Lexington's School Committee will vote on Superintendent Julie Hackett's contract Tuesday, Sept. 15, the first time the panel has put the superintendent's employment terms to a formal vote this cycle.
The committee will also take its first look at fiscal year 2028 budget guidelines at the same meeting, opening a budget season shaped by deep staffing cuts and a $659.7 million high school construction project clouded by a state wetlands dispute.
The hybrid meeting runs from 6 to 9 p.m. at 173 Bedford St. Residents can also join by Zoom.
Contract vote
The agenda slots the superintendent contract vote for 7:45 to 8:45 p.m. No contract terms, salary figures or duration have been made public. Hackett has led Lexington Public Schools through a turbulent stretch that included roughly 65 full-time position cuts and 160 non-renewed staff contracts announced March 25 to close a fiscal year 2027 budget gap, according to the Lexington Observer.
FY28 budget preview
The FY28 budget guidelines discussion is scheduled for 6:45 to 7:35 p.m. The agenda lists last year's FY27 guidelines as a reference document but includes no draft FY28 figures.
For context, the current FY27 school budget is about $151.7 million, a 3.9% increase over FY26. At an April 27 financial summit, the committee voted 5-0 to direct $625,000 in free cash toward a five-year literacy curriculum license and five specialized instructional positions for one year.
High school building project
Hackett's superintendent report will include an update on the high school building project. A group of 12 residents led by Jim Williams filed an appeal with the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) in July, arguing the School Building Committee did not adequately consider alternatives that avoid building on wetlands at the 251 Waltham St. site, as we reported Aug. 25.
MassDEP ordered all site work within 100 feet of wetlands halted and conducted a site walkthrough Aug. 27 with about 100 attendees, Patch reported.
No decision has been announced.
School Building Committee Chair Kathleen Lenihan told the Lexington Observer on Aug. 20 that the construction pause had already added at least $1 million in unavoidable costs. "Because of the work we're not able to do over the summer, an additional at least $1 million is not avoidable," Lenihan said at the time. Cost estimates presented at the committee's Aug. 25 meeting projected the price tag could reach $2.5 million to $5 million if MassDEP decides by Oct. 1, and past $12 million if the review stretches beyond Nov. 1.
The full project carries a $659.7 million budget. Voters approved the funding Dec. 8, 2025, with 62% support. As of June 2026, the project was 8% complete with $15 million spent and Phase 1 completion targeted for June 2029.
The agenda also lists an item labeled "LHRC Memo on Joint Partnership" under new business. The next cost-escalation threshold for the high school project falls on Oct. 1.
