Freetown-Lakeville School Committee reorganizes, ratifies teacher and staff labor contracts

School Committee · Meeting of April 15, 2026

LAKEVILLE — Freetown-Lakeville Regional School Committee reorganized under new Chair Melinda Richards and warned that a failed Lakeville override could eliminate 56 staff positions. The committee unanimously elected Richards of Lakeville as chair and Courtney Brightman of Freetown as vice chair at the April 15 meeting, then ratified three-year labor contracts with both the teachers union and the paraprofessionals and secretaries unit running August 2026 through August 2029, with teacher salary budget impacts of 3.5 percent in FY27 rising to 4.5 percent in FY29. Director of Finance Jack Higgins placed the district's FY27 general fund at $49,491,387, a 7.38 percent increase, with Lakeville's operational assessment rising $1,819,100.

Principals and special education administrators described a school-by-school loss of specialists, library programs, paraprofessionals, and elective courses if the budget is not fully funded, culminating in a two-year total of 67 staff reductions. The committee also received word that State Senator Rodericks has secured a $150,000 state earmark for Grace Pool repairs, now awaiting the governor's signature.

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Source: the School Committee meeting of April 15, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.