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Maynard school leaders present $2.5 million FY26 request, push for school-to-career coordinator and athletic trainer
Summary
Superintendent and principals outlined an FY26 "enhanced" budget of $2,499,839 that would add a School-to-Career coordinator and an athletic trainer, while projecting an estimated town contribution and a remaining funding gap the district may cover with revolving accounts or seek through an override.
Maynards superintendent presented the school districts recommended FY26 budget options and urged the school committee to consider an "enhanced" request totaling $2,499,839 that would preserve current programs and add two district-level positions: a School-to-Career coordinator for grades 6—9 and a full-time athletic trainer.
"This budget allows us to make strategic improvements and continue to effectively support all of our students and staff," the superintendent said, framing the enhanced budget as a way to maintain new literacy and math initiatives, social-emotional supports and growing extracurriculars.
School leaders said the School-to-Career coordinator is a DESE Innovation pathway recommendation that would manage program administration, employer partnerships and grant documentation for work-based learning across middle and high school grades. Principal York described the position as "a lot of administrative work" but said it could help keep students in-district by providing high-quality college- and career-related experiences.
Committee members pressed for details about cost and return on investment. The superintendent provided a budget breakdown showing a town allocation estimate of roughly $2,360,271 and noted the district could use about $500,000 from revolving accounts and $75,000 from staffing adjustments to partially close the gap, leaving approximately $732,000 to be resolved.
On the athletic trainer, presenters cited growing concussion-protocol requirements and daily after-school athletic care needs. "Baseline concussion testing has taken on a life of its own," the superintendent said, listing diagnosis, intervention and coordination with physicians as functions an athletic trainer would provide.
Officials discussed options to cover the remaining shortfall, including applying revolving-account funds, adjusting staffing decisions, and—if necessary—pursuing an override that the superintendent said would require voter support. Committee members and staff agreed to prepare clearer line-item dollar figures to share with the public and with town meeting processes in advance of any outreach.
The superintendent emphasized the districts priority to "meet contractual obligations, maintain current programming and advocate to add in strategic areas," and said the enhanced request targeted positions and services that leaders consider central to sustaining recent gains in curriculum and student supports.
Next steps: staff will provide more detailed cost breakdowns for the enhanced items and follow up with the committee on funding scenarios prior to the committees next meeting.
