The Pembroke School Committee began the heavy lifting of the FY27 budget cycle on Tuesday, as building principals and department heads unveiled a comprehensive list of staffing needs aimed at restoring lost positions and addressing evolving student behaviors. While Superintendent Erin Obey cautioned that the proposals were developed in a vacuum before administrative ranking begins, the presentations highlighted a district-wide push for specialized support staff, including a slate of nine full-time kindergarten paraprofessionals and a new district-wide Director of Counseling.

Superintendent Obey set the stage by framing the night as an opportunity for building leaders to define their goals regardless of the immediate fiscal climate. Tonight you're going to hear about a whole lot of great things that each of our building principals would like to accomplish, understanding that the potential that we're going to get them all is pretty slim, Obey noted, emphasizing that these requests would later be prioritized against the district’s anticipated revenue.

North Pembroke Elementary Principal Michael Murphy and Bryantville Elementary Principal Jen presented the case for the younger grades, noting that kindergarten enrollment remains stable at approximately 60 students per building. However, the complexity of those classrooms has shifted significantly. Principal Jen argued that the current ratio of one adult to 22 children is no longer sufficient for students arriving from smaller preschool settings. The kindergarteners we're getting are a different kind of kindergartener, she said. Having another person in that room to put out little fires or tie shoes would have a tremendous impact.

Special education staff member Ashley detailed the mounting pressure on the district’s specialized programs, noting that substantially separate classrooms have grown from three to five in recent years. She requested an additional special education moderate teacher at Hobomock Elementary, pointing out that current caseloads are so high that required reading minutes are not being fully met. We currently have 870 daily minutes of reading groups required, but with two teachers, we only have 650 minutes, Ashley reported. Resident Jean Comfort questioned the drivers behind this growth, to which Ashley responded that the district is focusing on individualized needs and ensuring students remain in their least restrictive environment.

The elementary request list also includes two additional math interventionists to ensure every building has a dedicated specialist, three full-time registered behavior technicians (RBTs), and the restoration of Stream specialists. Member Katrina Delaney inquired about the potential long-term savings of the new paraprofessionals, asking if we added paraprofessionals, would it potentially allow kids to stay in district who might be out of district in kindergarten? Staff clarified that while these specific roles are for general education support, they bolster the overall stability of the classrooms. Vice Chair Allison Glennon signaled support for the move, stating, I can completely see why you would need the paraprofessionals in the kindergarten, especially that one-on-one time.

At the secondary level, Middle School Principal Donna proposed a return to a team-based model by restoring science and social studies positions cut last year. She explained that for a school with declining enrollment—projected at 352 students next year—the smaller school-within-a-school approach is vital for the transition from elementary grades. Having a smaller school-within-a-school model and allowing those teachers to work together in smaller groups really can be helpful, Donna said. Member Susan Bollinger questioned the equity of this model, asking, Would having a team model allow more equity between the accelerated classes and regular classes?

High School Principal Mark highlighted a growing mental health and administrative crisis, requesting a 7-12 Director of Counseling to oversee guidance staff who are increasingly overwhelmed by social-emotional needs. He noted that 30% of the high school student body is now on an IEP or 504 plan. Our guidance counselors do a darn good job, but they are asking for a stable supervisory influence, Mark said. His request list also included a full-time special education teacher to handle 35 required sections of co-taught classes, a full-time custodian to manage the building's heavy evening schedule, and increased funding for extracurriculars. Student Representative Joe added weight to the extracurricular request, highlighting the unpaid labor of club advisors. Those advisors put in so much work and it's a shame they're not getting paid, Joe said, specifically citing the dedication of the Mock Trial team’s leadership.

The committee also touched on the broader fiscal horizon, including the town's move to join the South Shore Technical Regional Vocational School District. Superintendent Obey noted that informational sessions are being planned for April to discuss the dual-track vote coming to Town Meeting: a debt exclusion for the new building and an operational override for tuition costs. Previous town projections have estimated a $450 annual tax impact for this transition.

In addition to budget talks, the committee approved logistics for two international trips. The Quebec City trip will now be open to grades 7-12 due to low enrollment at the middle school level. Motion Made by A. Glennon to approve the updated Quebec City trip. Motion Passed (5-0-0). Similarly, a trip originally destined for Ireland was rerouted to Brussels, Amsterdam, and Paris after the tour company reported low interest. Motion Made by A. Glennon to approve the updated trip to Brussels, Amsterdam, and Paris. Motion Passed (5-0-0).

Finally, the committee held a first reading for policy updates regarding public comment. The revised language for Policy BEDH clarifies that while public comment is reserved for Pembroke residents, it is also open to non-resident parents or guardians of students. The policy also formalizes the Chair’s right to deem comments inappropriate if they are disruptive, profane, or violate privacy laws. Motion Made by S. Bollinger to approve the first reading of revised policy BED, Agenda Format. Motion Passed (5-0-0). Member Bollinger requested a specific tweak to the language during the discussion, asking, Can we say Pembroke resident instead of just resident? to ensure clarity for those attending meetings.