Southbridge Schools Consider Facility Fees, End Elementary School Choice Policy

SOUTHBRIDGE — June 16, 2026 — Southbridge School Committee honors nine early career educators and five retirees, eyes facility fees and school choice change. At its June 16 meeting, the committee received nine Distinguished Early Career Educator awards — spanning all five district schools — and recognized retiring staff whose combined service exceeded 100 years, including 32-year veteran Maria Zicos and 38-year educational assistant Maria Reyes. Receiver Bill Metzger announced the district is "very seriously considering" a facility-use fee schedule for community groups using school grounds, citing a preliminary benchmark of roughly $35 per hour with a two-hour minimum, and warned organized groups they must apply at least four weeks in advance and carry liability insurance under existing policy KFR. Metzger also told the committee he intends to end voluntary intra-district school choice transfers between West Street School and Charlton Street School for new applicants, while leaving currently enrolled students in place. A 55-response survey on the expiring state turnaround plan showed "resource management and sustainability" as the lowest-rated priority area, at a combined average of 3.0, with family engagement identified as the top shared gap across all respondents.