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Tewksbury committee adopts $82.05 million FY27 budget, approves payroll and declines school choice
Summary
The committee approved an $82,051,493 FY27 budget, certified payrolls and donations, and voted 4–0 not to participate in Massachusetts’ school choice program this year, citing rising enrollment and pending facility work.
At its April 15 meeting, the Tewksbury School Committee approved the fiscal year 2027 budget and several operational items, then voted to decline participation in the state school choice program for the coming year.
Finance director updates and a review of the town warrant preceded a unanimous vote to send the $82,051,493 FY27 budget for salary, operating, capital outlay and fixed costs to town meeting. The memo accompanying the budget draft contained a typographical error on the town meeting date that the committee flagged for correction before publication.
The committee certified two payroll periods. A motion to approve payroll ending March 26, 2026 listed $1,778,808.29 on the motion but the roll‑call readout recorded $1,778,799.29; the administration will reconcile the discrepancy. The payroll for the period ending April 9, 2026 for $1,772,476.60 was approved (three ayes, one abstention in roll call). The consent agenda — including donations totaling $12,150 to the district robotics team from multiple community donors — was approved.
The superintendent recommended the district not participate in the Massachusetts school choice program for the coming school year, citing increased enrollment (the district reported about 3,300 students) and limited capacity without added staff or capital changes. The committee voted 4–0 (roll call) to decline participation while leaving the option of a targeted future approach on the table.
Other actions this evening included approval of the last day of school as a half day on June 18, 2026, and moving into executive session on collective bargaining with the TTA bargaining unit; the committee indicated it would not return to open session after the executive session concluded.
The committee also accepted personnel updates, including the planned hire of Wynne Middle School principal Steven Serapena and posting for an assistant superintendent position ahead of Dr. Milligan’s transition.
