Letters to the Exchange

As a concerned parent in our community, I am writing to express my strong support for overriding the decision to cut the Chinese language program in our schools. With a significant portion of our student body being of Chinese descent, it is crucial that we maintain and enhance this valuable educational offering. 

Learning Chinese not only connects these students with their heritage but also provides them with a competitive edge in an increasingly globalized world. China's economic and political influence continues to grow, and proficiency in Mandarin will open doors for our children in their future careers. Moreover, language education has been shown to improve cognitive skills, creativity, and academic performance across all subjects. Cutting the Chinese program would be a disservice to all of our students, regardless of their background. We must prioritize the long-term benefits of language education over short-term financial concerns. Our children deserve a well-rounded education that prepares them for success in the 21st century. 

I urge our school board and community members to come together and find a way to preserve this essential program. Our students' futures depend on it. 

Sincerely, 
Gabe Sater

I like being able to finally see local news. Could the publication date be part of the masthead?

David A. Manalan 

The Acton Exchange website is impressive. Congratulations to all on an ongoing great job!

Sarah Coletti

I read The Acton Exchange for the first time this evening.  Very professional and easy to navigate.  I will recommend it to my family and friends.

Ricky Ann Bauer

Letter:  Override Thoughts from a Teacher Whose Job is at Risk

My name is Tim Ryan, and I am a math teacher at R.J. Grey.  I'm new to the district this year and have been grateful to be welcomed by students, families, and colleagues at the school and districtwide. I love it here and I would love to spend the rest of my career here.  But I am writing because, due to the fact that I'm the most recent hire in my department, my job is at risk.

A website opposing the override says it is "probably fearmongering" to say that more than 60 teachers will be laid off.  I just want everyone to know that the job cuts being discussed are not theoretical.  If the override vote is unsuccessful, I will be let go from my position.  My principal informed me of this in a one-one-one meeting in January and confirmed it to still be the case a few weeks ago.  Colleagues have had similar meetings and received similar news.  These sort of "conditional pink slips," if you will, have already been issued.

There are dozens of other teachers across the district who are in the position of losing their job if the override doesn't succeed.  Please vote "Yes" to keep those teachers, their talent, and their dedication to their students in the district. Teachers around the state know A-B is a great school system; it has long been a place where any teacher would love to work.  Please vote "Yes" so the district can remain that way and can continue to attract the best teachers year after year.  Generations of A-B students have benefitted from being in a district that valued their educational experience and took steps to ensure the very best educators were there to provide it.  Don't future A-B students deserve the same?

Tim Ryan
RJ Grey 7th Grade Math Teacher

Acton leadership suggests they are submitting level service budgets – not true. They also are not submitting level funding budgets by a long stretch. FY25 budget spending is $123.5M vs $113.5M expected for FY24 – an increase of $10.0M or 8.8%. All budgets are increasing:    Town up     5.1%   -   ABRSD up 10.8%   -  Minuteman up 7.4% - Capital additions for the town up 128.6% - Overall up 8.8%.

Additionally, an article requesting $6.6M of capital additions (outside the budget) to be bonded as well as an article for approval of CPA capital improvements will be voted at town meeting. CPA is tacked on to your property tax bill at the rate of 1 ¼ % and has been for many years.

The overall budget is well above inflation and presents an alarming trend. Shortfalls of past years have been covered by use of reserves ($2.1M in the FY25 budget) which are now fairly well depleted and are likely to be gone by FY27 if costs are not reduced.  We hear a great deal about layoffs, but the budgets keep growing year over year. Something doesn’t quite add up.

An override grants to the town the right to tax over and above Prop 2 ½ in whichever years leadership sees a need. Prop 2 ½ became State law in 1980 as an effort to combat runaway budgets and allows Acton roughly 3% annual budget growth along with an override process. The override request on the April 30 ballot is for $6.6M of which $5.4M will go to partially cover the $10M spending increase of FY25. Many Acton residents must live within their means and should expect no less from Acton leadership.

I urge residents to get out to vote on April 30. Those with mobility issues can request an absentee ballot from the Town Clerk at 978-929-6620 or e-mail to clerk@actonma.gov. Time to request an absentee ballot is running short – the request must be made before April 23. This is your opportunity to vote for or against the override and the article will carry on a simple majority vote.  

