Pembroke officials present FY26 school budget; committee approves calendar, athletic survey and facility-use policy first read

Pembroke school and town officials on April 15 presented the administration’s recommended FY26 school budget and outlined program priorities including a proposed elementary behavioral program, added counseling coordination, technology managed services and targeted math interventions. The town manager and superintendent said the district’s recommended budget is balanced for FY26 after a mix of reductions, one-time pre-buys and a larger town contribution.

Superintendent Erin (Pembroke Public Schools) said the district began from a November maintenance-of-effort figure of $40,910,097 and identified approximately $415,000 in level‑one administrative priorities (behavioral supports, a BCBA/RBT staffing model pilot, a 0.4 business teacher at the high school, and a pre‑K–12 counseling coordinator). After adjustments that include a $100,000 transportation revolving offset and a $600,000 special-education tuition pre-buy, the administration reported a working figure of $40,525,000 and said the town manager’s recommended budget presented to Town Meeting is $40,005,050.

Bill (Town Manager) told the joint meeting the current FY26 town budget recommendation is balanced after a series of reductions and an increased town contribution to schools; he cautioned the panel that next year will remain financially challenging and emphasized the community’s reliance on new growth under Proposition 2½.

The superintendent described the district’s top administrative priorities for FY26: launching a small, in-district elementary behavioral program housed at Habemak (staffing: teacher + registered behavior technician, supervised by a BCBA); one district BCBA shared across buildings to supervise RBTs; a 0.4 FTE business teacher to preserve student electives while making a pathways coordinator full time; a half-funded pre‑K–12 counseling coordinator (grant-funded portion anticipated); managed IT services to supplement a small internal tech team; math interventionists targeted to each elementary building; and modest increases to high-school co‑curricular stipend lines.

Officials emphasized recurring drivers of cost growth: special-education tuition, higher wage scales for paraprofessionals and teachers, and expanded behavioral and mental health services demanded by students post‑COVID. The superintendent said the district has taken enrollment-driven personnel reductions (including one fewer section in grade 3, one fewer grade 6 section and two fewer middle-school staff) and eliminated a vacant ELL position; administrators said the reductions were realized through attrition and vacancies rather than involuntary displacement.

Warrant and capital items discussed included a community preservation recommendation to replace the Havemak playground (committee members asked about long-term maintenance responsibilities) and a warrant article to authorize use of stop-arm/stop-camera evidence (newly enabled under state law) to support enforcement if the town chooses to pursue bus stop-arm camera installations.

Votes at a glance (formal motions recorded April 15): - School committee meeting minutes, April 1, 2025 — Motion by Katrina, seconded by Allison; outcome: approved (unanimous). - 2025–26 school calendar (second reading approval) — Motion by Sue, seconded by Katrina; outcome: approved (unanimous). The calendar places the 180th day on Friday, June 12, with a contingency 185th day on Monday, June 22 if weather days are used. - Athletic interest survey (sailing and dance) — Motion by Sue, seconded by David; outcome: approved (unanimous). The district will survey middle and high school families; historically new activities are self-funded for the first two years. - Policy KF (Community and other use of school facilities) — First-read revision accepted — Motion by Sue, seconded by Allison; outcome: approved for first read (unanimous). Revisions clarify that the policy covers grounds as well as buildings and that school-hours use is restricted; committee discussed sign posting and check-in/badge expectations. - Motion to adjourn and enter executive session for collective bargaining strategy — Moved and seconded; outcome: approved (unanimous).

Next steps: the administration will present the budget at the town public hearing April 29, the policy subcommittee will circulate comparator language used to draft the facilities-use revision, and the forfeiture/athletic handbook item (policy JJIB) will be placed on the May 6 School Committee agenda for a specific vote.