Weston School Committee hears FY25 budget asks, OKs $3M CPA tennis court request

WESTON — January 10, 2024 — Weston School Committee fields FY25 budget asks and authorizes a $3 million CPA tennis-court request. Assistant Superintendent Kimo Carter presented a $1,768,287 Office of Teaching and Learning budget — a 6.44 percent increase — with three new positions: a 1.0 FTE English Language Educator tied to a jump from five to 21 WIDA level one-and-two beginners, a grant-funded 0.5 FTE METCO social worker, and a 1.0 FTE robotics instructor. High School Principal Paul Perry asked for 0.75 FTE in math to relieve 24-to-26-student CP sections; Member Atiyah objected on principle, saying "I think we're actually teaching kids the wrong thing" by restaffing around failed overrides. Middle School Principal Phil Oates added a full-time reading interventionist offset by cutting two instructional coach roles. Finance Director Steve flagged that electric buses run roughly $400,000 versus $130,000 for gasoline. Members voted unanimously to authorize Member Maya to file a CPA request not to exceed $3 million for high school tennis and basketball court replacement, against an Activitas estimate of $2.5 million.