Teachers and parents squeezed into the Dexter Park library Wednesday night to express their concerns over a proposed consolidation of classrooms at Fisher Hill next school year.
The Orange Elementary School Committee met to discuss the Fiscal Year 2019 budget.
Main concerns were student safety, effects the more crowded classrooms may have on special education students and students with previous behavioral issues and the age of the students who would see the increase in class size. The consolidation would bring the kindergarten, first grade and second grade classes to around 23 to 24 students in each classroom.
The total Fiscal Year 2019 budget proposed is $6,610,796, an increase of 2.71 percent from last year.
The committee will propose the budget to the Finance Committee on Monday at 6:30 p.m. at the Orange Town Hall. If the budget is not approved, the committee said this may lead to further cuts.
“It is the minimum amount that we need for our students and our staff,” said School Committee member Dianne Salcedo.