The Duxbury School Committee faced the stark reality of fiscal constraints this week as district leaders presented a comprehensive impact report regarding the FY26 budget reductions. Following an override failure that left a $2.6 million deficit, the superintendent warned of a "domino effect" on educational quality, noting that while staff members are working harder than ever, our capacity to do the work well has been diminished. The district was forced to eliminate 18.9 full-time positions, leading to larger class sizes at the elementary level and significant elective cuts at the secondary schools. Vice Chair Matt Gambino expressed concern over the feasibility of new initiatives amid these cuts, stating, I’m struggling to understand how we can promise to faithfully implement new goals... when we’ve cut three curriculum supervisors who are responsible for coaching.

The assistant superintendent detailed the "restrictive schedules" now facing students, including 36 middle schoolers unable to take Code Academy and the loss of five music electives at the high school. Member Laurel Deacon highlighted the personal toll on families and the importance of clear communication, noting, I think the way that you framed up some of this will help parents understand what exactly it means beyond sort of FTEs in an abstract sense. The report also revealed that technology support ticket response times have jumped from one day to nearly a week. Member Jen Weedon addressed the broader community responsibility, remarking, I think watching this over time, that’s essentially what happens is you cut and you cut and you cut in all the places that you can... and it’s not that those things aren’t needed anymore.

The committee also received a diversity, equity, and inclusion update from the director of DEI, who reported 71 bias incidents from the previous school year and emphasized that equity work is fundamental to a robust education. I hope that this is a moment this year that the community can come together in the face of some really difficult decisions and do the work in service of our students, the director said. To foster better communication, Chair Kellie Bresnehan pushed for new public engagement opportunities, stating, Having it on the agenda is a reminder... it’s one more opportunity to show our involvement. The high school principal introduced updated graduation requirements to align with the state's move away from the MCAS mandate, noting her dedication to high standards by saying, I really want to do everything we can to reach 100% of students finding their coursework relevant.

Additional updates were provided by the student representative, who noted that this shows of unity was meant to emphasize our commitment to kindness, acceptance, and inclusion regarding recent anti-bullying efforts. The elementary principal shared that while the loss of curriculum oversight is felt, teachers are reporting that the CKLA materials are wonderful to use. Motion Made by Jen Weedon to include subcommittee and liaison appointment updates as a standing agenda item moving forward. Vote Passed 4-0. Motion Made by Matt Gambino that we hold two listening sessions for the budget on November 13th and December 3rd. Vote Passed 4-0. Motion Made by Matt Gambino to adjourn. Vote Passed 4-0. The meeting was adjourned at 7:48 PM.