Parents are worried about increased class sizes, what a loss of accreditation would mean for Wareham High School, and how a proposed reduction in school busing will impact students, as officials prepare to make more difficult budgetary decisions before the school year begins in September.

The public was invited to sound off during a School Committee public hearing on Wednesday, which was scheduled after Proposition 2½ measures that would have filled some school budget shortfalls were soundly defeated at the ballot on July 25.

Following a tumultuous budget season, school officials proposed a Proposition 2½ override -- a permanent property tax increase -- to keep more than teaching positions on the books, and proposed "debt exclusions," or temporary property tax increases, for various projects -- such as purchasing textbooks and fixing the leaky high school gymnasium roof.

Now that voters have voiced a resounding "no" to the increased taxes, school officials are dealing with the ramifications and weighing their options.

"I fully expect the high school accreditation to be put on [probation] status because of the lack of staff at that school. That is a consequence that has occurred," Superintendent Dr. Barry Rabinovitch told attendees.

The high school lost six teachers. Administrators are still completing, so class sizes were not immediately known, but Rabinovitch said study halls will likely have to be reinstated. Administrators had worked to eliminate study halls and increase class offerings last year.

The high school recently completed a review of its accreditation, which it was granted in 1960 by the Commission on Public Secondary Schools of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC). Accreditation is a process completed by an independent agency which ensures that schools are providing a high-quality education and therefore that students' diplomas will be recognized by colleges and potential employers.

The school received a "warning" status, with continued accreditation contingent on officials completing a number of prescribed recommendations -- including repairing the gym roof. Administrators are also required to notify NEASC of any "substantive change," such as teacher layoffs, which could result in Wareham being placed on "probation" sooner rather than later.

"If this high school gets put on probation, what's going to happen to these kids who have worked their tails off?" parent Diane Russo asked school officials. Russo later noted that her daughter, Nicole, will be a sophomore in September and was ranked first in her class her freshman year. "We have to tell her that her school isn't accredited and it's going to risk where she gets into college?"

Probation isn't a loss of accreditation, but it could lead to the loss of accreditation, and school officials are concerned.

"Most [New England] high schools go to [NEASC] as the accrediting bureau so that their diplomas, when they're looked at by colleges and universities, have a particular value," explained Rabinovitch.

Elsewhere in the district, six teachers were cut from both the John W. Decas and Minot Forest elementary schools. Class sizes will hover around 30 students in some of the elementary grade levels, with most classes totaling in the mid-20s.

The combination of cuts of an assistant principal and custodian at Hammond Elementary and the layoffs of the six teachers at Minot Forest caused officials to move all kindergartners who would have attended Hammond to Minot Forest. What will be done with the Hammond building has not yet been decided.

Parents also expressed concerns about officials' proposal reduce the number of buses it runs. The district would only transport the students it has to -- which would eliminate the busing of high school students -- and charge a $75 fee to students riding the buses. The proposal would also mean that the two elementary schools would have to stagger start times.

Minot Forest Elementary parent Ann Pearle pointed out that traffic would be a big issue everywhere, and noted that she knows from experience that the roads around Minot Forest get "crazy" on school days.

"You're going to have a lot of parents who just say, 'I'm not paying the fee, I'm going to drop off,'" Pearle warned.

Rabinovitch and School Committee members said the concerns resonated with them, but noted that faced with increasing expenses and a potential deficit that they won't be able to fill next year, something must be done.

"I admit, in many respects, what we're giving you are a lot of ugly options," Rabinovitch admitted. "We didn't want this ... but expenses are rising, revenues are flat."

School Committee Chair Geoff Swett shared some good news, however. Wareham is poised to receive an approximately $125,000 reimbursement from the state for expenses the district incurred from transporting homeless students last year.

State law says that when homeless students are moved to temporary housing in a new town, they have the option of attending their previous school. The sending and receiving school districts must split the transportation costs for busing the students.

The $125,000 will simply be sent to the town -- not necessarily earmarked for school transportation expenses. Swett explained, however, that if that money can indeed be allocated for transportation, the department would not be in danger of running a deficit and thus could continue operating buses as usual.

Wareham will also soon get $115,000 in "Chapter 70" school funding that it was not originally slated to receive, Swett said. That money, too, is not immediately earmarked for the classroom. Technically, it will go in the town's general coffers (and could be used for school-related town expenses, such as healthcare, for example) unless Town Meeting allocates the money elsewhere.

Parents wanted to make sure that the money indeed made it to the School Department. Officials encouraged them to express that to Selectmen, the town administrator, and the Finance Committee.

Explaining that, for many reasons, the formula for calculating state aid to school districts is flawed, and thus is being evaluated by legislators, Swett took it a step further.

"What I would like you to do ... is call your state representative, call your state senator," he told the attendees, urging them to tell the officials to "fix that state formula that is costing us millions."

Earlier in the meeting, however, Minot Forest parent Amy Goodwin had a different idea.

"For the 700 of us who voted 'yes'" to the override, Goodwin said, "is there any means for you to accept our money anyway? Are you able to take our money and put it toward the schools?"

The sentiment was met with applause from the audience, and Rabinovitch noted that donations are always be accepted.

Contacted later in the week, Goodwin said she did indeed drop off a check for the estimated $200 her family would have paid if the override and debt exclusions were passed, and encouraged others to do the same. She asked that the money be earmarked for books.

The School Committee has not yet decided on the fate of the busing operation. It planned to discuss the issue and other budgetary matters at its August 8 meeting.