Kingston School Committee members learned April 6 that $42,867 in unspent vocational tuition will allow the district to restore a paraprofessional position, along with some technology and curriculum spending, in next year’s budget — a modest rebound as officials urged residents to turn out for the May 2 town meeting to support the school spending plan. The committee also voted unanimously to opt out of the school choice program for another year, citing class sizes and staffing constraints.
Stefani Hatton, the district’s new Director of Finance and Operations, presented the updated numbers in her first in-person appearance before the committee. She reported that $175,000 had been budgeted for vocational tuition for approximately five Kingston students attending vocational schools next year, but actual costs came in at $132,132.16 — leaving $42,867.84 available to return to the budget.
Superintendent Dr. Jill Proulx told members the leadership team had identified how to deploy the savings. “After discussing it with the team, we thought that we would be able to bring back a paraprofessional position and some things, such as technology and curriculum,” Proulx said. She cautioned, however, that the figure was not large enough to save any additional positions, noting, “There’s not enough money to cover another position.”
The savings only partially offset previously announced staffing reductions. Committee members confirmed that one classroom teacher position and one English Language Learner teacher position — the latter an unfilled role — remain on the chopping block. Member Sheila Vaughn pressed the administration to keep looking. “Keep searching. Keep searching,” she said. “If any more money turns up,” added Chair Megan Cannon.
The budget news landed against the backdrop of a recent Finance Committee meeting, where members said the school budget received an unusually smooth reception. “We went to the FinCom meeting and they did approve our budget, which I thought was really great,” said Vaughn. “I’ve never seen everybody approve our budget all at once and with minimal questions, which I thought was really great.” Cannon added that the committee appreciated the Finance Committee’s support and repeatedly urged residents to attend the May 2 town meeting at 9 a.m. at Kingston Intermediate School. “Please go and vote. We need your support for our budget… It’s very important.”
The regular session was preceded by the annual school choice hearing required of every Massachusetts district. Vaughn moved immediately to withdraw from the program, citing capacity concerns. “Based on the classrooms and that we just don’t have the staffing for that,” she said. Member Jennifer Krowchun agreed, noting the district needs to “meet existing need” first. Cannon reminded the committee that accepting a school choice student is a long-term commitment: “Once they come, we own them until graduation or they leave.” Proulx confirmed Kingston has not participated in school choice for as long as she has been superintendent. The roll-call vote to decline participation was unanimous.
Following an earlier executive session discussion, the committee voted unanimously in open session to approve the contract for the Kingston Intermediate School principal, Dr. Kerri Whipple. Meanwhile, Assistant Superintendent Dr. Tricia Clifford reported that the Kingston Elementary School principal search committee interviewed candidates during the final week of March and narrowed the field to two finalists, with the next round of interviews taking place this week. Clifford thanked the search committee members for their work.
KES Interim Principal Jake Galewski introduced new Interim Assistant Principal Amy Koskowski, who he said has had a “very successful transition.” Galewski reported on PAC Assorted Fruits and Vegetables week — during which some students tried dragon fruit for the first time — the PTO-sponsored Harlem Wizards game, and the conclusion of the CKLA pilot on April 3. Teachers have now begun piloting the Wonders ELA curriculum from McGraw Hill. Galewski announced an upcoming Social Emotional Learning night on April 29 that will include a new sensory-friendly window at the start of the event for students with sensory sensitivities. Kindergarten enrollment currently sits at 143 students, which Galewski said is lower than previous years at this point.
KIS Principal Whipple reported that MCAS testing is underway and credited the assistant principal, team chair and IT staff for a seamless rollout. Updates included a new grab-and-go breakfast program, revisions to the school’s positive behavior system with added recognition via a bulletin board outside the office, and a student-led advocacy effort from last year’s school council — now sixth graders — who delivered a research-based presentation successfully arguing for snacks in fifth and sixth grade classrooms. The principal also reported on a World Down Syndrome Day celebration, Battle of the Books results (Peter Brown’s The Wild Robot was the student favorite), and an honorable mention for student Ellie Hill in the MSLA Bookmark Design Contest.
Clifford reported that the PRISM grant field test has shifted from CKLA to Wonders, with Curriculum Council members set to finalize their program ratings on April 27. The final round of math coaching will take place in late April and May. Clifford also highlighted a March 16 professional development session at Halifax Afterschool, where 25 elementary teachers from across the three-district Silver Lake region gathered for training on “Teaching Students to Write in Response to Reading,” led by Halifax teachers Meg Parker and Katie Berna.
On regionalization, Proulx confirmed that the regionalization study committee has begun interviewing stakeholders about their experiences with the partially regionalized system. She also reported that all member school committees have now approved the proposed calendar for the 2026-27 school year, making it official. Her own evaluation will begin following the April 16 Joint School Committee meeting.
The meeting closed with committee members recognizing Jeanne Coleman, who is stepping down after nine years of service. “The amount of time and effort that you put in, it’s a full-time job, really,” Vaughn said. “It doesn’t go unnoticed. And stepping up is not always easy. Big shoes to fill, Jeannie. Big shoes.” Cannon thanked Coleman for her service before the committee adjourned to executive session.

