Winthrop School Committee Approves Override Letter, Sets Budget Review Timeline

WINTHROP -- March 3, 2025, Winthrop School Committee votes to publish override appeal letter as April 5 ballot deadline looms. The committee unanimously approved a letter to the Winthrop Transcript urging residents to support a Proposition 2½ operational override, with Superintendent Lisa Meehan warning the district faces up to $3.5 million in cuts to open FY26 if the measure fails, reductions she said could force the town to pull funding from police, fire, and DPW. The committee also approved the 2025-2026 school calendar on a 5-0-1 vote, selecting Option 1 with a full two-week holiday break and a June 15 last day of school, over objections from members citing child-care hardship and food insecurity for students. The committee amended the letter's language on projected staff cuts to read "potential loss of up to" after member James Matucci cautioned that hard numbers in print "may not happen" and could mislead residents if conditions improve. The budget subcommittee is set to review the level-service FY26 budget around March 10, with a public hearing planned for April 14.