MONTAGUE — More than 100 students and staff members at Turners Falls High School and Great Falls Middle School have signed a petition advocating to keep School Resource Officer Dan Miner, whose position is being eliminated as part of fiscal year 2026 budget cuts.

According to physical education teacher Adam Graves, after the Gill-Montague Regional School District School Committee voted on March 11 to cut the SRO position, as well as the curriculum director and a special education instructional assistant, to help balance the $28.82 million FY26 budget, a member of the junior class began circulating a paper petition to the School Committee asking that Miner’s position be kept.

Graves, who signed the petition, said that when he last saw the document, there were four pages of names of students and staff members with at least 25 signatures per page, making for at least 100 signatures total. The students also raised awareness for the cause by having students and faculty wear blue last Friday to show support for Miner.

Graves said the sole copy of the petition was given to School Committee Chair Jane Oakes during a private, monthly meeting between students and a few members of the School Committee on Friday. When asked for comment about the petition and next steps, Oakes declined to comment, but said the next regular School Committee meeting is scheduled for March 25.

Graves said the SRO position is “multi-faceted,” noting that the safety element that an SRO brings to a school is part of a larger role the position plays. He said he feels the students trust Miner, and that the presence of K-9 Mack, the comfort dog, is valued.

“They see [Miner] as a great asset,” Graves said.

In response to the student petition, Miner said he feels “honored” to be thought of so highly by the students.

“I’m just honored that they thought of me and the position,” Miner said.

Although the SRO position was cut for the 2025-2026 school year, Miner has already been out of the school since February, instead working as a full-time patrol officer to cover staffing shortages at the Montague Police Department. Funding from the school and staff availability at the Police Department will impact where Miner will be later this year. There are currently 18 officers (counting Montague Police Chief Christopher Williams) and the department is short three officers, but two are in training at the police academy.

Williams explained in an email that the school district is responsible for a stipend that contributes to Miner’s salary, which he said is more than $100,000 in pay and benefits.

“In this current fiscal year, the school is responsible for a stipend of $67,626, which is billed out quarterly,” Williams said. “We will not receive the payment for the last quarter and for the last week of February and the month of March.”

If the SRO job isn’t funded by the school district and there are enough members on staff at the Police Department, then the plan would be for Miner to become a community resource officer for the town instead of an SRO.

Erin-Leigh Hoffman can be reached at ehoffman@recorder.com or 413-930-4231.