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HHS holds graduation for Class of 2024
Marlborough deploys traps to deal with rodents
hudson | 17
marlborough | 8
Marlborough Rotary holds annual Italian Night
marlborough at a glance
Wenzel | 14
Marlborough Hudson An edition of the Community Advocate
Marlborough cuts K-5 band, orchestra from budget By Maureen Sullivan Assistant Editor MARLBOROUGH – The city’s schools will be going into the 2024-25 school year with fewer administrators and teachers, and no band and orchestra program for K-5 students. During the meeting on May 28, the School Committee trimmed nearly $850,000 from its fiscal year 2025 budget. On the recommendations of Superintendent Mary Murphy, the cuts will include three fulltime administrative positions (K-12 supervisors); six full-time teaching positions at the high school; a support position (hall monitor) at the high school; and the K-5 band and orchestra program (eliminates two full-time positions). Two positions of an assistant principal and nurse at Goodnow Elementary School will be paid through two positions — an administrator and a teacher who resigned — that will remain unfilled. In addition, Marlborough Public Schools will seek further reductions by ordering fewer supplies. “I hope they’re not forever decisions,” said Murphy. Later in the meeting, the School Committee approved the adjusted 2025 fiscal year budget of $75,775,874, which is still 5.2% above the budget for fiscal 2024. Committee members and the chairman, Mayor J. Christian Dumais, credited a collaborative effort for finding and making the cuts. “It’s not just a mayor’s show. It’s a group
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Vol. 50 | No. 23 | June 7, 2024
Alexis Ott’s main ingredient for the Class of 2024 – resiliency By Maureen Sullivan Assistant Editor MARLBOROUGH – Alexis Ott likes to bake. She mentioned it during her valedictorian address to her fellow members of Marlborough High’s Class of 2024 on June 2. “Baking taught me so many valuable lessons,” she said. While culinary arts will not be Ott’s major when she goes to the University of Connecticut this fall — she plans to study mechanical engineering — baking will continue to be part of her life. It’s one of her connections to the class. Another connection — resiliency. “We were a very resilient class – no matter the experience we come together,” said Ott. She recalled spending her freshman year on a computer. It was the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, and she, like the rest of her class, had to rely on remote learning. When in-person classes resumed her sophomore year, so did spirit week. When her class won the competition, Ott recalled thinking, Ott | 16
Alexis Ott was the valedictorian for Marlborough High’s Class of 2024. (Photo/Maureen Sullivan)
School Committee discusses fiscal realities By Sarah Freedman Contributing Writer HUDSON – The School Committee had a discussion about the necessary steps to close out the 2024 fiscal year and the fiscal realities of the budget at its May 28 meeting. Finance and Operations Director Dan Gale highlighted the budget projections for expens-
es and revenue for the committee. “Overall, the budget is projected $686,000 over budget, which is funded through whatever amount that is funded through School Choice reserves,” he said. He said that personnel expenses are projected to be $888,000 under budget due to vacancies, which are filled by agency staffing
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