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Athol‑Royalston committee approves MSBA compliance step, budget moves and school‑choice list
Summary
The committee voted to advance the MSBA initial compliance certification and approved several finance items including a $100,000 transfer to cover transportation overages and a $9,500 allocation for a Washington, D.C. field trip; the committee also approved April minutes and accepted the school‑choice openings list.
At its May 21 meeting the Athol‑Royalston Regional School Committee approved several procedural and financial items, including advancing the district’s MSBA feasibility process and transferring funds to cover budget overages.
The committee voted to move forward with the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) initial compliance certification, a required step after the district’s May 1 acceptance into the MSBA program. Administrators said the certification must be filed by May 30 and that an all‑boards meeting and facility tours are scheduled for June 4 to inform later feasibility work.
On finances, the committee received a fiscal‑year‑25 update from Nancy, who said most 2025 revenues are expected to be used as budgeted but that special education and transportation overages total about $1.1 million. The report noted $28,218 in school‑choice expenditures to date against a $500,000 allocation and receipt of $75,235 in extraordinary relief funding. To offset transportation expenses, the committee approved a motion to transfer $100,000 from the transportation stabilization fund.
The committee also approved a request to allocate $9,500 from school‑choice funds to cover transportation for an upcoming high‑school trip to Washington, D.C.; presenters said the cost was an oversight in the trip’s original planning and that families could not reasonably be asked to cover the shortfall at this late date.
Earlier in the meeting the committee approved the April 16 minutes and accepted the current school‑choice openings list for the coming year. Administrators reported ongoing enrollment detail by grade and reminded members of upcoming graduate ceremonies: Athol High School’s 150th commencement, with 101 seniors, will be held on O’Brien Field.
No roll‑call vote tallies with member names were recorded in the transcript excerpts; motions were moved, seconded and approved by voice vote with no recorded opposition.
