Westwood School Committee adopts $58.76 million FY2026 budget; raises extended‑day, building‑use and Prodigy fees

The Westwood School Committee voted unanimously on Feb. 13 to adopt a $58,761,682 operating budget for fiscal year 2026 and a $1,140,000 capital plan, and approved several fee increases intended to shore up self‑sustaining programs.

The committee approved an operating budget that includes three substantive midcycle revisions the superintendent presented: adding a fourth preschool classroom for 2025–26, an increase in contracted special‑education services, and additional phased funding for wellness and Mandarin language staffing. At the meeting the committee also approved an increase to extended‑day tuition, new building‑use rates that include a custodial charge, and higher Prodigy program tuition and instructor pay.

The changes come after the administration adjusted the January proposal in response to committee feedback and public comment. “So in FY ’26, an increase to $8 an hour as the base tuition rate,” said Leymah, a district staff member who presented fee recommendations, calling the initial jump “a substantial increase” but part of a plan to stabilize program finances. The committee then approved the fee schedule, including a $660 monthly rate for five‑day extended‑day enrollment (an 18% increase from current levels), by voice vote.

Why it matters: school officials said several programs have operated at or near break‑even and that delayed increases would create ongoing fiscal risk. Administrators told the committee the changes aim to keep extracurricular and after‑school offerings self‑sustaining while protecting the district’s core operating budget.

Most important facts - The committee approved the FY2026 operating budget of $58,761,682 and a FY2026 capital budget of $1,140,000 by voice vote. - Extended‑day tuition will increase to a base rate of $8 per hour; staff presented an example monthly rate of $660 for a five‑day program (representing about an 18% increase). - Building‑use fees will now include a weekday custodial‑impact charge (staff estimated a 15‑minute custodial impact per hour of outside use) to better reflect indirect costs; the building‑use offset to the operating budget was noted at roughly $88,000. - The Prodigy after‑school program will increase both tuition and instructor pay (presented as an 8.5% increase in rates) to remain competitive with peer districts and begin absorbing indirect administrative costs.

Discussion and committee concerns Superintendent Tim Penrod and staff described revenues, offsets and constraints during the hearing. Penrod said substitutes and certain staffing lines were pressures to watch; the district had spent about $100,000 more on substitute teachers through the second quarter than it did last year. Committee members and public commenters pressed staff on program capacity, use of fee revenue, and whether fee increases would be spent on staff pay, behavioral supports or simply to shore up reserves.

Public comment and outreach Several residents spoke during the budget hearing. Howard Heppelman, a parent, urged the committee to preserve language programs and to prioritize Mandarin in the district’s global offerings. Stacy Theophilou and other parents asked for earlier and broader engagement on proposals that change programming, saying the district’s approaches to preschool and world languages felt ‘‘reactionary’’ to some families.

How decisions will be implemented Administrators said most of the extended‑day staffing can be maintained, but the program needed higher revenue to absorb normal step increases and cost‑of‑living adjustments. The wellness expansion will be phased in: the district allocated 0.6 FTE in FY26 (reduced from a proposal for a full 1.0 FTE) and said an additional roughly 0.4 FTE would be required in FY27 to complete the phase‑in so that current sophomores (class of 2027) would eventually have access to wellness all four high‑school years.

Votes and next steps The committee approved the operating and capital budgets and the fee schedule by voice vote. The administration will present the budget to the town Finance Committee on Feb. 25; a final town‑level vote follows that process.

Ending note Committee members said they were satisfied that staff had incorporated feedback but also warned that repeated small fixes in successive years could leave the district vulnerable if enrollment declines or cost pressures worsen. Several members urged continued outreach as the district moves into strategic planning and curriculum reviews tied to the adopted budget.