MERSD SCHOOL COMMITTEE

At their March 3, March 17, and April 7, 2026 School Committee meetings, the MERSD School Committee discussed the following and welcomes public input:

Essex Elementary School Building Project

The School Committee continues to receive reports from the School Building Committee (SBC) regarding the Essex Elementary School Building Project. A 9-minute informational video explaining the project can be found at this website. The project is currently in the MSBA feasibility study phase, with the goal of identifying a Preferred Schematic Design in Spring 2026. If approved by the MSBA, the project would move into further design development, with a potential community vote on project funding anticipated in November or December 2026.

The School Building Committee is currently focused on assessing renovation, renovation/addition, and new construction options on the existing Essex Elementary School site. The March 24 SBC meeting provided an opportunity for the community to view the current design concepts, ask questions, and share feedback on the options under consideration. The Committee meets regularly to review design updates, and presentations are available on the Essex Elementary School Building Project webpage.

The public is invited to attend the following School Building Committee meetings:

• SBC Meeting: April 14, 6:00pm

• Community Meeting: April 16, 6:00pm, EES cafeteria and Zoom

• Project cost update and Q&A
• Optional in-person building tours beginning at 5:30
• Childcare will be provided

• SBC Meeting: April 28, 6:00pm

FY27 Budget

At the March 3, 2026 meeting, the School Committee voted on an Amended Budget for FY27. This is a “level services” budget that retains the program scope, class sizes, course offerings, and staffing. It is a 3.5% increase in spending from FY26 for a total of $33,737,241.

The budget will need to be approved at Town Meetings in both Manchester and Essex. The Town of Essex is moving forward with both a general town override of approximately $280,000 and a school-specific override of $185,727.

School Choice

The School Committee voted to maintain School Choice seats by replacing 3 exiting students with sibling applicants of current School Choice students. The district will continue to monitor resident enrollment.

Coach Ed Field Scoreboard

Athletic Director Cameron Molinare presented, and the School Committee voted to approve, a $34,000 donation to install a scoreboard at Coach Ed Field for use by district athletic programs as well as town and travel programs. The School Committee would like to thank The Hooper Fund, Cape Ann Savings Bank, Manchester-Essex Athletics Boosters Club, the Class of 2025, and others who made this possible.

Middle School Principal Search

Superintendent Beaudoin announced that, after the Search Committee’s review of a strong candidate pool, Matthew Roy was selected to take the position of Middle School Principal next school year. Mr. Roy currently serves as Principal of the Thomas Fleming School in Essex Junction, Vermont, and brings experience as both a classroom teacher and instructional leader. As part of the transition process, Mr. Roy will formulate an entry plan that will be shared with the MERSD community. The School Committee thanks stakeholders who participated in the Search Committee.

Teacher Professional Development March 16

Superintendent Beaudoin reported to the School Committee that teachers had a successful and meaningful all-day professional development day on March 16. The keynote speaker, Former Education Commissioner Jeff Riley, gave the keynote address on Artificial Intelligence and technology in the classroom. Jeff Riley is the former Massachusetts Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education and currently working with MIT’s Responsible AI for Social Empowerment and Education (RAISE) and Day of AI. He presented a parent workshop earlier in the year on the same topic. Teachers then selected from several offerings, including sessions on math instruction, Universal Design for Learning, Social-Emotional instructional strategies, student-centered learning experiences, and parent engagement.

Capital Plan

Director of Finance & Operations Michelle Cresta presented the capital plan to the School Committee. This budget exists outside the operational budget and addresses capital items that are medium in scope. The list of items included tennis court resurfacing as well as carpeting, linoleum flooring, and wall panels at the Middle/ High School. The Middle / High School will be 25 years old in 2034 and is starting to have greater maintenance needs. Updates to the auditorium require a mini-capital plan to address sound and lighting issues after initial estimates came back at $90K, much higher than anticipated. Capital needs at Essex Elementary School have been put on hold during the school building project.