'$14 million deficit': Brockton Schools superintendent on 'extended medical leave'

Chris Helms, The Enterprise
Updated ·4 min read
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BROCKTON — The Brockton School Committee will meet in an emergency session Friday afternoon to "appoint new leadership" for the school department after officials learned of a "$14 million deficit," a visibly upset Mayor Robert Sullivan announced after a four-hour marathon closed-door School Committee meeting Thursday night.

"As mayor and a BPS alum and parent of a student in the BPS system, I'm extremely dismayed, collectively we are all dismayed, by the situation, and we are committed to ensure that we will rectify the situation, appoint new leadership and move forward with our strategy, our concise strategy, to delivery the best schools for our teachers, our staff, our students and, our course, our guardians," Sullivan, flanked by the entire School Committee, said during the press conference outside Brockton High School Thursday night.

Brockton Mayor Robert Sullivan held a press conference after an emergency school committee meeting Thursday night, Aug. 31, 2023, to announce the committee will be meeting Friday to "appoint new leadership" for the school department after officials learned of a "$14 million deficit." Sullivan said Superintendent Michael Thomas had informed the committee he is on extended medical leave and did not attend the meeting.

Sullivan, who serves as an ex officio member of the School Committee, said that Superintendent Michael Thomas informed the committee he would "be out on an extended medical leave" and he did not attend Thursday night's closed-door meeting.

Sullivan did not take any questions and did not explain what he meant by the $14 million deficit that was "recently brought to the attention of the Brockton School Committee."

Dozens of Brockton residents waited for hours in the parking lot while the committee met behind closed doors. People shared theories about what was happening and expressed concern for how it might affect students. School begins for grades 1-12 on Wednesday, Sept. 6. An emergency meeting of the School Committee is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. on Friday at the high school.

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When did the Brockton School Committee meet?

The School Committee's agenda for the more than four-hour meeting was listed as an executive session with two exemptions listed. Under state law, Massachusetts public boards must meet in open session except if they are meeting for one of 10 reasons.

Brockton Public School Superintendent Michael Thomas speaks at a press conference about the stabbing inside the Brockton Therapeutic Day School outside the Brockton Public Schools Crosby Administration Building on Thursday, March 16, 2023.
Brockton Public School Superintendent Michael Thomas speaks at a press conference about the stabbing inside the Brockton Therapeutic Day School outside the Brockton Public Schools Crosby Administration Building on Thursday, March 16, 2023.

The exceptions cited on the agenda for the Thursday night's executive session were:

Pursuant to M.G.L. c. 30A, §§ 21 (1) – To discuss the reputation, character, physical condition or mental health, rather than professional competence, of an individual, or to discuss the discipline or dismissal of, or complaints or charges brought against, a public officer, employee, staff member or individual.

Pursuant to M.G.L. c. 30A, s. 21(a)(2) – To conduct strategy sessions in preparation for negotiations with nonunion personnel or to conduct collective bargaining sessions or contract negotiations with nonunion personnel.

There was a police presence at an emergency closed-door Brockton School Committee meeting at Brockton High School Thursday night, Aug. 31, 2023, after which Mayor Robert Sullivan announced officials had recently learned of a $14 million deficit in the school department, Superintendent Mike Thomas was on an extended medical leave, and the committee will be appointing new leadership for the school department.

How long has Mike Thomas worked for Brockton schools?

Thomas, who was appointed superintendent in 2019, worked as deputy superintendent between 2013 until his promotion.

After substitute teaching in Brockton for a year, Thomas was first hired by the district full-time to teach physical education at East Junior High in 1993.

Superintendent Mike Thomas speaks as Brockton High's new head football coach, Jermaine Wiggins, is introduced at Marciano Stadium on Friday, April 14, 2023.
Superintendent Mike Thomas speaks as Brockton High's new head football coach, Jermaine Wiggins, is introduced at Marciano Stadium on Friday, April 14, 2023.

Through his 28 years, he headed the physical education department at Brockton High, and then became an assistant housemaster and housemaster — positions like assistant principal and principal for each of the four "houses" that divide up the high school — before moving up to central office in 2010.

How much does Mike Thomas earn?

According to Brockton payroll records, in 2022, Thomas's gross pay was $271,132.

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Brockton schools in financial crisis causing major cuts

In May, Brockton Public Schools announced 130 layoffs of teachers and staff amid an $18 million budget deficit and plummeting enrollment — prompting hundreds of Brockton teachers to sign a petition decrying the job cuts.

Also in June, in a striking and highly unusual move, the Brockton School Committee announced Thomas would take on the additional role of co-principal of Brockton High School, sharing the role with Principal Cynthia Burns.

Then in June, Thomas announced the school department would be closing multiple buildings including phasing out one of the four Brockton High School buildings.

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Brockton Schools Superintendent Michael Thomas responds to a parent during a School Committee Open Forum meeting held at the high school cafeteria on Tuesday, July 11, 2023.
Brockton Schools Superintendent Michael Thomas responds to a parent during a School Committee Open Forum meeting held at the high school cafeteria on Tuesday, July 11, 2023.

"There are so many changes that need to happen," Thomas said at the time. "It's very important for me to be the person that leads it because that's how much I care deeply about Brockton High School."

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Send your news tips to reporter Chris Helms by email at CHelms@enterprisenews.com or connect on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, at @HelmsNews.

This article originally appeared on The Enterprise: Brockton mayor: School has $14 million deficit, superintendent on leave