12/11/1989 FINANCE COMMITTEE Minutes

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a TOWN ei z • l P. O. BOX 1108 y�tS�ABLE CD"�~ MASHPEE, MA 02549 Finance Committee Minutes Town Ball December 11, 1989 Finance Committee and the Board of Selectmen met jointly with the Superintendent of Schools Lincoln DeMoura and the School Commmittee. Lincoln stated that the purpose of the meeting was to review the data on projected school enrollment and school needs. lie noted that the purpose was twofold: 1. To review school projected enrollments and school needs. 2. To have the Selectmen authorize the new School. l3u:i.ld-iiig Committee to go forward with their research efforts, prel.:imary design and to present information to the town at the annual in May. DeMoura stated that the town has seen an influx of special needs students, and that the school has to deal with mandated funds for special education. The actual enrollment as of 10/1/88 (standard reporting date) was a total of 837 and at the end of the school year the enrollment reached 887. The student census on 10/1/89 was 952 and on 11/27/89 it was 959. `]'lie enrollment continues to expand. He noted that the enrollment predicted last February has been exceeded and the projections were much to conservative. lie stressed that it is important to consider not only the K-8 population but the special education enrollment which entails strict and complex requirements. The School Committee is projecting a 1990 enrollment of 1.085 and 85 special. needs. Last year the school department grew 13%. It is important to note the large class size in the early elementary grades and the small class size in the 7th and 8th grade. Lincoln foresees the need for 9 classrooms next year, 5 regular and 4 special education. lie said that there was the possibility of adding to the Coombs school and also the possibility of a behavioral class at the middle .school. The town is presently paying $45,000 per year to place one student elsewhere in a behavioral class, perhaps the town could do this next year. At the beginning of this school year there were 22 new children in the system with considerable special needs. The school has dome an analysis of these new students and they all come from Cape Cod and have moved to Mashpee. This situation is caused by the number of vacant houses and families are being placed in the town by social services. They are renting houses that could not sell. Next year the special education population is expected to be 85 and the year after 107.