Revised Elementary School Budget Restores Paraprofessional Positions

Report on the Meeting of the Amherst School Committee, June 25, 2026

This meeting was held over Zoom and was recorded.

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Present: Deb Leonard (Chair), Andrew Hart, Bridget Hynes, and Sarah Marshall. Absent: Laura Jane Hunter

Staff: E. Xiomara Herman (Dr. Xi, Superintendent), Shannon Bernacchia (School Finance Director), Derek Shea (Principal, Crocker Farm Elementary), Allison Estes (Principal, Wildwood Elementary), Marta Guevara (Director of Student Achievement and Accountability)

At its June 16 meeting, the Amherst School Committee (ASC) voted 4-1 to modify the proposed FY2027 budget to fund five designated full-time paraprofessionals supporting music, art, technology, library, and physical education at the elementary schools. The estimated cost of those five positions is $187,500, and the ASC directed that those funds come from non-student-facing positions.

The newly revised budget, presented at the June 25 meeting, reallocates funds from the central administration, contingency funds, supplies, and professional development to restore the five paraeducator positions. It was passed by a vote of 3-1, with Sarah Marshall dissenting.

In the intervening week, the school administration rearranged the budgets of cost centers to meet the ASC’s request.

The Amherst Town Council voted at its June 15 meeting to increase the elementary schools’ budget by $189,371 by including additional funds from FY2026 in the base and adding funds from the regional school system after Amherst’s share came in under budget.

The June 16 ASC vote directed the administration to:

1. Use the $189,371 allocated by the Amherst Town Council to reinstate intervention teacher positions.
2. Increase regular instruction by $140,000, health insurance by $20,000, and support services by $29,371, for a total of $189,371.
3. Reallocate a total of $187,500 from a combination of building administration, central administration, expense accounts, consulting fees, contingency, and curricular expenses, and add five designated paraprofessional staffing lines to support music, art, technology, library, and physical education programs at the elementary schools.

Marshall asked whether the reductions would affect the school’s ability to meet the goals set by the ASC for next year: to build a school climate of inclusion to support student well-being and mental health resources; to ensure administrative oversight and staffing to ensure compliance with anti-bullying and restraint policies throughout the district; to support multi-modal and project-based learning; to continue to offer differentiated instruction and the opportunity for students to work in small groups; and to provide support in math instruction to raise the level of competency before students reach seventh grade.

Superintendent E. Xiomara Herman (Dr. Xi) stated that services will be affected by the budget reductions, but because the administration had only a week to revise the budget, it could not specify the precise impacts of the funding decrease. She noted that staff training and administrative support for oversight will be affected, and said she was unsure whether all of the ASC’s goals will be met.

Allison Estes, who will be principal of Amethyst Brook Elementary School next year, said she has posted the position for the library paraprofessional, but that one of the specials teachers said they did not want a paraprofessional. She explained that, unlike classroom teachers who teach several subjects every day, specials teachers teach the same lessons to each class in a given grade, giving them only six preparations a week, and that teacher felt they could manage independently.

District Will Apply for Community Preservation Act Funds for Crocker Farm Playground
Marshall suggested that the schools apply for Community Preservation Act (CPA) funds to update and make accessible the playground at Crocker Farm Elementary School. She noted that CPA applications are due in September and must be largely developed over the summer. The playground would qualify under the CPA provision funding open space and recreation projects. Committee members reached consensus to support the application.

Finance Director Shannon Bernacchia asked for guidance in developing the application. Retiring Crocker Farm Principal Derek Shea offered to work with Bernacchia and thanked the ASC for considering the project, which he called badly needed.

Community Volunteer Program for Reading and Math Tutors
Citing a large gap in proficiency in reading and math, especially among English language learners, Marshall proposed starting a volunteer tutoring program for struggling students. Superintendent Herman supported the idea, noting that the district’s most marginalized students are not growing in their reading and math skills, and said she felt the program would further academic growth.

Marshall suggested piloting the program with sixth graders at Chestnut Street Academy, where a late bus is available to bring students home. Marta Guevara thought that was a good idea and offered to work on the program.

ASC member Bridget Hynes said some grant money might be available for this kind of program, and that she will reach out to Holyoke’s Homework House program for advice. She and Marshall will serve as the ASC members on the planning group. Dr. Xi will consult her administrative team to identify staff who would want to participate.

School District Relinquishes South Amherst School
The ASC voted unanimously to relinquish the South Amherst School to the town. The building has not been used for educational purposes for many years, and the town has been paying its utilities. The town is now free to develop plans for use of the property.

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