HANSON — August 26, 2026 — In a major financial milestone following months of fiscal turbulence, the Whitman-Hanson Regional School Committee announced that the district closed Fiscal Year 2026 with a positive balance of $7,619, avoiding any draw on its Excess and Deficiency (E&D) reserve funds. The committee also advanced key provisions of a modernized regional agreement, awarded a search bid to find a permanent superintendent, and reviewed interim leadership and district enrollment trends ahead of the opening of school.
The Full Story
District Interim Business Manager Matt Wells delivered a detailed budget update, confirming the official closing of FY26. The district completed the fiscal year without tapping into its E&D reserves, leaving a favorable bottom-line balance of $7,619 to cover any final lingering invoices. Furthermore, Wells reported that the district has already fully repaid its short-term Revenue Anticipation Note early, incurring approximately $53,000 in total interest costs.
Looking ahead, additional revenue is slated to flow into the district. WHRSD is set to receive $200,000 from a state supplemental budget ($100,000 earmarked for special education and $100,000 for facilities), along with $377,000 in adjusted transportation reimbursements stemming from an amended end-of-year report. Wells noted that the transportation reimbursement funds will be directed straight into the E&D account in FY27, raising the district’s reserve reserves from approximately $700,000 to more than $1 million.
However, Interim Superintendent Dr. John Marcus offered a sobering reminder that the district’s balanced financial posture came at a significant cost.
“We can’t forget the fact that part of why we’re okay is the fact that there are 65 people who aren’t here anymore... we need to rebuild. We can’t just say, ‘Okay, we’re all right now.’” — Dr. John Marcus, Interim Superintendent
Earlier in the meeting, the committee conducted its formal annual evaluation of Dr. Marcus, who stepped in during the mid-year crisis in early 2026. Evaluated across four standard Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) categories—Instructional Leadership, Management and Operations, Family/Community Engagement, and Professional Culture—Dr. Marcus received exclusively “Proficient” and “Exemplary” ratings from all ten committee members, earning high praise for bringing stability, transparency, and collaboration to the district.
