committee, Superintendent Dr. Goguen, and Town Hall scrambling to fix the mess before the fiscal year ends.
With no budget, the schools face a shutdown after June 30. On May 23, three days post-vote, the School Committee had an emergency meeting, where chaos ensued.
Dr. Goguen’s report was a rollercoaster. She took over last August to find a dysfunctional system, hiring eight administrators just to open schools. With a revolving door of business managers and accountants, budgeting became a nightmare. The district had to shuffle funds as previous sources dried up.
Student safety was a top priority, Dr. Goguen assured. Cuts were based on unfilled positions and enrollment drops. But without a budget, hiring is frozen, and pink slips loom large. “No budget, no school,” she warned. Summer school and all contracts are on the chopping block.
Dr. Goguen’s plea: It’s crucial to vote on a budget or face a school district shutdown. Everyone could end up unemployed, and unemployment costs would bankrupt the town. She explained that cuts weren’t personal but necessary to least impact students.
Recommendations flew: hire a certified elementary librarian and juggle music teacher positions. They’re also using next year’s funds to cover a $1.1 million shortfall. Special education costs are a major burden, rising by $900,000, which strains the budget further.
Committee member Michael Barbaro bluntly stated, “We’ve lost the public trust.” Promises of funds from solar fields and overrides never materialized, and transparency needs to improve.
Legal nuances aside, if the budget isn’t passed by July 1, all school staff could be considered unemployed, obligating the town to pay unemployment benefits. But, history shows a reprieve might be possible if a Special Town Meeting can salvage the situation.
Chair of the Board of Selectmen Audrey LaBrie highlighted the broader impact: failure to pass the budget could affect state grants and tax rates. The state might even step in, forcing the town to double its school spending.
In a final twist, Committee member Dave LaPointe suggested regionalizing the schools, a process that would take years.