Kingston residents will pay more to use the town’s transfer station starting in the 2026-2027 season after the Board of Selectmen unanimously approved a slate of fee increases designed to narrow the gap between sticker revenue and operating costs. Regular sticker prices will rise $20 to $280, senior age categories will be simplified, and disposal fees for items like mattresses and appliances will increase — changes projected to generate an additional $116,000 in annual revenue as part of a three-year plan to make the facility self-sustaining.
Highway and Tree Superintendent Shawn Turner presented the fee proposal to the board, framing it as the first step of a three-year plan to move the transfer station toward self-sufficiency. The facility’s total operating budget is approximately $815,000, and even with the proposed increases, an estimated $200,000 gap between sticker revenue and expenses would remain.
“We need to talk about going up on the fees,” Turner told the board. “You have to have the users paying for what’s being used.” He noted that the department had already cut Monday overtime and reduced its chipping program. “It’s either we raise these fees or what’s the next thing we do? We have to start cutting either days, close another day, or cutting some of the services.”
A key change under the new structure is the elimination of the tiered senior categories. The previous system divided seniors into those aged 62 to 65 and those 66 and older, each at different price points. Under the new plan, a single “Over 65 and Veterans” category would be set at $140. Second-pass stickers rise from $40 to $60, and recycling-only passes increase from $60 to $80. Disposal fees for bulky items also increase, including mattresses and box springs from $40 to $60, AC units and fridges from $10 to $20 each due to rising refrigerant disposal costs, and large furniture from $20 to $30. A new $5 fee for propane tank disposal was also added.
Vice Chair Kim Emberg noted the transfer station would still fall short of fully covering its costs even after the increases. Town Administrator Scott Lambiase confirmed that a deficit of roughly $200,000 would remain, and that the plan is to bridge the overall shortfall gradually over a three-year period rather than imposing a single large increase. Selectman Carl Pike called the increases “very reasonable” and said he would like to see the facility become self-supporting over time.
Turner and Lambiase also noted that the town is continuing discussions about a potential future pay-as-you-throw program as another avenue for funding, though Turner said that would not come this year and that educational sessions for residents would come first. The board voted unanimously to approve the new fee schedule.
Police Clinicians Formally Introduced; Family Services Program Goes Live
The meeting also marked the formal introduction of the Kingston Police Department’s two newly hired co-response clinicians, Gabby Cohen and Kate Eldridge, whose contracts were approved at a special meeting on March 3. Lt. Skowyra introduced the clinicians, describing their backgrounds in mental health counseling, crisis intervention, and forensic counseling. Cohen holds a master of social work from Simmons University and previously served as a co-response clinician in a multi-town assignment. Eldridge has more than two decades of experience and holds dual master’s degrees from Suffolk University in mental health counseling and criminal justice.
Police Chief Brian Holmes said the program would be fully operational the following Monday. The clinicians spent their first days in orientation, meeting with town fire department leadership, the Marshfield clinician program, Plymouth County Outreach, and Silver Lake school guidance staff. Intermunicipal agreements to share the clinicians’ services with Halifax, Hanson, Plympton, and Carver are in various stages of final legal review, with Halifax’s agreement already signed.
Chairman Eric Crone praised the department for the model. “I hope the public realizes that as well. We’re able to do this with grant money and partnering up with other towns so that Kingston was not bearing the brunt of this,” Crone said.
Blizzard After-Action Report Details Massive Storm Response
Fire Chief Mark Douglass delivered a detailed after-action report on the Feb. 22-23 blizzard, which the National Weather Service named Hernando. Douglass described snowfall rates approaching four inches per hour during the height of the storm, which began Sunday evening, Feb. 22, and continued with high winds through Tuesday.
The town’s Streets, Trees, and Parks Department began storm operations at approximately 10 p.m. on Sunday and continued at some level through Monday, March 2 — more than a full week. The operation deployed 11 dump trucks, 8 town pickups, 3 large loaders, 7 skid steers, a new trackless snowblower, and 32 private contractor vehicles. The state, through MEMA, also dispatched three dump trucks and three front-end loaders from the Vermont Transportation Authority, which assisted with intersection clearing from Wednesday through Saturday.
Public safety dispatchers handled approximately 300 calls during the storm, with 105 on Monday alone. The police and fire departments increased staffing beginning Sunday evening. Both departments assisted in relocating residents of the Town and Country mobile home community who lost power for an extended period. National Guard personnel — two trucks and four soldiers — also assisted with that relocation effort.
Notable incidents included two generator failures at Town Hall and the Council on Aging due to snow blowing into air intakes, a plow driver struck by a large tree limb that came through his windshield near 59 Grove St., and the collapse of the Sacred Heart gymnasium roof, which Douglass attributed primarily to snow load. The storm also produced a medical emergency in which a bystander’s CPR on an elderly resident who went into cardiac arrest while snow-blowing was credited with saving the man’s life.
