BRIDGEWATER - May 21 - The Bridgewater-Raynham Regional School District could lose between 30 and 40 staff positions if voters don't approve a budget override, Superintendent Ryan Powers told the School Committee during their May 21 meeting.

Powers presented a detailed budget update showing the stark contrast between scenarios with and without the override. If approved, the district plans to add 25 positions in the first year, with the potential to reach 37 positions by fiscal year 2030.

"We took a little bit more of a conservative approach, recommending that if all things are what they appear to be right now on paper, that we would initially be able to add 25 positions in year one and then incrementally add up to the 37 over the additional four years," Powers said.

The superintendent noted that Raynham voters approved placing a Proposition 2-½ override on the ballot during their town meeting on May 19. The Raynham Select Board will determine when the vote takes place, likely around the same time as Bridgewater's scheduled override vote on June 21.

Without the override, class sizes would increase significantly. Elementary classes would maintain current levels of about 28 students, but middle school classes could reach 31 to 36 students, while high school classes could have 30 to more than 40 students.

"When we say we've maintained 28 students in the class, that's not a benefit to our students or our faculty," Powers said. "But the big alternative is going up to 30 plus at all grades."

The override would allow the district to maintain its full slate of extracurricular activities, athletics, and current electives. Without it, significant reductions would be necessary.

Committee member Timothy Fitzgibbons praised the presentation's clarity.

"The way it's laid out is very clear to me and straightforward and it does a nice job of laying out without the override, with the override, the impact on staff and clarity on class sizes," Fitzgibbons said.

The School Committee also approved several budget transfers from the fiscal year 2025 budget. They unanimously approved transferring $50,000 to the district stabilization fund, which currently holds $342,391.21.

Powers explained that the stabilization fund supports capital projects, including athletic facilities like the turf field, track, and tennis courts.

"We wanted to make sure that we had those funds and obviously if there are any other unexpected capital requirements, repairs that we had to make, that we had the funding there to do that," Powers said.

The committee also approved transferring $10,000 to the OPEB (Other Post-Employment Benefits) pension fund and $10,000 to the unfunded liability fund. The OPEB fund currently holds $101,927, while the unfunded liability fund has $107,243.

Business Services Director Motolani Babalola explained that the OPEB fund covers promised benefits to retired employees, such as health insurance and life insurance.

In other financial matters, the committee approved a new fee structure for preschool programs. The district will eliminate the two-day program option and increase rates for the remaining options. The three-day program will increase from $2,250 to $3,000 annually, while the five-day program will rise from $3,750 to $5,000.

The committee also approved a new fee structure for facility use. The updated schedule organizes fees by venue, location, and services provided, ensuring transparency for groups booking school facilities.

Facilities Director Mark Chiocca compiled the proposal based on historical use and research of fees charged by surrounding communities. The new structure aims to prevent the district from losing money on staffing and resources when outside groups use school spaces.

Committee member Jessica Davenport questioned whether certain groups might be excluded from using facilities based on their mission or values.

Powers responded, "I don't think we've ever had a group that we're not comfortable with or possibly goes against our mission and values, asking us for our facilities."

The committee also discussed potential increases to athletic and club fees if the override fails. Athletic fees might increase from $360 per athlete to between $900 and $1,000 per athlete per sport, with the possibility of removing freshman athletic teams and the family cap.

Club fees, currently $55 per club per student, might also increase, with additional transportation fees for clubs that travel. The administration will review these options and return with recommendations in June or July.

The next regular School Committee meeting is scheduled for June 11 at the high school.

Watch the complete meeting courtesy of the Bridgewater Raynham Regional School District.

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