Weymouth superintendent says closing Nash School taken off table as option to close budget gap

WEYMOUTH, Mass. — Weymouth Public Schools Superintendent Jennifer Curtis-Whipple says she has taken the option of closing the Thomas V. Nash Jr. Primary School off the table as a means to close a $2.2 million budget shortfall for the 2020-2021 school year.

Curtis-Whipple sent an email to Nash families and staff members on April 29 telling them the “economic impact of COVID-19” has forced her to recommend closing their school starting this fall.

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In response the outcry from parents and residents, the superintendent said school leaders worked throughout the weekend to “identify new mechanisms to help stabilize the subject.” She said they have come up with a new proposal to allow the school to stay open, but warned the cuts will be felt district-wide.

The full details of their proposal will be outlined at Tuesday night’s Town Council meeting.

“We understand that the recommendation to close Nash was a difficult one to consider, especially for our Nash families and staff," Curtis-Whipple said in a statement. "However, even more difficult decisions lie ahead and we want our school community to know that the children and their education are always at the forefront.”

158 students are enrolled at Nash, which employs 50 full- and part-time staff members.

The town’s fiscal year 2021 budget was presented to Curtis-Whipple and the school committee last Monday.

Boston 25 News has learned the budget included funding for the school department to keep its current level of services and avoid layoffs. The school department was one of only three departments to receive additional funding.

Weymouth Town Council Vice Chairman Michael Molisse, who also serves as the council’s budget committee chairman, said the school department is getting 15.77% of the limited increases included in the budget.

Curtis-Whipple released a statement Friday saying the closure of the the Nash School to right the budget is not connected with the district’s commitment to offer universal full-day kindergarten starting this fall which comes with a price tag of about $1.2 million.

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