The town’s snow and ice deficit has grown to approximately $700,000 following the blizzard, and options for covering that shortfall — including potential draws from free cash or the town’s stabilization fund, which exceeds $3 million — will be presented at a future meeting. Pike said he believed this was a year to consider tapping the stabilization fund, given the severity of the winter. “When I have a storm of, I’m calling it the 50-year storm, then I think it’s reasonable to consider using that,” he said.
Douglass praised the town-wide radio network funded through the CARES Act, which he said performed “flawlessly.” He recommended improvements in public communication, including more frequent Smart911 updates during major storms and designating a single person to manage official social media postings. He also extended thanks to State Representative Kathy LaNatra for helping expedite resource requests through MEMA.
The town submitted an initial damage assessment to the state for $440,000 in storm-related costs.

On Monday, March 9 the Plympton Board of Selectmen voted to issue a notice of intent to award the Town House Front Entrance Community Preservation Committee renovation project to DDC Construction Incorporated, the low bidder among four submitted bids. DDC’s bid came in at $35,500 — well below the high bid of $63,427, a difference the Town Properties Committee confirmed at its March 11 meeting. The project’s architect reviewed and approved DDC’s qualifications and references before recommending the low bid, which Selectman Nathaniel Sides described as “pleasantly surprisingly low.” The award is contingent on Town Counsel review of the contract documents.
The board also unanimously approved an $8,500 expenditure from Plympton’s opioid settlement funds to support drug prevention efforts at Dennett Elementary School. The funds will cover materials for the LEAD (Law Enforcement Against Drugs) educational program being delivered through the police department, a radio communications upgrade for the school resource officer and Dennett staff, and cruiser decals. Chair Dana Smith explained that the police department had applied for a grant to cover the project but was not successful, making the opioid fund an appropriate alternative given the direct connection to drug prevention.
Town Administrator Liz Dennehy noted that Dennett School Secretary Judy Hanson had independently contacted the board Friday about potential grant funding for the same project. If the school secures separate grant money for any portion of the work, Sides confirmed, those opioid settlement funds would remain available for other town uses within the approved scope.
TPC Authorized to Pursue Fire Station Grants
The board approved a blanket authorization for the Town Properties Committee to pursue grant funding and federal earmarks for the proposed new fire station. Dennehy, participating remotely, recommended the broad authorization so the committee would not need to return to the board for each new opportunity, while noting that any award requiring a local match would come back before the Selectmen.
Sides used the item to remind all town board and committee members — flagging correspondence from the TPC that had arrived via personal email accounts — to use their official town-issued addresses for official business. “If there’s a Freedom of Information request that comes in periodically, we need to be able to reproduce those easily,” he said. “If they’re using a personal email address, that could get cumbersome.”
The fire station issue loomed large at the Town Properties Committee’s March 11th meeting two days later. TPC Chair Pierre Boyer reported ongoing code violations at the existing station: an exposed electrical panel at risk of water spray from adjacent pipes, water actively seeping through floor vents, unresolved floor drain issues, and a leaking roof that worsened significantly during the recent blizzard. Boyer said the committee is still awaiting a joint meeting with Town Counsel and the Selectmen to chart a path forward on both the fire station and a separate water infrastructure project.
Boyer laid out the committee’s planning approach: rather than sizing a new building around current apparatus, the TPC intends to first analyze call volume trends by category, staffing models, mutual aid usage, and population projections over a 25-to-30-year horizon before any design work proceeds. He noted that Plympton’s population has declined slightly — from approximately 2,900 to 2,813 as of the 2024 annual report — while total call volume has risen and mutual aid calls now account for 24% of all responses. “The data will tell you the factual story,” Boyer said. He added that a preliminary service-model analysis is expected to be presented to residents in the coming months.
Appointments and Community Recognition
The board unanimously appointed Gabriela Falconeri to the Community Preservation Committee to fill a member-at-large vacancy. The appointment runs from March 9, 2026, through June 30, 2029. The board also approved an Eagle Scout project for interior renovations to the Holt Field Snack Shack, which had received prior Recreation Commission approval and is overseen by Ross MacPherson.
Smith closed open session by praising the highway department’s response to the recent blizzard — which he compared in scale to the Blizzard of 1978 — and by recognizing the passing of Donald Vautrinot, a longtime Plympton resident, Vietnam veteran, former deputy fire chief, and former police officer in Plympton and Carver. “It’s definitely a part of our town that is missed,” Smith said.
Plympton TA Appointed in Easton
The Plympton Board of Selectmen closed their March 9 meeting by voting unanimously to enter executive session to discuss the Town Administrator’s employment contract — several hours before the Easton Select Board returned from its own closed session to formally vote to hire Plympton Town Administrator Liz Dennehy. The dual proceedings underscore what is now a near-certain leadership transition in Plympton.
The Easton appointment did not happen overnight. A week earlier, on March 2, the Easton Select Board had interviewed all three finalists — Dennehy; Jonathan Beder, the current Town Administrator in Avon; and William Chenard, the current Town Manager of Pembroke — before voting 4-1 to select Dennehy pending successful contract negotiations. Avid readers of the Express have seen this situation play out in Halifax and Kingston, who have each hired new Town Administrators in recent months.