Schools

Going Up? New Abbot School Elevator Subject to Approval

Third in a series of stories about Saturday's Town Meeting.

The $92.3 million fiscal 2012 budget proposed by town officials is comprised of roughly half town services and half school services.

The budget is subject to voter approval at .

Yesterday, .

Find out what's happening in Westfordwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Today's, we'll look at some of the money that makes up school services.

The school district is requesting $46.3 million for the fiscal year, which starts July 1 and ends June 30, 2012. That represents a 2.5 percent increase over the previous year.

Find out what's happening in Westfordwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Here's a breakdown of the increase, according to Superintendent Bill Olsen's budget presentation:

FY 2011 Budget $45,143,337 Tuition increases
$695,109 Miscellaneous increases
$363,201 4 new guidance and special education jobs to meet demand
$192,910 Increase in transportation costs $151,416 Subtraction: Transfer of professional development, custodial, and
maintenance costs to other funding sources - $148,000 Subtraction: Using federal grant to pay for 2.5 positions
- $126,052 FY 2012 Budget $46,271,921

The school district is asking for $500,000 to pay for a new elevator at Abbot Elementary School. School officials have said a new elevator there was first planned almost 20 years ago and is needed to comply with the federal Americans with Disabilities Act.

Olsen argued any cuts to the school's budget will be detrimental.

"For many years, the Westford community has worked diligently to create a
school system in which it can take great pride," Olsen wrote in his budget presentation. "Over the last eight years, our funding base has eroded despite a growth in enrollment and ever increasing needs of students.

"We are at a crossroad where we can make a commitment to maintain an
excellent school system, or accept a level of deterioration that will
negatively impact students for many years to come."

The school budget is only a part of the items decided by Town Meeting. Look for a rundown of the proposed policies that will be voted on tomorrow.

Town Meeting Series


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