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Schools

School Board Gives Nod To Full-Day K

The Board of Education voted in favor of a budget that includes implementing all-day kindergarten in the fall.

With two unanimous votes Monday night, the Board of Education approved adding full-day kindergarten in September and accepting an overall budget for 2010-11.

Between Saturday and Monday's meetings, school officials took action to pare the budget from Superintendent Deborah Low's initially requested $78.98 million. The figure approved Monday is $78.35 million, a 2.06 percent increase over this year's budget.

The cuts, which Low divided into three categories—"nickel and dime" stuff, increasing budget risk and cutting programs—included eliminating the proposed assistant cheerleading coach, the high school student life faculty position expansion and a library software upgrade. Fewer dollars were budgeted for items such as middle school substitute teachers, staff immunizations, dental insurance and textbook purchases.

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When approval of all-day kindergarten—with the last-minute addition of the word "upgrade" into the motion language at board member Sandi Rose's suggestion to make clear the board view on the decision—the audience applauded and Low grinned.

The schools budget will undergo scrutiny by the Boards of Selectmen and Finance in the coming months before heading to a town-wide referendum vote in May.

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