The Norwood School Committee voted 3-2 on March 5 to approve Tier 1 reductions to its preliminary fiscal 2026 budget that include eliminating one full-time equivalent (1.0 FTE) Latin teaching position at Norwood High School. Committee members also accepted a friendly amendment that directs the administration to prioritize any subsequently found savings to reinstate the Latin position if possible.

The decision followed nearly 30 minutes of public comment devoted to the Latin program. Students, parents and teachers told the committee the course supports college readiness, English-language development and student engagement. ‘‘We ask the members of the school committee and the district administration to strongly reconsider the elimination of the Latin program at Norwood High and to restore the teacher’s position,’’ said Emily Kai, who identified herself as a Norwood resident and parent.

The committee’s memo and administrators’ presentations said the Tier 1 reductions are part of an effort to meet a townwide target and that the district’s proposed budget remains higher than what local officials say the town can sustain without drawing substantially on free cash. The district identified the Latin reduction as part of a package that reduces net spending by about $883,697; the Latin line item was listed in the administration materials at $391,500 of savings associated with removing a 1.0 FTE.

Administrators and district staff told the committee that Latin enrollment had declined after the COVID-19 pandemic and that the current ninth-grade requests numbered about 22 (a number administrators said could change). Superintendent’s staff said the district would offer online coursework for students already enrolled if the in-person position is eliminated; the administration estimated the online option would cost approximately $8,127 for students currently enrolled next year.

Mariah Holmes, the Latin teacher at Norwood High School, urged the committee to preserve the position and described how Latin classrooms have supported students with different learning needs. ‘‘The Latin program historically delivers this level of scaffolding and depth within a single teacher’s workload, ensuring that all students have access to a full and enriching language program despite operating with extremely limited resources,’’ Holmes told the committee during public comment.

Students spoke in turn. ‘‘Magistra Holmes is an amazing teacher,’’ said Rizzi Lomino, a Latin 1 student, who added that the class provided community and academic support. Several other students said Latin helped them in other academic work and in planned college pathways.

On the committee, members repeatedly framed the vote as an attempt to balance programmatic goals with townwide fiscal constraints. One committee member noted that BBC (Budget Balancing Committee) discussions and the finance commission’s guidance had asked the district to reduce the budget and that the committee had resisted deeper Tier 2 cuts earlier in the process.

The committee’s 3-2 vote approved the Tier 1 reductions as described in the administration memo and explicitly included an increase in the district’s turnover/attrition savings estimate (from $200,000 toward $255,000), which the administration said reduced the need to pursue deeper cuts. The adopted amendment — proposed by a committee member and accepted by those making the motion — directs administrators to give priority to restoring the Latin position if any additional savings or revenue become available before the budget is finalized.

The committee did not identify which individual committee members voted yes or no in the roll-call; the motion passed on a 3-2 voice vote. The district and committee will revisit parts of the budget at the March 19 public budget hearing and again before the committee’s final March 26 vote; committee members and administrators said the Latin position could be reconsidered if identified savings or new revenue materialize.

The next formal public step is the school committee’s March 19 budget hearing, when additional public comment on the proposed FY26 budget is scheduled, followed by the committee’s final budget vote on March 26. The school business office and administration also said they would continue outreach about enrollment pathways that could boost future Latin enrollment, including potential middle‑school feeder options.

Ending: The vote leaves the Latin program without an in-person, district-funded teacher for FY26 unless the district can identify new savings or town appropriations that would cover the position. For now the committee’s amendment signals it is open to restoring the position should funds become available; proponents of the program emphasized they will continue outreach and advocacy ahead of the town meeting and in coming budget discussions.