Three School Committee Candidates Debate Budget, High School Expansion Before May 5 Vote

SHREWSBURY — April 16, 2026 — Three Shrewsbury School Committee candidates staked out competing positions on budget oversight, high school expansion, and district culture at an April 16 community forum hosted by A Better Shrewsbury. Incumbent Vice Chair Rachel Sharif-Core, challenger and corporate finance veteran Michael Pacey, and challenger Nicole Torres — a real estate attorney — all addressed an active FY2027 budget dispute in which the district's initial 4.75 percent increase request was pushed back by the Select Board in favor of a target closer to 4.25 percent. Pacey called the Select Board's scrutiny "a relief" after 16 years of unchallenged budgets and argued the district should examine administrative overhead — including four assistant superintendents — before threatening teacher cuts, which he called "a scare tactic." Sharif-Core said the district is "already a fiscally responsible district" and disputed reports of a fall 2026 override, saying the town manager has indicated the current override can be extended. On the Massachusetts School Building Authority high school expansion, Sharif-Core cited current enrollment of roughly 1,900 students exceeding design capacity and said the state would cover approximately 50 percent of costs, with a special town meeting vote possible between fall 2027 and fall 2028. All three candidates expressed support for incoming Superintendent Dr. Tiffany Ostrander, who takes office July 1 after 17 years under the same leader, with voters choosing two of the three candidates on May 5.