Bob Hertz

Editor’s note:  Although the vote by mail application deadline has passed, voters may still go into the Town Clerk’s office to vote in person up until 12:00 noon on April 29, 2024, the day before the election.

Letter:  Support our Schools for the Benefit of Our Town (Override)

As a Spanish teacher in Acton deeply invested in the educational success of my students, I am reaching out to emphasize the critical importance of the upcoming tax override vote for our town’s school district. This decision will have significant repercussions not only on the diversity of programs available to our students but also on the broader community and its future. The proposed cuts that will come without the approval of this override include the discontinuation of essential language programs such as Chinese and Latin and up to 60 teachers. 

The removal of these programs will not only impact my position as a Spanish teacher but will also drastically reduce the linguistic and cultural learning opportunities for our students, which are crucial in today’s interconnected world.

It’s important to note that quality education is a key driver of community value. Even those without direct ties to our schools should consider the wider economic implications, including potential impacts on property values. Good schools attract families and investment, and conversely, the lack of funding can lead to a decline in desirability and economic health of the area. 

The cost of supporting this override is not easy but is modest compared to the benefits it will preserve. For less than the cost of a daily coffee, we can avoid severe educational cutbacks that threaten to erode the quality of education and diminish our town’s appeal to current and prospective residents. 

I urge everyone in our community to view this tax override as a necessary investment in our children’s future and the overall vitality of the town. Voting “yes” is a step toward ensuring that our educational system remains robust and competitive. 

Let us all show our commitment to maintaining excellence in education and stability in our community. Thank you for your support.  

Sincerely, 
Timothy Chávez

Please join me in voting YES for the operating override on April 30. While my service as a Select Board member informs my perspective, the views expressed here are my own and do not necessarily reflect those of the entire board. To safeguard the services residents have come to expect, we must reset the base of the tax levy to catch up on the rising costs. The Select Board, Finance Committee, and School Committee all endorse the assessment of an additional $6.6 million in taxes to fund the operating budgets of the public schools and municipal government. 

The town’s calculator will show the impact on your household taxes. The recommended budgets rely on a portion of the override amount in FY25, $5.4 million. These budgets represent approximately $5 million in cuts from the level services of FY24 due to dramatic cost increases to health insurance, special education, and transportation. 25 positions have been cut from the school budget and 7 from the town budget. 

If the override fails, 85 positions from the schools and 10 from the town will need to be eliminated. This would mean the loss of classroom sections and the transfer of ~200 elementary students to different schools.  Class sizes and student: teacher ratios would increase above recommended guidelines. The Memorial Library would no longer be open on Sundays. The town would need to eliminate special events like July 4, Hazardous Waste Day, and flu clinics. 2 per diem positions would be eliminated from Nursing Services. There would be reduced funding available for maintenance at the arboretum, rail trails, and parks, as well as for small engineering studies and road repairs. The town would see a full-time clinician in the Police Dept reduced to part-time, and the loss of the impact shift to support the Fire Department. 

Both the town and schools have managed spending responsibly, within the constraints of Prop 2.5, for decades. Staff have brought in millions of competitive grant funding, reorganized departments, shared staff, and more, to creatively resolve budget challenges. It's time to support the work that's done on our behalf.

Alissa Nicol

There are many reasons to reject this override. First and foremost, the inverse correlation between school enrollment and spending is a sign that our money is not being spent wisely. Excess teacher and administrative headcount should have been gradually reduced, principally by attrition. 

Average salary increases through collective bargaining have been running ahead of inflation for a long time. That is not  sustainable and has caused us to deplete our reserves. This is true for both the Town and schools. 

The schools have lost focus. Instead of a basic education combined with a healthy dose of physical fitness, they have instead focused on non-educational, ideological, and activist doctrines and wasted money and resources. The same is true of the Town, but at a smaller dollar amount. A portion of the reduced enrollment is due to parents removing their kids from such toxic educational programs, and instead moving them to private, Catholic, or home schools. 

Note that their scare tactics involve cutting the most important and useful positions, and not the least important and unnecessary. This tells us that fiscal responsibility is not their highest priority. 

The school Superintendent actually identified several structural changes that will need to be made if the override fails. Some of us had suggested those very same changes in emails to the school committee, but wanted those changes made BEFORE consideration of an override. If the override passes, those changes will not be made, and there will be no incentive for fiscal discipline. Public memory is short, and they will come back for more and use the same scare tactics. 

