Weston School Committee Adopts FY24 Budget Guidelines, Advances Capital Planning Process

WESTON — September 20, 2022 — Weston School Committee approves FY24 budget guidelines and advances long-range capital planning study. The committee voted unanimously Tuesday to adopt guidelines directing Superintendent Mitch and her team to work toward bringing the district's rate of budget growth closer to neighboring districts, dropping earlier language referencing per-pupil expenditure after Member Kenneth Newberg argued the metric was subject to step-function distortions from enrollment swings. Director of Student Services Martha reported that enrollment in social-emotional support programs had more than doubled year-over-year, with staffing funded by federal ESSER dollars set to expire after fiscal year 2024. Facilities Director Gary told the committee a working group for a joint high school and middle school feasibility study would be assembled within weeks, with supply-chain delays having pushed three capital projects — an F-Wing roof, a middle school HVAC unit, and a high school cafeteria skylight — into next year. The committee approved all revised Section G policies except a conflict-of-interest provision and a tutoring-for-pay policy, both deferred after members raised concerns about teachers tutoring siblings of current students and colleagues' students in shared subject teams.