School committee restores two early-grade teachers, approves targeted restorations from suspense funds

The Lowell School Committee voted Thursday to add one kindergarten and one first-grade teacher back to the Greenhouse School and approved recommendations to use suspense-account funds to restore several support roles and technology positions.

Community members and school staff filled the public comment period, urging the committee to preserve classroom and student-support staff. "These are the people who help our students to learn and grow — not just in reading and math, but in becoming safe, respectful, responsible members of society," said Tammy Marshall, who identified herself as a social worker with years of experience at the school. Teacher Sophie Williamson told the committee her first-grade class serves a higher share of high-needs and multilingual learners and asked that "classroom teachers be the priority" as the budget is finalized.

Those appeals framed debate on pages 18–19 of the budget book. The committee considered a motion to…