Budget committee accepts Timberland elementary budgets for 2026–27 after review of supplies, furniture and technology needs

Budget Committee members on Sept. 25 voted to accept the Timberland elementary schools’ proposed operating budgets for fiscal 2026–27 for further review after principals outlined key cost drivers and longer‑term needs. The presentation covered classroom supplies, library restoration, information‑access fees for online math resources, replacement furniture cycles and requested classroom technology pilots; committee members also discussed safety radios and a pending district safety grant that could offset some costs.

The presentation, led by Steve Harris, principal at Atkinson Academy, and Mary Sullivan, principal at Pollard, explained that the elementary group serves about 1,600 students across five schools and roughly 365 staff and that the set of elementary budgets represents less than 0.5% of the total district budget. "I'm Steve Harris, the principal at Atkinson Academy," Harris said as he opened the school‑level overview. "So our biggest driver in elementary is supplies," Sullivan said, citing pencils, glue and other consumables for young students.

Why it matters: committee members said the items are small in the context of the district budget but important to classroom functioning and equity across schools. The committee…