Norfolk School Committee appoints new business consultant, projects $53,000 year-end surplus

NORFOLK — June 10, 2026 — Norfolk School Committee ends fiscal 2026 with a projected $53,000 net surplus and appoints a new business consultant. Superintendent Ingrid Elardi presented the year-end budget at the June 10 meeting, showing the $16,234,378 operating budget will close within roughly half a percent of full expenditure, aided by a budget freeze, unfilled positions, and $200,000 in one-time Bay State Shelter reimbursement funds applied to ELL salaries — with a $200,000 prepayment of special education collaborative tuitions also recommended to reduce FY27 costs. The committee unanimously appointed Catherine Antonellis as district business consultant for fiscal 2027, replacing retiring consultant Miriam Goodman after a search that drew six or seven candidates. Elardi cautioned that "some of this is one-time revenue" and flagged FY27 as "a really difficult year." The committee also approved a second year of a no-cost Amplify Desmos Math research partnership that replaces a planned $25,000 expenditure, honored 11 retiring staff members representing a combined total of more than 300 years of service, and voted 3-0 to enter executive session to consider ratifying a new Norfolk Teachers Association contract ratified by teachers earlier the same day.