Athol-Royalston School Committee approves $36.9M budget amidst concerns

ATHOL – The Athol-Royalston Regional School Committee has approved a $36.9 million fiscal year 2027 operating budget, as officials and residents raised concerns about staffing cuts and class sizes.

The district’s proposed budget was $40,416,008, a 6.12% increase from the current fiscal year.

“I want to be clear to the community and the committee, this is obviously not an ideal budget that I presented,” Superintendent Matthew Ehrenworth said at the March 18 School Committee meeting. “We’ve gone through the process of working with the towns already and trying to meet them where they are, and even for these numbers here, we’re looking at a necessary override.”

The increase is largely tied to rising costs, including a 14% increase in health insurance and a 32% increase in special education, which officials said contributed to the need for reductions.

Ehrenworth said the district removed about 18 positions from the budget, including two that were new proposals and not currently filled. He said the reductions are being discussed in terms of positions and full-time equivalents, not specific employees, and that retirements, resignations and transfers could affect how the changes play out.

“We don’t know who the impacted staff are going to be just yet,” Ehrenworth said. “These numbers and these positions right now, for as scary as they may seem, are relatively nebulous.”

He added that because many teachers are licensed across multiple grade levels, staff may shift between grades or buildings.

During the March 18 public hearing, several speakers raised concerns about how the changes could affect students.

“Reduction in staff is not safe… safety is my number one concern,” committee member Tammy Duquette said, pointing to the potential loss of support roles such as paraprofessionals and hall monitors.

Duquette also pointed to class size, warning that larger classrooms could place added strain on both students and teachers.

“Twenty-five kids in a classroom with one teacher is chaos on an everyday basis,” she said, noting that increases without additional support could lead to teacher burnout and impact classroom learning.

Ehrenworth said the district reviewed enrollment across grade levels and is working to limit how much class sizes increase. He noted the district added a fifth-grade teaching position to reduce one class that had reached 26 students.

“We have not gotten to 28, 30 kids in a class. We are definitely still hovering under 25,” he said.

Select Board member Mitch Grosky said the effects of these reductions would go beyond class size.

“I don’t want us to minimize the impact of these cuts … the education the kids receive will not be the same,” he said.

‘We’re in dire straits’

At a March 11 all-boards budget overview meeting, officials from Athol and Royalston outlined the financial challenges facing both towns.

Town Manager Shaun Suhoski said Athol is facing an estimated $1.7 million deficit, driven in part by rising costs, including health insurance and school expenses.

Officials are proposing two Proposition 2 1⁄2 override options, a $1.8 million override to maintain essential services and a $2.9 million override that would fund additional positions and provide greater long-term stability.

Voters will consider both override options at the April 6 town election.

“We need to pass the $1.8 million, or there are going to be substantial layoffs and impacts on services. That’s up to the community,” Suhoski said.

“We’re getting whacked by exorbitant health insurance increases,” he added.

He said the town saw an 18% increase in health insurance costs last July, followed by another 20% increase later in the year.

Royalston officials described similar financial challenges, including an existing deficit and rising school costs.

Royalston Select Board member Linda Alger said the town is already about $128,000 in deficit and is working to present a balanced budget, with the expectation that an override could help offset those costs.

“We’re in dire straits in Royalston,” she said.

Budget impacts

According to budget documents, total town contributions to the schools are projected to rise by about $821,000, or 12.81%, with most of the increase falling on Athol.

At its March 18 meeting, the committee also approved changes to the district’s health insurance opt-out program.

The program allows employees to receive a financial incentive if they decline district coverage and use alternative insurance. Business Manager Nancy Konisky said the opt-out incentive will increase by about $1,000 per plan. She said the change is intended to help offset rising insurance costs.

The FY27 budget will now move forward as both towns prepare for upcoming town meeting votes.