Dear Georgetown School Community,
As with many institutions, over the years public education has changed, evolved, and slipped backwards as the
pendulum swings. I believe one of my leadership strengths is to adapt, problem solve, and be resourceful
without panic, and always keeping sight on where I am going. I have countless examples of needing to assess
and pivot throughout my career and achieving goals and outcomes as a result. Currently, I find myself in a
position that feels nearly impossible. My team and I are charged with creating a Level Funded budget resulting
in a $1,700,000 reduction as we move into the FY2026 school year.
There are many factors that make this feel impossible. First, our current budget situation. Going into the
FY2025 school year the governance of the town asked the schools to reduce our budget by $270,000. Due to
contractual obligations and inflation that resulted in a $1,400,000 reduction in the general budget. In
September of 2024 the Georgetown Public Schools footprint had shrunk by 26 positions (8 staff members)
including the following:
● 14% of Administration (3 positions)
● 10% of Teachers (13 positions)
● 9% of our Support Staff (6 positions)
● 4 “other” positions (Tech., HR, Bld. Sub)
Each and everyone of these positions has a direct impact on our student’s experience. Due to these cuts the
school department started FY2025 already behind.
Second, when I took the helm of Georgetown Public Schools it became apparent rather quickly that the school
district needed to modernize as student’s MCAS Data was lagging significantly behind. Students receiving
Special Education services were falling back to some of the lowest scores in the State. Our student
information system, which houses legal student records, was archaic and dysfunctional resulting in massive
errors in individual student records and the district’s reporting data to the State. There were no systems in place
to support educator licensure and district wide grade level and content curriculum was significantly outdated.
Through the explicit efforts made to build a strong leadership team, create narrow strategic objectives that
align all resources including financial (curriculum, and technology,) time (coherent professional development)
and human capital we have begun to modernize the district and fortify the foundation for all students. The idea
of reducing the school district’s budget by an additional $1,700,000 is impossible because it brings the
classrooms and schools back to 2023 and before.
Lastly, additional budget reductions is unfeasible because what is being asked is to fundamentally go against
the ideas of what schools should be. In a meeting with the building and district administration Tuesday
evening I heard myself saying that we need to staff the schools based on student safety (not based on student’s
individual learning profile, or teachers ability and areas of growth). We sat together for over two hours trying
to reduce the budget by the number asked. We struggled to maintain the vision of where we are going and
make the needed reductions If you know me, you know that I am a rule follower. Not completing the task of
developing a Level Funded Budget is not an option. But restructuring schools and the district as a whole that
will decrease and/or eliminate student choice, athletics and extracurricular activities is not what a school
district should be. Increasing class size, unleveling content classes and pushing educators outside their comfort
zone is not what a school district should be.
We will get the devastating task completed. I need you to let the town governance know that you won’t accept
this for your children and want to continue to modernize the schools, lean into the small town feel, and the
pride in our teachers knowing who your children are.
I began this communication by talking about my ability to assess, pivot and persevere. A Level Funded budget
is feeling like an impossibility to pivot with. For one of the first times in my career I question not only my
perseverance but also that of our staff and students. I can’t state anymore clearly that attempting to function at
a Level Funded budget will be disastrous to the Georgetown Community.
This letter to our community is being endorsed and supported by the Georgetown School Committee who has
continued faith in Georgetown Educators, Support Staff and Administrators. We encourage you to reach-out to
the Georgetown Board of Selectmen and let them know that our Town desperately needs to fully-fund its
school system for the first time in several years.
Thank you,
Margo Ferrick, Superintendent
Michael Hinchcliffe, School Committee Chair
Cheryl Lachendro, School Committee Vice Chair
John Cancellara, School Committee Member
Joe Maribito, School Committee Member
Stacy McMaster, School Committee Member