Beverly School Committee Approves FY23 Calendar, Adds Indigenous Peoples Day Recognition

BEVERLY — January 26, 2022 — Beverly School Committee adopts FY23 academic calendar 7-0, rejects flip of Columbus Day and Indigenous Peoples Day naming. The committee voted unanimously Wednesday to approve a calendar that adds two early release days for grades K through 8, designates the state primary day as a no-school day, and closes December 23; a 3-4 vote defeated an amendment by member Kimberly Quaylo to place "Indigenous Peoples Day" ahead of "Columbus Day" in the October holiday's label. In a separate 6-0 vote, the committee approved an overnight DECA field trip to Boston for approximately 88 Beverly High School students, with Mayor Michael Cahill recusing himself because a family member is participating. Director of Finance Gene Sherburne reported school choice revenue came in $41,484 above the $705,676 budget offset, and circuit breaker revenue exceeded projections by $474,238, reaching $2,584,898. Superintendent Dr. Sue Chirkchek disclosed that the governor's FY23 budget, released the afternoon of the meeting, projects Beverly's Chapter 70 allocation at $13,158,440 — up from $10,599,114 the prior year — a number she said she had not yet had time to fully analyze.