Braintree mayor tells school superintendent not to close Highlands School
BRAINTREE – Mayor Erin Joyce has directed School Superintendent James Lee to find an alternative to the proposed closing of the Highlands Elementary School.
Closing the school, which has the largest enrollment of the system's six elementary schools, was part of a package cuts Lee presented to the school committee Monday night to reduce the proposed school budget by up to $8 million. Closing the school would save $559,0000 in salaries from the school budget.
"The poorly conceived and timed opinion presented by Superintendent Lee on Monday – that we should close Highlands without the full vetting of where students would go and the full cost savings shared is not something residents deserve," the mayor said in a statement Thursday.
"The minimal savings offered, coupled with cost implications of recent (Massachusetts School Building Authority)-partnered improvements, will not plug the gap meaningfully. I have directed the superintendent to find alternative savings that would preserve Highlands and programming," Joyce said.
Massachusetts School Building Authority funds a factor
Money from the Massachusetts School Building Authority was used for recent roof repairs at Highlands, and the town would have to repay that money if the building is no longer used as a school.
"I am working on budgetary options that maintain neighborhood elementary schools, including Highlands, for a minimum of one year until we can determine strategic options for the consolidation of neighborhood schools," she said.
The mayor thanked all who have expressed their opinions in an "outpouring of emails, phone calls and public comment at school committee and PTOs meetings in the last couple of weeks."
Some call for Proposition 2½ override
There have been calls for Joyce to place a Proposition 2½ override on the ballot to avoid up to $18 million in cuts to school and municipal departments.
The school committee will hold a public hearing on the proposed 2024-25 school budget at 6:30 p.m. Monday in the Cahill Auditorium of town hall.
Reach Fred Hanson at fhanson@patriotledger.com.
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This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Braintree mayor says no to closing elementary school
