THE EVERETT ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2021 Page 9 A councilor and a conductor Ward 3 Councilor Anthony DiPierro was on board last week as the Webster School hosted its Annual Polar Express Day. Councilor DiPierro has played the role of conductor for several years with style and enthusiasm. Pictured are Ward 3 Councilor Anthony DiPierro, cousins Mikayla Fosco and Anthony DiPierro and Santa Claus. 2021 | FROM PAGE 8 DPW Director Jerry Navarra said that because of the COVID-19 pandemic his department was not able to hire any seasonal employees last year. However, $135,000 was earmarked in this year’s budget to fund seasonal jobs. School budget garners unanimous support from City Council’s Budget Committee Things probably could not have gone any better as the City Council’s Budget Committee, during its June 8 meeting, voted unanimously to approve the School Department’s $98.8 million operating budget for fi scal year 2022. Within that fi gure, $5 million would be used to fund special education transportation. During the meeting, Anu Jayanth, the district’s chief fi - nancial offi cer, said Everett received a considerable boost of $8.6 million in Chapter 70 funding. She also said Everett’s charter school tuition reimbursement was expected to increase by 156 percent, topping out at $1.8 million for fi scal year 2022. In terms of staffi ng, $2.3 million would be used to fund 25 new positions. Capone noted that the individual cost of educating each student is $14,682. In contrast, the state average is $16,583. “We’re below the state average per pupil,” he said. “It’s a diffi cult thing to see. Investing in our students is one of the best things you can do for our collective futures.” DiFlorio also spoke about the shortfall in per pupil funding. “We have to give every child what they need, not what they want, and I’m sorry for that,” she said. Superintendent of Schools Priya Tahiliani was able to lay two matters to rest. She said no employee received a 30 percent raise and that no external company was hired to craft the budget. “That was created by us,” she said. School Committee Chairman Frank Parker said personnel policies have improved. “The prior practice was if you had a personal day, if you had something planned, you had to call into the building the morning of your planned personal day to see if you could still take it off ,” he said, adding that employees could be denied that time at the last minute. “Now we have more personal days and they really are personal days.” Although this year’s budget represented an increase of nearly 11 percent, Parker said, the cost of a level-funded budget goes up by an average of three percent a year. “If we’re getting three percent, we’re staying even,” he said. EHS seniors push through pandemic and on to graduation After spending the majority 2021 | SEE PAGE 10 For Advertising with Results, call The Advocate Newspapers at 617-387-2200 or Info@advocatenews.net
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