Lunenburg School Committee Approves FY27 Restoration Budget, Sets Stage for Override

School Committee · Meeting of February 25, 2026

Lunenburg School Committee unanimously approves a fiscal year 2027 restoration budget that cannot be funded without a tax override. Superintendent Dr. Fortuna and Business Manager McNamara presented the needs-based budget, which includes $979,842 in restored and restructured staffing positions — among them interventionists at three schools, a high school bridge program teacher, a part-time music teacher restoration, and a full-time assistant principal — and was advanced unanimously to the Finance Committee.

The committee was clear that submitting a balanced budget without override revenue would require cutting an additional $900,000, or roughly 12 staff positions, on top of $208,000 already trimmed before the meeting. An informal override consensus emerged favoring a town-wide, single-tier measure in coordination with the Select Board, with the total figure hovering near $1.8 million. The student representative described being forced into an independent Latin study as a freshman because scheduling conflicts between band and other courses made simultaneous enrollment impossible, telling the committee, "it makes students look less strong of applicants." The committee also voted unanimously to accept four separate grant proposals totaling up to $212,778, cap Commonwealth Virtual Schools enrollment at 2 percent of the student body, and approve the FY2026-27 school calendar.

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Source: the School Committee meeting of February 25, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.