If the schools make those structural changes first, they will gain my trust, especially if inflation remains stubbornly above 3%, and they will need to override Prop 2 1/2 at some point. But since they have not made those changes yet, we should force them by voting NO on April 30.

Nijan Datar

As an Acton-Boxborough educator and member of the Acton Boxborough Education Association (ABEA), I have had many conversations with my colleagues about the override. I will be the first to admit that back in December I, like many members of the community, naively assumed that the catastrophic FY25 budget deficit was due to mismanaged funds or overeager spending.

However, what I quickly came to understand is that the system we have in place in Massachusetts for funding public schools has not shifted with the increased legislation and requirements the state has for schools. As an elementary educator and licensed special educator in the district, I have seen firsthand since 2019 how student needs have increased while our budget has decreased. Teachers have been stretched thin, being asked to do more each year with fewer resources. Students are more aware of these challenges than families may think.

Teacher burnout rates are higher than ever before nationwide, with k-12 educators having the highest burnout rate of any profession currently in the United States. If the override does not pass, I fear for the health and well-being of our educators and subsequently the students in our community.

This override is not asking taxpayers for money for our schools to fund anything “extra.” In fact, the override will still leave the district in a budget deficit and lead to a reduction in essential staff. This is after two consecutive years of budget cuts, which have already led to a reduction of 40 positions district-wide. If the override does not pass, our school district will need to lay off more than 80 staff members, including more than 60 teachers. This would fundamentally change how our schools operate and how students are able to learn.

An override is necessary to keep our schools functional for both students and staff. Our community deserves a public school system where students and educators can be successful, and that is only possible with an override.

If you believe in the importance of public education, please vote YES on the override on April 30 and again on May 6.

A Tippett
Acton-Boxborough Educator
ABEA Member

Many would consider me an energetic optimist. I do believe difficult problems can be solved by studying the issues, thinking through various solutions and mutually collaborating.  Clearly education, and a sheltering and solid community allows us to be able to solve problems in this way. Equally clear is the fact that we are just beginning to see the emerging mountain of challenge that lies ahead.  Climate change, environmental stress, pandemics, and worldwide political chaos will test our skills to find rational solutions more than ever before.   Now is the time to build and strengthen our Schools and Community and not undermine them. Schools and community are the tools that will allow us and our children to work through the difficulties ahead.  In addition to supporting the override there is also a wonderful opportunity to serve on the many town committees, attend public forums, study the issues that are abundantly emerging and, above all, enjoy the privilege your education and shelter is giving to us all, the ability to solve problems and do our part in maintaining a productive life and sustainable community. 

Patrick Hearn

We’re confident that other letters to the editor will provide reasons to vote YES to support the override in the Acton Town Election on April 30, and vote YES on the town and school budgets at Acton Town Meeting on May 6.  

But trust is also on the ballot, and we’d like to address this important issue.

Our friends and neighbors, who serve our community as elected members of the Select Board and School Committee or as appointed members of the Finance Committee, have spent long hours wrestling with the need for Acton’s first override vote in 19 years. And they:  agreed early on that Acton needed an override. And other many other communities in Massachusetts are also in the same financial position and trying to pass an override this spring.

• found that funding the current level of services was not a viable option. So, even if the override passes, there will still be painful cuts to the town and school’s budgets.
• understood that health insurance cost increases were one of the biggest drivers of the need for an override. So, the town and school district signed an agreement with all our local unions to dissolve the Acton Health Insurance Trust (HIT) and join the Massachusetts Interlocal Insurance Association (MIIA) starting on July 1, 2024. 
• recognized that we don’t want to find ourselves in the same position next year. So, they agree that the “A” budget, which goes into effect if the override passes, uses only $5.4 million of the $6.6 million allowed in Fiscal Year 2025. In other words, it’s an authorization, not an appropriation.

Much of this is not widely known because we no longer have a weekly newspaper.  Fortunately, the advent of The Acton Exchange seeks to fill that void and provide us with the local news source.  

We are seniors who lived here for decades, and the schools brought us here. Our children graduated years ago but benefitted from the quality of Acton’s educational system. It’s time to pay it forward and educate the next generation. 

