Editors Note: The financial status is a changing situation. The facts in this article are accurate as of May 14.



Some students may not care about our district’s budget problems, however the state may deny our school system the approximately $900,000 extra dollars that were anticipated for the upcoming school year. This lack of funds could present a harsh reality to the students of Minnechaug.

Perhaps the most drastic change at Minnechaug next year could be the lack of teachers. “We are not replacing any retiring teachers,” said Gagliarducci. “Areas such as the history, math, English, foreign language, computer education and technical education departments will be affected.” With an increase of more than forty people to student population in the upcoming year, and fewer classes offered, large class sizes will be an inevitable result. “Some classes were not even offered this year, but that is mostly due to low sign up. However in a good year [financially] Mr. Logan would still run those classes,” said Gagliarducci. “The worst thing is not being able to replace retired teachers because we don’t have enough as it is.”

Originally, the some eighty teachers (grades k – 12) hired after the year 2000 were given a pink slip meaning that their job was in jeopardy. Since then thirty teachers have been recalled. Currently, the fifty teachers hired after 2001 are at risk of losing their position in the district.

“The only thing scheduled to be impacted [as a result of next year’s budget] would be doubled athletic fees,” said Superintendent Paul C. Gagliarducci, “another option could be to cancel the sport that is the most expensive to run, but we aren’t necessarily at that point yet.”

The booster club is trying to raise the money to fix the neglected tennis courts that the school budget should pay for. “In a good financial year the budget would pay for the courts,” said Gagliarducci, “and if they continue to deteriorate the tennis programs could be affected.”

Along with the inflated sports fees, and possible canceled sports programs, students also may see other areas of school life affected. “We also are taking a serious look at parking fees and student activities fees,” said Gagliarducci, “all have been proposed, but nothing is finalized.”

Though the lunch program is run separately from the school’s budget it is possible that prices could be affected. “The lunch program has very little impact [on the overall budget], however if we do not earn enough revenue from lunch sales, prices could increase, which is the reason costs went up for this school year,” said Gagliarducci.

There is one solution that could significantly help the school district’s budget. “We have to ask the towns for an override, it is the only way to get the money,” said Gagliarducci. An override would mean the people of Hampden and Wilbraham would pay approximately $125 more per year on the taxes. “I was hoping we would get more [from the state] and wouldn’t be forced to ask the towns,” said Gagliarducci. An override would require that both Hampden and Wilbraham town selectmen must approve a town meeting, the communities must vote whether to consider the issue, and then finally whether to pass it or not. “Both towns must say yes on all the votes,” said Gagliarducci, “otherwise the override is dead.”

According to Gagliarducci, if an override was passed there would be enough money that retiring teachers could be replaced, and it would ensure that class sizes would not be as high. Without the override, students can anticipate doubled sports fees, possible cancelled sports and programs, more costly parking passes, more expensive activities and drastically higher class sizes.