Winthrop School Committee approves sick day buyback, hears FY26 budget updates

WINTHROP -- May 5, 2025, Winthrop School Committee approves retiring staffer's sick day buyback and fields rolling FY26 budget updates. Superintendent Gus Matucci told the committee Monday that the $3.5 million Proposition 2.5 override is fully committed to stabilizing the current budget, not expanding programs, and that three new special education positions, one teacher and two behavioral technicians, are the only additions, driven by an autism classroom relocation from the William P. Gorman-Fort Banks School to the Arthur T. Cummings School. The committee also accepted two resignations, middle school Spanish teacher Alvaro Rodriguez, who is returning to Spain, and educational support professional Alyssa Mortimer, and announced five open postings including math coach, STEM teacher, and reading specialist. Federal Title grant uncertainty remains unresolved, Matucci said, with staff previously funded by those grants now carried in the school budget as a precaution; he expects a final budget to return to the committee for approval in mid-June after a second Finance Committee session on May 22 and a Town Council appropriation.