When it comes to Wareham Public Schools' 2015-16 budgeting process, there are certain areas where some School Committee members are flexible, and other areas where they are unwilling to budge.

On Wednesday evening, the School Committee held a budgeting workshop, and some school committee members identified “non-negotiable” items that each would like to see taken into account. Among those items included a focus on student achievement, on keeping class sizes small, and not decreasing the faculty at the schools.

Finance Manager Michael MacMillan also presented the School Committee, including Superintendent Dr. Kimberly Shaver-Hood, with a series of guidelines for the development of the budget, which they plan to present to the Town Administrator and Selectmen for January 5.

“Our expectations are limited for what will be afforded by the town,” said MacMillan. “We have to get our capital priorities (committed) so we can make our needs as clear as possible.”

“Every one of us has different non-negotiables,” said Committee member Geoff Swett, saying that each member of the committee should identify what they feel as things that are vital to the development of students and should be included in the budget. “The sooner we do that the better.”

Upon the discussion of the “non-negotiables,” Shaver-Hood suggested that the committee identify should come up with their respective lists, and arranged a meeting between administrators and the School Committee to discuss.

“They (administration) have their non-negotiables,” she said, adding that ultimately, the budget comes back to the committee for final approval.

Shaver-Hood said that the non-negotiable workshop would be scheduled for Nov. 12.

Committee member Rhonda Veugen said planning should be based on student achievement, to which most agreed, including committee member Melvin Lazarus, though he particularly stressed a focus on personnel and not having to cut positions as was the case this school year.

In February, seven positions were cut from within the schools, and prior to this year, school officials announced that the schools would have 32 fewer positions than last year through retirements and layoffs, with 18 of those positions being teachers and 14 from staff such as paraprofessionals and administrators.

“We want student achievement to increase. We want our class sizes to remain as small as possible,” said Lazarus, adding that 85 percent of the schools’ budget was made up of the staff’s salaries. “My non-negotiable is personnel.”

Swett said that while he was also concerned with class size and staff cuts, it’s something that has been an ongoing problem.

“(We’ve spent) years and years and years of worrying about class sizes. Not a single person has wanted to see class sizes rise,” he said. "We have attempted to use your non-negotiable every budget season we’ve had. How do we defend continuing that mantra?”

Swett also spoke at length on the subject of substitute teachers and sick time for teachers, saying that the $500,000 being spent on subs this year was too much and that teachers need to be held accountable for taking too much sick time.

According to MacMillan's timeline, the Superintendent's Budget Advisory Committee will receive a first draft of the schools' budget workbook on Nov. 24, with the presentation to town officials to follow other scheduled budgetary planning sessions on Jan. 5 as previously mentioned. Residents will vote on the town's budget, which includes the schools' budget, on April 27 at Spring Town Meeting.