Norton School Committee Approves $37.9 Million FY27 Budget at Final Spring Meeting

NORTON — June 3, 2026 — Norton School Committee approves $37.9 million FY27 budget and new middle school science curriculum. The committee voted unanimously Wednesday to ratify the $37,872,686 fiscal year 2027 school department budget approved at town meeting, and separately adopted Lab-Aids as the district's new high-quality instructional materials for middle school science — a recommendation made unanimously by all six NMS science teachers after an A/B field test against a competing SAVIS product, funded in part by a state fair share earmark grant. The committee also approved student handbooks for all three school levels and school improvement plans for the elementary, middle, and high schools, with the middle school plan introducing a new digital wellness framework and a revised good standing policy that allows students to earn back privileges before the end of a marking period. In public comment, two special education bus drivers, Diana Poria and Margie Reynolds, challenged the district's decision to transfer their routes to the large-bus contractor effective July 1, arguing their sick-day payout of $40 per day did not reflect years of accumulated unused time; Superintendent Dr. Erin O'Neill offered to meet privately with the drivers but said staffing constraints in the special education office made the transition necessary.