Budget Proposal, Climate Action Plan, and Flooded Fields (DSB Meeting, 12/17/19)

The Dresden School Board met on December 17th to review the proposed Dresden 2020-21 budget and to hear presentations on the Hanover High baseball field and the Climate Action Plan.

The 2020-21 budget would allocate funds to create an associate principal position and add more mental health services at the high school. After last summer’s success, the middle school would receive funds to increase the number of hours the school library is open during the summer for students to continue to use it as a resource. The current overall budget is an increase of 2.98% ($26,954,023 to $27,757,440) from the 2019-20 budget. 

After the budget presentation, John Granger, the Hanover High baseball coach, informed the Board of the need for a new baseball field. The current field, located in the Dresden Field Complex, has suffered from flooding over the past few years, causing the field to be unusable for almost all of last season. The field will need to be repaired; the funding and timing of the construction are being discussed by the Athletic Advisory Committee of the Board. 

Students from the Environmental Club updated the Board on the Climate Action Plan. The Environmental Club completed an energy audit, and they suggested adding insulation, transitioning to LED light bulbs, and adding a dishwasher and compost bins to the cafe. The Environmental Club has been working with the cafe to start implementing those changes. 

The discussion on the School Resource Officer position has been postponed to the next budget year to allow for more feedback from students, staff, and the community. The next Dresden School Board meeting will be on January 28th.