In a unanimous vote, School Committee members this week were clearly happy to approve the traditional ninth-grade trip to Washington, D.C., scheduled for March 10-13, 2026. Chair Abby Besse recalled taking the trip when she was a student at Bromfield. And School Superintendent Linda Dwight noted that nearly all ninth-graders take part in the event each year.
The Washington trip brings together themes from civics and American history, courses students take in eighth and ninth grades. The itinerary includes a tour of the Capitol, the major memorials, and the Smithsonian Museums, along with the exterior of the Supreme Court and the White House.
Besse said the trip is true to the schools’ mission of being “a community where everyone can find belonging.” In keeping with that goal, the trip application submitted by social studies teacher Kate Keane said the tour company has arranged for a hotel and buses that comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act, so all can take part. The special education administrator has been consulted about students’ needs. Special dietary needs will also be accommodated. And the Harvard Schools Trust has provided some financial help in past years.
Also in unanimous votes, the School Committee approved two expenditures from the Shaw Trust. Members approved $31,625.09 from the trust to cover the cost of two new water heaters recently installed at the Bromfield School. During a routine inspection earlier this fall, Facilities Director John Tarlach discovered the school’s 500-gallon water heater had a potential leak and needed to be replaced quickly. Tarlach recommended installing two 200-gallon tanks, so that in the future one tank can remain in operation while the other is serviced. The work was completed within two days.
Committee members also approved $1,500 from the Shaw Trust to provide furniture for the Academic Center at Bromfield. The center will be the location for a support program that helps students re-enter school successfully after long absences. The proposal includes two armchairs, a round table with chairs, a file cabinet, and other items to make the room more suitable for individual work or small groups.
Dwight reported the schools’ Shaw Trust account currently has a balance slightly over $100,000 and usually receives about $40,000 a year as a beneficiary of the trust. Also, two other recent school projects that were to be funded from the trust have come in significantly under budget.
Later in the meeting, Besse announced a revised timeline for the fiscal 2027 school budget. School cost center managers have already submitted their budget plans to administrators, who will work on the budget for the next four weeks. The School Committee is scheduled to receive the budget Dec. 8, vote on it Dec. 15, and submit it to the town Dec. 23.
The new schedule gives the Finance Committee more time to review the budget and submit questions about it to the School Committee. According to this schedule, the School Committee will answer those questions and present the budget officially to the Select Board Jan. 12, 2026. The public hearing on the budget is scheduled for March 9.