Bob and Deena Ferrara

Like many Acton homeowners, it is difficult to consider voting for an override on the town ballot and at Town Meeting - especially with an already-looming quarterly tax bill. However, it is clear that voting for the override is the right thing to do; the pride we take in the quality of our schools depends on it.

We moved to Acton in 1973, when I was hired as a teacher at ABRHS, and we quickly learned how lucky we were to live in a town that took such pride in its history, town government and schools. The community support for the schools was especially important to me as a new teacher and became even more relevant once our children reached school age. My own work was rewarding because of supportive colleagues, administrators, school committee members and parents; and I was grateful for the dedication and attention I saw from our children’s teachers from kindergarten through high school graduation.

I was fortunate to have retired well before the pandemic, but it is clear that the period presented unique challenges for students, parents and especially schoolteachers and staff. As we’ve come to expect, everyone stepped up to meet the challenges, but it is also clear that the pandemic left gaps. Over the past few years, we’ve leaned heavily on the energy and adaptability of teachers and staff - now they need our town’s help to close the gaps, especially with the end of pandemic era relief grants.

So, in spite of the upcoming tax bill, I will happily vote for the override to provide this town with the finances it needs to maintain an excellent school system. It is my way of saying thank you to a town and school system that supported me and my family - surely the right thing to do.

Sincerely,
Frances Hearn

The new web site design offers clear categories and a clean design.  It is easy to read and visually appealing.  I will be checking for new stories and updates more frequently - especially as we enter town election season and town meetings.   Thank you for your commitment to Acton news.  

Tom Wolf

There has been a considerable amount of discussion regarding the upcoming operational override in conversations between staff members at Acton and Boxborough schools. As the override approaches, there is some anxiety about the 80+ staff members that will be laid off as a result of the budget cut that will displace these educators if we do not achieve a “yes” vote at the end of the month.

Though school employees are worried about their possible career shifts, the primary concern in our schools is still the students we serve. There is no question that the pandemic has done a number on young people’s social and emotional health, and a huge factor in getting kids back to a place where they can feel comfortable in school is having relationships with their teachers and individual classmates. The possible staff reductions across the district and the raising of class sizes they implicate make this even more difficult. It is crucial for the average student to feel comfortable taking academic risks in their classroom spaces. True mastery of the critical thinking skills necessary for this next generation to be successful in their lives going forward is built surrounded by people that students trust.

Not only does there exist this concern regarding classroom environments, but teacher feedback naturally takes a hit as well. With more students in teachers’ classes, there is less time to work on skills with each individual student, and less time to give student work the feedback it deserves. In writing specifically, students receiving high quality feedback from their teacher is a key component in the development of their writer’s voice, higher order thinking skills, and so much more. Because the quality of this feedback simply cannot be sacrificed, students will naturally be afforded less opportunities to work on these crucial developmental steppingstones.

I understand that the tax increase that accompanies this override is not a small ask. But for the sake of investing in the next generation of Acton citizens, I do believe that a “yes” vote on the upcoming override is necessary.

Ryan Morey

English Teacher

Acton-Boxborough Regional School District

As a resident of Acton, a parent, a veteran, and advocate for our community’s future, I ask you to vote for the override to support the citizens of Acton, particularly our school-aged children.

When my family and I considered Acton as our home, we were drawn to its exceptional school district. Acton represented not just a place to live, but an investment in our children’s future. We envisioned a nurturing environment where our kids could thrive academically, socially, and emotionally. However, the looming threat of a failed override threatens this vision.

Acton also holds a special place in my heart as a veteran. It’s more than just a stopover duty station; it’s our choice of community where families like mine find belonging and support. After my years of service, Acton is, and remains, our deliberate home—a place where we could actively invest in improving our community, especially for our youth.

Supporting the override preserves our excellent school system, but it also symbolizes our commitment to the next generation of learners. It’s about equipping them with the necessary tools to succeed not only academically but in life. It’s about ensuring that every child in Acton has the best chance to realize their full potential and become engaged, proactive citizens.

So, let’s invest in our children’s futures. Let’s help to provide them with the education, skills, and experiences they need to thrive in an ever-evolving world, and become the leaders, innovators, and problem-solvers of tomorrow. 

Finally, supporting this override is about safeguarding the future of our entire community. Strong schools are the bedrock of a vibrant, flourishing community. They attract families, drive economic growth, drive home values, and foster a sense of pride and unity among residents.

