I would like to correct a few items in the March 7 story on the Hollis-Brookline Cooperative School District’s annual meeting.

First, at no point was there a proposal to cut or eliminate the First Robotics team. The Force Team 1073 is a valued extracurricular program that currently involves approximately 75 students with a wide range of skills and interests, as well as many adults from the school and community who serve as mentors.

Early in the budget season, the School Board approved an administration proposal to eliminate some technology classes, including robotics, that have been underenrolled, if an approved budget made such cuts necessary. A significant response from the community and student population compelled the School Board to withdraw approval of this path as a first approach to budget reduction.

Second, I offer an alternate characterization to the associate superintendent’s comment of the community “always supporting the School Board.” I would state that the community always supports the schools.

Last year, the community approved a budget that was lower than the School Board’s recommendation. The voters of the co-op have been quite clear in their desire for academic excellence and fiscal responsibility.

Both the School Board and the Budget Committee acknowledge and respect this desire and attempt to find the best balance. Their respective opinions on where this balance lies do not always coincide.

The great thing about our community, and our system of government, is that it is the voters that get the final say.

Tom Solon

Hollis-Brookline Co-op School Board chairman

Brookline