Public response at a March hearing led the Raymond School Committee to add two teaching positions into the proposed school budget.

Despite uncertainty relating to changes in state subsidies for education, the Raymond School Committee voted April 2 to add a teaching position at Raymond Elementary School, as well as money for special education, back into the school budget. The Raymond School Department learned early this week that subsidies to Raymond were reduced by about $9,000.

Teresa Sadak, chairwoman of the School Committee, said keeping class sizes small, and an overwhelming response from parents at a public hearing last week, led the committee to the decision to bring back one teacher at the kindergarten through fourth-grade level. The School Committee had planned to postpone the vote until April 9, but did not due to scheduling conflicts.

One kindergarten teacher, Stephen Seymour, will still lose his job under the proposed budget, but another, Kathy Gillis will stay. This will keep three teachers are each grade level in the elementary school.

“I’m grateful the job is back in for the children of Raymond Elementary, for obvious personal reasons,” said Gillis, who believes small classes are what prepare Raymond students so well for high school.

“The lower class size, I think, it what’s paramount to parents,” said Holly Mitchell.

Mitchell, the mother of a first-grader and fourth-grader, came to a Raymond School Committee public hearing on March 31, and spoke to the committee about her concerns relating to class size, so she was happy to learn the school committee added a teacher. But after living in Raymond for 10 years, Mitchell said she is familiar with Raymond’s voting style, and thinks the proposed $1.6 million budget is too big.

“I’m somewhat optimistic, sort of guardedly so. I think the people are responding that they want another teacher, but the selectmen don’t want it,” said Mitchell.

Two members of the Board of Selectmen came also attended the public hearing two weeks ago, and cautioned the School Committee against adding more expenses to the proposed budget.

Selectman Joe Bruno told the committee that as it was, the budget increase between this year and next year was too high, with a increase in the town’s share of 13 percent. That was before reduction in state subsidies.

Norma Richard, the principal at Raymond Elementary School, said the special education money will be used to pay an education technician to work in the school’s resource room. Richard added that money to pay for text books and supplies for the library at Jordan Small Middle School was restored to the budget.

As a result of state subsidy changes, towns must raise mil rates by one cent, and Raymond must raise $9,000 more to make up for the subsidy loss. But Sadak said $9,000 is a relatively small decrease, and that the school committee is relieved it was not more.

Richard said these changes to the proposed budget have left her feeling optimistic, but with a meeting with the Raymond Budget Finance Committee coming up and the need for voter approval, she knows it is not over.

“We just need to make it through town meeting and referendum. I still feel confidant that we’ve brought forward a responsible budget,” said Richard.

The Raymond School Committee is scheduled to meet with the Budget Finance Committee April 14, and another School Committee meeting in May is scheduled. Sadak said further changes to the budget could be made at either of those meetings.