In backing the override, we send a resounding message: we believe in our children, our schools, and the future of our community. It signifies our willingness to invest in what truly matters. Let’s come together to preserve Acton as a nurturing environment where every child can flourish and succeed. Our children are depending on us.

Thank you,
David J. Cote
USMCR Retired (US Marine Corps Reserves)

I'm a triple threat here in Acton: a taxpayer, a teacher at the high school, and a parent of a kindergartener. 

The override is certainly a difficult amount of money to swallow, and people may well have qualms with what they perceive as bloat in the school district. But voting against the override to send a message to administrators or the School Committee only punishes teachers and students. My child and his peers will have a lower-quality education if class sizes rise. I will not be able to spend as much time as I do on each of my students' work if there are more kids in each of my sections. Our reputation as a community that values schools will be greatly diminished. 

If we cannot pass Acton's first override since the Bush administration, our ability to attract top educators to this district will likewise evaporate. What applicant would look at a district that faces uncertain support from its residents and wants to dwell in the kind of job insecurity faculty in our schools are dealing with right now? 

Many of us moved here because of the great schools. An additional investment in them—albeit a painful one for many—is necessary. Please vote 'yes' at the ballot and Town Meeting.

Josh Fischel

The June 20, 2008 edition of the now-defunct Beacon published an article written by Christian Schiavone with the following headline: “Main Street McDonald’s closing”.  That article notes that the fast-food restaurant had been at the 256 Main St. location for 3 decades prior to its closure, and that actor Steve Carell, who grew up in Acton, has fond childhood memories of its opening.  In 2013 Panera Bread submitted a proposal to demolish the building and construct a Panera restaurant, but that proposal was rejected by the Select Board due to inadequate parking.  The abandoned McDonald’s is arguably Acton’s ugliest landmark, and it has been in its current state for over 15 years.  And while the restoration of the Kmart building appears to be nearing completion, the workmen appear to be carefully avoiding any disturbance of the McDonald’s.  While I understand that the Town does not own that property, is there nothing that can be done to remove a decaying structure that will never, and can never, be used again?

Ronald Parenti
Dr. Parenti is a member of the Town of Acton Water Resource Committee and the Acton Water District Finance Committee

Your April 1 article Town override information and a forum to answer voter questions promoting the open forum as a “non-partisan” opportunity to discuss the override was quite misleading, to put it nicely. 

There is no mention of who organized this forum. I have received confirmation that this was not a town-sponsored event, so one can only assume the pro-override committee, Together For Acton, was behind it. Four of the five panelists have been openly advocating for the override from their board seats and are listed as supporters of Together For Acton.

As a member of Keep Acton Affordable, I can attest to the fact that no representation was sought from those of us opposed to this hastily prepared override proposal. And apparently no one from the Acton Exchange sought to confirm who was running this event before claiming it to be "non-partisan". Everything in this town is partisan.

This is not the first instance of bias on the nascent Acton Exchange. If you hope to be taken seriously, you’ll need to do better.

Corinne Hogseth 

As I've been campaigning for the operating override here in town, I've heard a lot of understandable complaining about taxes. There's no doubt that Acton taxes are high, and as a taxpayer myself I don't love the idea of paying more. However, when you actually break down how MUCH more you'll pay as a result of the override, I think most folks would be surprised, despite the rhetoric from the override's opponents. For example, if the override fails, my family's taxes will still go up about $300 per year. If the override passes, my family's taxes will go up about $750 per year. In other words, the difference between adequate funding for our schools and devastating cuts is about $450 per year, or roughly $37 per month. I know we're all struggling with rising costs and inflation, but I'll happily pay an additional $37 every month to invest in the next generation of informed citizens.

And to be clear, the cuts being proposed in the event of a failed override are not "nice to haves" or "extras." Without an operating override, our school district will have to lay off more than 80 staff members, including more than 60 teachers. Those kinds of cuts not only impact class size, but also put even more pressure and stress on educators to meet the myriad needs of students after two straight years of budget reductions. We haven't passed an operating override in close to 20 years, and it's time for our community to re-invest in education and make sure that our students and staff have the resources they need to be successful.

I encourage everyone who believes in public education to vote “yes” on the override on April 30 and again on May 6.

Regards,

Mike Balulescu
President, Acton Boxborough Education Association
Together for Acton campaign volunteer