By Linda Conner Lambeck

WESTPORT–Two weeks out from a vote on its 2026-27 operating budget proposal, members of the school board are starting to say what they do support and don’t support.

Having the district pick up the tab for sports uniforms is a yes for School Board Chair Lee Goldstein. 

A proposed pay-for-play idea is not.

Adding two staff members to support elementary students with complex behavioral needs is also in her yes column, along with the purchase of cars and drivers for a district special education program.

The addition of an assistant in the district’s facilities department to help with a projected $51 million in projects over the next five years has the chair’s support as well.

“I 100 percent support it,” added Board Member Abby Tolan, as Goldstein went through the list of additions in School Superintendent Thomas Scarice’s proposed $158.6 million budget at a school board meeting last week.

Although the package is $8.2 million more than the current budget–a 5.48 percent increase, Goldstein said there really are not a lot of changes. Most of the increase is tied to health insurance costs and pay raises.

There are still questions the board wants answered, about how the middle school is structured and the need for chrome books in early elementary grades, but Goldstein characterized most as exercises in demonstrating to town officials that the board is “turning over every stone” in search of savings.

“It’s not like anyone on the board wants to undo the (middle school) teaming model,” Goldstein said.

 A few other areas are to be discussed more thoroughly once budget season is over. They include:

• a review of the district’s special education program
• the role booster clubs play.
• the possibility of accepting more out-of-town students on a tuition basis _ an idea that not everyone loves, Goldstein said.

Facilities 

During a meeting devoted entirely to the budget last week, Chief Financial Officer Elio Longo said the proposed addition of an Assistant Director of Facilities and Security would help strengthen operational oversight and management of a rising volume of construction and capital projects. Currently, the department has a director, office coordinator and part-time secretary that is now overseeing 300 projects annually. The request has been a budget casualty for several years now.

It is anticipated that the department will oversee about $51 million in projects between now and 2033.

“Having a second person will help facilitate projects,” said Board Member Stephen Shackelford.

Uniforms

Board Member Jill Dillon said she was still undecided about a proposal for the district to assume the cost of sport uniforms. The price tag is $95,000.

In a memo, Staples Athletic Director V.J. Sarullo argued that district-supplied uniforms is in keeping with Westport’s commitment to equity, fairness and district expectations.

As required components of playing a sport, Sarullo said uniforms should be a district responsibility and not booster clubs.

The district oversees 43 programs comprising 78 teams and a roster this year of 1,629 spots.

Sarullo said booster clubs can still help the district by buying supplemental equipment, specialty uniforms and other program enhancements.

Coach input was sought on the uniform plan, Sarullo wrote in a memo to the board. The intent, he added, is to keep using the vendors and quality teams expect.

Shackelford called it helpful that coaches were consulted but he wanted assurance that coaches think the plan is sufficient.

“What if boosters want to do something more,” Shackelford said. “That question remains unanswered.”

Board Secretary Neil Phillips said his take is that the board is saying $95,000 worth of uniforms is what the district is agreeing to cover and that if a team wants more, booster clubs can supplement.

Sarullo is to be at the next meeting to directly answer questions, the board was told.

Pay-to-play

As for the notion of charging students to play sports, parents have told the board that there is already a fee that most of them pay through booster clubs.

Board Member Jill Dillon said that while she agrees the district should buy the uniforms she doesn’t want anyone fooled into thinking $95,000 will put a significant dent in what families are expected to contribute when their kids want to play sports.

On the day of the meeting, the board received an email from Tracey Vizzo, a parent, outlining some of the sport fees that extend beyond the cost of uniforms.

“The current budget for three baseball teams (Freshman, JV and Varsity) is only partially funded through the Westport Board of Education budget,” Vizzo said. “This funding covers the cost of less than half the coaching staff, transportation to/from games, FCIAC league fees, baseballs for games, and just a portion of the maintenance for the two baseball fields.”

The cost to players is $1,300 each on top of fundraisers held throughout the year, the email states.

Most families are quite surprised when they find out what the annual cost is, Vizzo added. 

In a return email, Goldstein assured Vizzo that neither the board nor the administration supported the notion of the district charging students to play a sport.

“We were just trying to discuss every savings option,” Goldstein said.

At the meeting, Goldstein added that Westport may be wealthy but that there are families who can’t let their kid play every season or have more than one kid play at a time because of the suggested booster club donations.

“The suggestion of a donation may keep someone from playing,” said Dillion. “We need to acknowledge that … we kind of are a pay to play district.”