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Green Township schools review preliminary 2026–27 budget; superintendent flags $180,000 courtesy-busing savings and staffing risks
Summary
Superintendent Jennifer Cenatiempo presented a preliminary 2026–27 budget, citing a potential $180,000 saving from changing courtesy busing and warning the district may not be able to retain all current staff without additional adjustments; the board directed staff to investigate options in February committee meetings.
Superintendent Dr. Jennifer Cenatiempo presented a high-level preliminary 2026–27 budget at the Green Township Board of Education meeting on Jan. 21, urging the board to consider operational changes to reduce a projected shortfall.
Cenatiempo identified a potential $180,000 savings by altering courtesy-busing arrangements and said enrollment of district students attending Newton High School is expected to increase over the next three years. She told the board the district "won't be able to maintain all staff next year" if current revenue and expense assumptions remain unchanged, and directed administrators to explore staffing and program options, potential increases in preschool tuition, and monetizing facility use (for example, rentals to local sports groups) to limit impact on students' experiences.
The superintendent emphasized student safety when discussing bus-loading and arrival/ dismissal options and asked committees to "think outside the box" as they develop proposals. Board members agreed to continue budget work in February committee meetings; no formal budget vote was taken at the Jan. 21 meeting.
The board discussed trade-offs between programming and club offerings versus specials and noted that any staffing changes would be brought back to the board through normal personnel procedures. Cenatiempo also noted the district would evaluate space, traffic and safety implications before implementing major changes.
The preliminary budget discussion was informational and produced direction to staff rather than a binding decision; committee follow-up is scheduled in February.
