Braintree School Committee Backs $86.2 Million Budget With 12 Staff Cuts

PEPPERELL — March 25, 2026 — Braintree School Committee advances $86.2 million FY27 budget with 12 position cuts and a $1 million gap still unresolved. Director of Finance and Operations Sarah Coffin presented the reduced spending plan at the Monday meeting, down $1 million from the level-services figure of $87.2 million, with cuts falling on four elementary classroom sections at Flaherty, Highlands, Liberty, and Morrison schools, four paraprofessional positions, and four middle school posts — raising elementary class sizes to roughly 23 students per section. Mayor Joyce confirmed that as of the meeting, the mayor's office had not identified a source for the remaining million-dollar gap, though a vote could come as early as March 30. Public Works Director Matt Jocks told the committee that Highlands Elementary costs $4.56 per square foot annually to operate — against $2.61 at Hollis — and that a full heating system replacement at Highlands would run $7 million to $8 million, not counting roof or electrical work. "From a facilities and operational standpoint only, continuing to invest at the current level across six elementary schools is not sustainable," Jocks said. The committee also formally welcomed Nick Fitzgerald as incoming Braintree High School principal, approved a motion to obtain all ERS and Perkins Eastman documents underlying the facilities master plan, and set a March 30 procedural vote to determine which of four facility consolidation scenarios remain under active consideration.