Berlin-Boylston School Committee Approves $25.7M Budget, Plans Friday Follow-Up on Cuts

BERLIN — April 7, 2026 — Berlin-Boylston School Committee approves a $25.7 million FY27 operating budget on a 5-1 vote, leaving key staffing questions unresolved. The committee voted Tuesday to adopt a $25,696,973 operating budget, setting Berlin's total assessment at $9,009,337 and Boylston's at $13,019,682 — both below the March 10 figures — after Superintendent Al Conway and Director of Finance Aaron Osborn presented cuts including a reduction of the Boylston Elementary adjustment counselor from full-time to 0.5 FTE and a cut from three kindergarten paraprofessionals to one shared position. Boylston Elementary adjustment counselor Carrie LaFrancois told the committee during public comment that "cutting this role in half does not reduce the needs of our students — it only reduces the capacity to support them." The lone dissenting vote came from committee member Beth, who said she was not comfortable approving a total without knowing the final staffing lineup. The committee amended its motion to schedule a follow-up Zoom meeting on Friday, April 10 at noon to determine whether the shared ELA coach position — budgeted at roughly $90,000 — will be reduced to 0.5 FTE to restore some level of paraprofessional and counselor coverage within the same dollar ceiling.