WINTHROP — In her first series of public forums for the community, Interim Superintendent Becky Foley addressed concerns about the school district’s frozen budget and said it will not affect any student’s ability to learn.

Becky Foley File photo

Foley said she will host public forums on a regular basis through the school year, as she did in her former school district, Freeport-area Regional School Unit 5. She wants to use the forums to address any concerns, questions or thoughts any community member may have about the school district.

Only a few members of the public attended the first forum Thursday night, but they came prepared with questions about the frozen education budget.

Chris St. Clair had a question about her daughter’s curriculum and said she hopes the frozen budget will not impact any materials or books that students need to learn.

“That gives me a moment to talk about the frozen budget,” Foley said. “It doesn’t mean we want learning to stop. The things that are critical, we are still purchasing and the staff is wonderful in looking for any savings we can find.

“As we build the budget for next year, we want to establish a good, solid baseline, as well as still expanding in some areas. I think there are good needs if talking about the student achievement piece, and I know that administration has started brainstorming (ways to save), like some building maintenance that can be put off longer.”

Foley started six weeks ago as the interim superintendent and in her first week was forced to freeze the school budget after she discovered a nearly $700,000 shortfall due to items that were improperly budgeted.

She asked the community members for ways to make the budget process more transparent.

Amy MacMillan, a mother in the district, suggested the budget materials and information, like the teacher contracts, should be easy to find on the school website.

“I’m paying attention (to what’s going on) and if it’s not there for me, it’s not there,” MacMillan said. “I think there is a lot of pressure on the parent to go to the website, but figuring out how to communicate better through things like a Facebook page might be helpful.”

Foley also addressed concerns around communication with the Winthrop School Board and said that the board has a public workshop planned for Dec. 18 to address School Board communication and to create a positive board climate.

Former Superintendent Jim Hodgkin resigned in August because of conflict with the School Board and called for the public to recall certain members — Chairperson Alicia Lawson, Ivy Corliss and Monkia McLaughlin — or for them to resign. However, the town does not have a recall ordinance, and by state law the recall can only happen if the elected official commits a crime against the municipality.

“That is an administrative goal of mine, to create a more positive climate between administration and the School Board,” Foley said. “I feel we are off to a really good start and there is always room for improvement.”