Revere subcommittee weighs cuts as schools face $3.4 million shortfall; members push to restore health aides and retain JROTC staffing

The Revere Public Schools ways-and-means subcommittee reviewed a projected $3.4 million budget shortfall and debated whether to restore school health aides and preserve JROTC staffing as members explored deeper cuts to transportation and non–student-facing positions.

Subcommittee Chair John Kingston opened the discussion saying, “I would like to put those positions back in the budget,” referring to health aides that he called an important support for nurses. Kingston said he also worried about cutting the JROTC instructor roster and described the program as “one of the nicest programs we have at the high school.”

Superintendent Dr. Kelly told the committee the district’s “initial working deficit is $12,300,000” and that after carryover and reductions the bottom-line shortfall they were working from was about $3.4 million. Dr. Kelly said the JROTC instructor salaries are split with the Army—“we each pay 50% of the cost”—and noted enrollment declines have reduced…