One major responsibility of the School Board is overseeing the district’s budget and finances. Creating the annual budget is a complex, lengthy process that requires input from staff, administrators, board members, and our community.
The budget process for the next school year typically begins in January, as district leaders analyze data on enrollment projections, staffing needs, infrastructure costs, academic programs, and other expense areas. We also work closely with school board members to understand their goals and priorities.
There are several opportunities for public involvement and feedback throughout the budget development process:
Budget Workshops. Starting in February, we host public workshops to present budget priorities, projections and to solicit feedback from all stakeholders.
School Board Meetings. During spring board meetings, budget drafts are discussed and community members have the opportunity to contribute comments.
Public Hearings. Prior to finalization, the proposed budget is shared at a hearing where all towns participating in the RSU #38 district are specifically invited to seek input and taxpayer perspectives.
Throughout this process, we aim to balance fiscal responsibility with providing exceptional education with the understanding that community values and concerns guide important decisions around staff ratios, course offerings, facilities use, transportation costs and more.
We encourage all community members - whether parents, neighbors or local business owners - to participate and make your voice heard. Ask questions, share your insights and provide input on the budget plan. The schedules for upcoming budget workshops are found online on the district website or you can contact the central office for more information. Investing in our schools means investing in the future of our students and community. There is also a place to submit questions or comments from the district website’s Budget documents page Submit Budget Questions or Comments and those questions will be forwarded to the Superintendent and Board Chair for responses.
Please don’t hesitate to connect directly to discuss how we can best meet the needs of every student we serve through the thoughtful allocation of our budget dollars. When stakeholders collaborate, we make the best decisions for our children.
RSU 38 School Board Contact Information
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