BEVERLY — Highlighting cuts in state aid, the closing of an elementary school and the building of a new high school, officials reviewed the past and painted an uncertain picture of what's to come.
"Last year was a tumultuous time for all of us in Beverly Public Schools," School Committee President Annemarie Cesa said during the 10th annual State of the Schools address.
She was referring to the community backlash to the district's decision to close McKeown Elementary School to help reduce a $2.6 million gap in the budget. But one year later, the school system — if not the city, state or country — seems to be in a better place.
"I believe there won't be the type of cuts we had last year," Cesa said.
About 200 people gathered in the Briscoe Middle School auditorium to listen as officials with a variety of perspectives weighed in on how the school system is doing.
Superintendent James Hayes talked about some of the improvements to the district, including achieving SAT scores that are above the state and national levels, starting a new program to combat drop-out rates, and establishing partnerships with local organizations to build science and computer labs.
"We have progressed," Hayes said. "Despite everything, we have moved forward."
Special education has been a focus for the district, especially after turning McKeown into an alternative school for students with emotional and behavioral problems. Keynote speaker Debra O'Connor, administrator of special education, pupil and personnel services, gave a thorough presentation of how special education works. She focused on state mandates, as well as programs the district has implemented on its own, and included a photo slide show of students and teachers.
But the news wasn't all positive. Mayor Bill Scanlon mentioned the governor's funding slash for this year's city budget — a portion of which will be picked up by the schools.
"Beverly will not receive $709,000 of the local aid we had budgeted and been promised," Scanlon said.
Hayes told the crowd the school district should be able to cover a portion of that shortfall without jeopardizing programs — which was a key goal in the closing of McKeown.
"We have managed to hold on to programs that our neighbors have not, and lost only Latin," Cesa said.
Hayes, in addressing next year's budget, said most of the expenses are known, but preached patience in figuring out how state funding and the federal stimulus package will affect revenue.
President Barack Obama's stimulus package, which the Senate will take up next week, would give Beverly $200,000 for Title I spending and $800,000 for special education. But Hayes worried the money would come with restrictions and not be as helpful as expected.
Looking at the big picture in the commonwealth, state Rep. Mary Grant talked about changes to the state's complicated formula for allocating Chapter 70 funding to school districts, as well as the state's $2.4 billion shortfall this year.
But she also advocated hope.
"We will have better times," she said. "They go up and down."
Police: Gunman Kills 5, Self in Seattle
Spelling Bee's Youngest Ever Doesn't Advance
Police: Seattle Cafe Gunman May Have Shot Self
No Limits for Disabled Hunters at Mich. Base
Victim Identified in Fla. Face-chewing Attack
Radioactive Bluefin Tuna Crossed the Pacific
90 Guns Seized, Dozens Arrested in Oakland
Raw Video: Hail Storm Batters Oklahoma City
6-Year-Old Going to National Spelling Bee
California's Foie Gras Ban About to Begin
Video Essay: Funky Winkerbean Comic Turns 40
Hurricane Andrew Remembered, 20 Years Later
Judge's Ruling Halts Tenn. Mosque Construction
Romney in Las Vegas on Texas Primary Day
Sister Says She Reported Brother in Patz Killing
Even Fla. Police Shocked by Face-Mauling Attack
Angry Birds Spreading Their Wings
