Southampton School Committee Unanimously Approves $7.3M Restorative Norris Budget

School Committee · Meeting of March 11, 2026

Southampton School Committee votes unanimously to approve a $7.3 million restorative budget for Norris School, betting the town will pass a Proposition 2½ override. The committee approved a fiscal 2027 total expenditure budget of $7,324,437 — a 10.6 percent increase over the current year — requiring a town contribution of $6,705,437, up $845,855 or 14.44 percent over fiscal 2026. Chair Kim Schott opened the hearing by detailing last year's $668,993 in cuts and warning that a second override failure would force an additional $500,000 reduction, bringing two-year losses to more than $1.1 million.

Southampton Teachers Association co-president Lauren Ames, a 16-year Norris educator, read a union letter calling the override "essential for maintaining the quality of education that our students deserve." Business Administrator Don calculated the restorative figure in real time during the meeting after committee members, including one who said flatly "I literally built a house in this town because of the school system," refused to accept the lower initial proposal. The town's total proposed override stands at approximately $1.7 million, which would add roughly $675 per year for a homeowner with a property assessed at the town's average of $489,000; town meeting is May 2 and the election is May 19 — the override failed last year by 72 votes.

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Source: the School Committee meeting of March 11, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.