Sean Kelly, Westford resident

Westford is in a dire fiscal situation. Because of inflation, increased costs (e.g., out of district tuition and transportation), and inadequate pay for many staff, the tax increase of 2.5% will not cover budgetary needs. The $6.8 million override funds are necessary to save town services (police, fire, library) and keep our schools thriving like they do now.  Our town’s identity is tied to its schools and if our district begins to lose its footing, what makes our town special will follow.

Without the override, the schools will be forced to (1) eliminate 30 Math and Reading Interventionists at grades K-8; (2) reduce 3 of the full time Literacy Specialists at grades K-2; (3) eliminate 2 Reading Teachers at grades 6-8; (4) reduce 4 classroom teachers; (5) reduce 11.4 full time employees at Westford Academy.

I cannot stress this enough – should the override fail, our schools will look and operate very differently than what parents, students, and residents have come to know and love.  I believe this bell cannot be unrung. The damage will be long term or permanent.

I do not claim to be an educator or expert on educational science. I am a concerned parent and advocate for our children. Nonetheless, two strong indicators of academic achievement are class size and early reading proficiency. The cuts that would occur should the override not pass will cause larger classes and less services. Undoubtedly, the schools will be forced to increase from the student to teacher ratios of 22:1 and 25:1. These lower ratios are where our children have flourished under for years. Similarly, the decrease in reading interventionists will result in less students being proficient in reading at developmentally critical ages.  Students need to develop these skills by third grade where they switch from learning to read, to reading to learn the curriculum. The whole point of the interventionist is to help students who need the extra “push” to meet the milestones that translate to future academic success. These types of unabated reading delays result in increased service expenses later in the child’s educational career.

Westford prides itself on its schools. My wife is a “Townie” who grew up here, I did not.  When we were in college and started our life together, I constantly heard of “the Academy” and this school district in a place I had never heard of.  Her adolescence was shaped by the bonds and educational moments she had in our community decades ago.  We went to a university an hour from here and yet, a majority of her closest friends were fellow Ghosts who all had the same positive life shaping experiences. Many of these life long friends have moved back to Westford to raise their own families. As someone who did not have the same educational experience, I did not understand the fuss until I moved to Westford in 2017.

Now I get it –  our schools are what makes our town special. Our faculty and staff are the lifeblood of our schools. Massachusetts has some of the best schools in the country and Westford currently has some of the best schools in the state.  Let’s keep it that way.  If we allow for more cuts to our staff, our town will cease to have the identity it now cherishes.  Westford will become just another “W” town in Massachusetts, known for being one that you pass through to get to Lowell or NH, or the town where Kimball’s is located.

It is important we come together as a town and vote YES for the articles that permit the override. For next year, the average homeowner’s real estate taxes would go up $64 per month. If your home is worth less than $756,500, the average value in Westford, your increase would be less. I acknowledge that might be a burden for some residents.  I wish there was an easy answer to this problem, but I personally am comforted by the fact that there are options available for tax relief to our elderly and disabled residents.

The override must first pass Town Meeting on March 23, 2024 at 9:00am.  My “Townie” wife will be there voting YES with me, the “Blow-In”.

Please join us in voting YES for Articles 1, 2, and 3. Let’s keep our town the way that made it the destination for us to raise our family. A YES vote recognizes the traditions that make Westford so special, while keeping them going to the betterment of our children’s futures.  We owe it them.

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