Ware School Committee approves $18.9 million FY27 budget, teachers contract

School Committee · Meeting of May 20, 2026

Ware School Committee approves $18.9 million FY27 school budget and ratifies teachers contract at April 8 meeting. The committee voted unanimously on the bulk of the proposed fiscal year 2027 budget — $18,901,731, excluding a separately approved $78,270 school committee salary line — while ratifying the Ware Teachers Association contract in a 2-0-1 vote, with member Mike abstaining on both items under a conflict-of-interest declaration and the rule of necessity applied in each case. Town Manager Stuart Beckley praised the budget presentation but warned the committee that the overall town budget "currently still has about a $700,000 gap to close," and that he may return asking for further school-side adjustments before the town meeting, now rescheduled from May 11 to June 8.

The budget reflects a 4 percent overall increase and would fund several new positions including a school psychologist, a reading interventionist, and an engineering teacher to launch a career and technical education pathway. SMK Principal Pam Lozowski and new Assistant Principal Paige Clark also presented the elementary school's March launch of a PBIS behavior-rewards system, reporting a decrease in minor referrals in its first two weeks.

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Source: the School Committee meeting of May 20, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.