Plympton School Committee Approves Maintenance Custodian Post, Reviews $4.5 Million FY27 Budget

PLYMPTON — December 15, 2025 — Plympton School Committee reviews a preliminary $4.5 million FY27 school budget and approves posting a new maintenance custodian position. Superintendent Jason Prew presented the earliest-ever preliminary budget for Dennett Elementary School at the December 15 meeting, projecting a net appropriation of $4,545,784 after offsets — a 2.61 percent increase over fiscal year 2026. Prew cautioned that the figures carry significant uncertainty, noting that the federal REAP rural-aid grant faces administrative disruption at the U.S. Department of Education and that Massachusetts expects roughly $1 billion less in federal support this year than last. A level-funded scenario, he said, would force cuts including elimination of the band program and reductions to library and speech services. The committee voted unanimously to post a maintenance custodian position at Dennett, described as cost-neutral because it replaces an existing traditional custodian slot, and unanimously adopted eight policies on their second read, including policy JJE governing student fundraising activities.