Halifax Elementary School Committee Accepts $10,000 PTO Donation, Enrollment Drops
Committee defers decision on additional $15,000 donation as school reports 536 students for new year
HALIFAX, MA - August 26 - The Halifax Elementary School Committee voted Monday night to accept a $10,000 donation from the Parent Teacher Organization for teacher supplies, while deferring a decision on an additional $15,000 donation pending further discussion on its potential use.
Principal Kayne Beaudry reported that Halifax Elementary School's enrollment for the new school year has decreased to 536 students, with kindergarten at 83 students and first grade at 90 students.
"Right now kindergarten is at 83, and I think there are a few more in the queue that are coming in," Beaudry said. He added that final enrollment numbers are expected by Friday.
Beaudry provided a breakdown of class sizes across grades: second grade (67), third grade (68), fourth grade (78), fifth grade (68), and sixth grade (82).
The committee's decision to accept the $10,000 PTO donation came after a discussion about the organization's intentions and the school's needs. Superintendent Jill Proulx recommended caution in approving funds for undefined programs.
"My concern is just that the school committee needs to be careful about how it approves the use of those funds, because you need to have all of those pieces in place before you can assure someone that you're going to spend it in that way," Proulx said.
Committee members expressed appreciation for the donation but requested more information from the PTO about their intentions for the additional $15,000. The donation is reportedly part of a reorganization of the PTO's accounting.
The committee discussed potential uses for the additional $15,000 donation, including after-school programs. However, members agreed that more information and planning would be necessary before approving its use.
"I love the idea of that program," member Lori Costa-Cline noted. "But I also think like sometimes when someone is donating or an entity is donating, they want to have some skin in how that money is spent."
The committee plans to invite PTO representatives to their next meeting to discuss the donation further and explore potential uses that align with both the school's needs and the PTO's intentions.