Bus Cuts, New Schedules Balance Budget

By staggering school start and end times, Superintendent of Schools Jay Cummings was able to reduce the bus fleet by two and balance the FY 13 budget.

The School Committee tonight unanimously approved the balanced budget, which totals $24,807,455.

Cutting two buses brings a savings of $107,380. That, combined with a circuit breaker (special education) increase of $48,511, eliminates the budget shortfall.

Cummings said that loss of two buses was the financial equivalent of losing two teachers, which he said would reduce the talent pool of teachers and would increase class sizes.

The busing cuts were made by making routes as efficient as possible, Cummings said. This required a new schedule of start and end times for the schools.

and s will start at 7:25 a.m. and end at 1:55 p.m.

The new North Street School will start at 7:55 a.m. and end at 2:25 p.m.

The new Millbury Street School will start at 8:15 a.m. and end at 2:45 p.m.

and elementary schools will start at 9 a.m. and end at 3:30 p.m.