HANSON — Following a tumultuous autumn marked by a multimillion-dollar budget deficit, staff reductions, and leadership changes, the Whitman-Hanson Regional School District is beginning the process of stabilization. What began as a discovery of a budget shortfall in October escalated into a district-wide crisis that resulted in the loss of 23 staff positions and the resignation of Superintendent Jeff Szymaniak.
For the community—particularly the families and staff directly impacted—understanding how this occurred and what measures are being taken to prevent a recurrence is vital. This report outlines the timeline of the deficit, the specific impacts on personnel, and the structural changes being implemented for Fiscal Year 2027 (FY27).
Part I: How the Deficit Occurred
The current crisis originated in the previous fiscal year (FY25) and compounded into the current year (FY26).
According to reports from Business Office Consultant Brian Hyde of TMS Consulting, the district finished FY25 with a deficit of approximately $1.9 million. This shortfall was closed at year-end through a series of accounting adjustments, including removing encumbrances, reclassifying expenses to different accounts (such as building use and circuit breaker), and utilizing one-time revenue overages.
However, the structural issues causing that deficit were not corrected before the start of the current fiscal year (FY26). The primary driver of the crisis was a discrepancy between the approved budget and actual payroll obligations. The FY26 budget allocated $39.7 million for salaries, but the actual cost to pay the staff employed by the district was $41 million—a $1.3 million gap.
School Committee Chair Ryan Tressel explained the disconnect during a December meeting: “The budget was cut by $1.7 million, but the actual amounts that we were spending was not cut by $1.7 million”. While budget cuts were approved on paper following a rejected prop 2 1/2 override in the summer of 2025, they were not fully implemented in actuality, meaning the district continued to employ individuals in positions that were theoretically eliminated.
Several other expenses were also under-budgeted or came in higher than anticipated:
• Health Insurance: The assessment from the Massachusetts Group Insurance Commission (GIC) was $600,000 over budget.
• Unemployment: Under-budgeted by approximately $300,000.
• Circuit Breaker: The district’s special education reimbursement fund was “over-pledged,” meaning funds were used to plug deficits in FY25, leaving less available for FY26.
These discrepancies went largely unnoticed, possibly due to significant turnover in the business office. The district has employed five different permanent or acting business managers in six years. When the most recent business manager resigned in the late summer of 2025, the district had already contracted with TMS to perform an audit of their business office and they instead took over operations of the office. An Interim Business Manager was finally hired this past week.
Part II: The Impact on Staff and Students
By mid-October 2025, the projected deficit for the current year had reached approximately $1.39 million. Hyde advised the School Committee that immediate reductions were necessary to prevent the district from ending the year in the red, noting, “The superintendent cannot willingly spend more than that”.
On November 14, Reduction in Force (RIF) notices were issued. The layoffs became effective on November 21. While the district stated that efforts were made to protect classroom instruction, the cuts significantly impacted student support services.
Positions Eliminated: A total of 23 staff members were laid off, while other positions were eliminated through attrition or resignation. The cuts included:
• 5 Teachers: Including positions at Indian Head, Duval, and Whitman Middle School.
• 11 Paraprofessionals: Staff who provide classroom and special education support.
• Counseling Staff: Including a high school guidance counselor, Deirdre Atchison, and adjustment counselor Karissa Scheim.
• 5 Non-Union Staff: Including positions in technology and facilities.
• 2 Long-Term Substitutes.
The reduction of counseling staff drew significant concern from students and parents. During a November 19 School Committee meeting, students spoke about the critical mental health support provided by staff like Ms. Scheim. Senior Ella Leach stated, “No one else was here for me, but you know who was? Ms. Scheim was,” highlighting the personal toll of the fiscal crisis.
In response to the crisis, the Whitman-Hanson Education Association (WHEA) issued a vote of no confidence in the district’s central leadership. Subsequently, School Committee member Kara Moser resigned in November, the Committee reorganized its leadership, and Superintendent Jeff Szymaniak resigned effective January 1, 2026.
Part III: Stabilizing the Budget
Since the discovery of the deficit, the School Committee and administration have taken steps to close the gap for the remainder of the school year.
As of December 10, officials projected the remaining deficit had been reduced to approximately $201,000. Subsequent meetings show the gap projected to be closed by the end of the school year. The district achieved this through several measures:
1. Staff Reductions: The layoffs and attrition reduced payroll obligations by approximately $811,000.
2. Spending Freezes: A freeze on non-essential spending has been implemented.
3. Revenue Adjustments: The district identified approximately $310,000 in interest revenue, primarily from the bond anticipation note for the new Whitman Middle School project, and applied it to the operating budget.
4. Excess & Deficiency (E&D): The plan relies on a future transfer of $600,000 from the district’s E&D fund (similar to a savings account), pending certification by the state Department of Revenue.
Part IV: New Oversight and Future Planning
To prevent a recurrence of these financial errors, the district is overhauling its leadership structure and budgeting processes.
New Leadership: Dr. John Marcus, the principal of Duval Elementary and a former Superintendent in Stoughton, has been appointed Acting Superintendent. The School Committee has voted to search for a long-term Interim Superintendent to potentially lead the district through June 2027, aiming to provide stability before seeking a permanent leader.
Enhanced Oversight: Under new School Committee Chair Ryan Tressel, the committee has established new subcommittees to increase financial scrutiny:
• Audit Exploratory Subcommittee: Tasked with commissioning independent audits of governance, payroll, and procurement.
• Warrant Subcommittee: Established to review payment warrants in detail before approval.
• Policy Advisory Group: Created to include community and staff input on district policies.
• Budget Subcommitte: Not a new subcommittee, but it hadn’t met in several years, they began meeting again to review how to close the FY26 budget deficit and plan for FY27.
Building the FY27 Budget: The administration is building the budget for the next fiscal year (FY27) “from scratch.” Rather than rolling over previous numbers and adding a percentage increase, the business office is validating every salary line by line. Vice Chair TJ Roffey stated, “The plan for the FY27 budget is to take every salary in the district and double-check it”.
Challenges Ahead: Despite these measures, the financial outlook remains difficult. The district faces a state-mandated 12.5% increase in out-of-district special education tuition for the coming year. They are looking at signing a new bus contract that could increase by more than 15%, and continued increases to health insurance, pensions, and utilities that are outpacing inflation and the limits of proposition 2 1/2.
Business Office Consultant Brian Hyde has advised the community to expect a lean budget for the upcoming year, stating, “I think we’re going to be looking at cuts next year”. The district’s focus remains on stabilizing finances while maintaining educational services for the growing student body.
Despite the emotional toll of the last few months, glimmers of stability are emerging. Under the guidance of Acting Superintendent Dr. John Marcus, the district has managed to plot a path to closing the books on FY26 in the black, while the Budget Subcommittee has committed to rebuilding the fiscal year 2027 budget "from scratch" to ensure every salary line is verified and prevent future surprises. In his first address to the committee, Marcus urged a shift in focus back to the students, noting that despite the administrative turmoil, "great things [are] happening in classrooms". He called for a renewed commitment to "joy, of exploration, of kindness, of deep respect," pledging that with hard work and transparency, the district will eventually "soar again".
Sources include: South Shore News, WHCA recordings, the Brockton Enterprise, the Whitman-Hanson Express, WCVB, Boston25 News, CBS Boston, WHDH, Boston Globe, WATD, whrsd.org, and AI Deep Research tools.
