The Winthrop School Committee met on June 6, where it announced that its current budget allocation for the coming year would leave it with a deficit.
The allocation (approved by the Town Council on June 7) is $637,000 less than what the district required to maintain services. To close the gap, it will need to acquire grants and make cuts.
There was also a budget deficit last year, but one-time ARPA funds helped to acquire more staff.
Supt. Lisa Howard reflected on the challenges posed by the pandemic.
“It will take several years to [heal] the interrupted learning and social-emotional trauma,” she said.
No layoffs have been made at this point, but the district has not filled open positions.
“The reduction in grant funds available next year may not allow us to maintain some of the services and positions we have this year,” Supt. Howard said.
Announcements
The high school tennis courts were rededicated after Wallace B. McLean, a WHS teacher in the 1950s.
The committee recognized the following student athletes: Emma Holmes and Mia Martucci for girls lacrosse; Brandi DiCicco for gymnastics; Nicholas Cappucio and Sophia Munson for track; Colin Kinseslla and Pete Silverman for baseball; and Kendal Brandt, Mira Ivanis, Ryan Kfoury and J.D. Parker for tennis. Mia Martucci and Summer Tallent won MIAA Girls & Women in Sports Awards.
The committee congratulated the middle school’s Winthrop Elks Students of the Month for April: Lydia Louali and Aaron Torres for Grade 6, Julian Boudrot and Amira Moussaif for Grade 7, and Inman Belghiti and Zoe Rey for Grade 8.
The following Arthur T. Cummings students were finalists in the MWRA Poster Contest: Kalli Brennan, Evelyn MacDonald, Millie MacDonald, Hannah Castano-Muneton, Sarah Ochoa Palacio and Joslin Tamayo.
The Winthrop Middle School Drama Society is performing “Through the Looking Glass†on June 10 and 11 at 7 pm in the Neil Shapiro Center for Performing Arts. Tickets are available at the door or online.
The WTA is having a retirement party at the Cottage Park Yacht Club on June 10 at 3:30 pm, where it will recognize 2020 retirees Kathy Costonis and Joyce English;
2021 retirees Judi Buono, Yvonne Cernaro, Jean Famiglietti, Maria Flanagan, Norah Grimes, Eva Kearney and Pat Vozella; and this year’s retirees Rayna Aronson, Bernadette Carsley, Susan Eccles, Marie Finn, Michael Kirby and Maura Sullivan.
The Class of 2024 will have a bakesale on June 11 from 10 am to 12 pm at Michaels Mall.
The Annual Fathers Day Breakfast will be on Fathers Day from 7 am to 1 pm in the high school cafeteria.
There will be a cheer camp from June 13 to 15 for grades K-8 at the high school gymnasium. Email [email protected].
Correction: A previous version of this article stated that the budget deficit was almost $700,000. Town Council approved an additional $50,000 allocation on June 7.