Support Warwick Schools

This week the 25/26 school year ends but a new School Board calendar is just beginning for June.

3️⃣ Tomorrow is a triple header with Budget & Finance at 6pm followed by Special Voting Meeting at 7pm, then Committee of the Whole.

Topics across the 3 Agendas include:
💰 The 26/27 Budget
👩🏽‍🏫 Collective Bargaining Agreement
🔍 Policies updates including Board Organization
🚧 A HS Construction Project Update

Last night Warwick held a Budget and Finance Committee followed by the Committee of the Whole (CoW).

💻 The CoW meeting recording is available under the Board section of the District Website.

💰 The proposed 26/27 District Budget was reviewed in Budget & Finance as well as the CoW and includes:

💲Total budget of roughly $91 million

💵 A capital reserve transfer of just under $1 million to manage debt service & maintain a favorable bond rating as recommended by financial advisors from Raymond James

2️⃣ new positions for next year:

🎼An additional elementary music instructor

👮🏼‍♂️An additional school security position to bring our school security offers to 3️⃣. (This is not a Resource Officer as previously explored)

🩹 Anticipated increase in healthcare costs. (The district is exploring ways to reduce health care costs but those interventions likely will come with initial increases in cost before savings are realized.)

💸 The budget amounts to a 2.55% real estate tax increase (17.1349 mils) that would maintain Warwick in the same relative position when milage rates are compared across districts in the county.

In addition to the Budget review the CoW included a review of the Warwick Virtual Academy, a proposal to change board committee schedules and several policy update first reads. More to come on those in a separate post.

🎤 Public comment can be reviewed at the end of the meeting recording and included 6️⃣ educators from Warwick and those that live in Warwick but teach elsewhere. All in support of approval of The 57 Bus and Speak, the graphic novel.

🗣 Several board members responded to indicate they value the educators input and are looking closely at the books in question before a decision is made. Mr. Landis, Board VP, raised the possibility of looking at a process for Board Members to review resources and gather input on them sooner.

🗓 Next meeting is Education Committee on April 13

🗳 A vote on The 57 Bus is expected at the April Voting Meeting on 4/21/26 at 7pm

👀 The April Warwick School Board schedule is available along with meeting agendas on the Warwick School District website under the Board heading.

💻As a reminder, Committee of the Whole and Voting meeting are livestreamed and recorded.

🎤 Email the board secretary by 3️⃣pm the day of the meeting if you plan to give public comment at CoW or Voting Meeting.