By Eliza Hallabeck

The Board of Education heard about more areas of the superintendent's proposed 2017-18 budget at its meeting on Tuesday, January 10. The next budget workshop meeting is a public hearing, set for January 31, at Newtown Municipal Center, 3 Primrose Street, at 7:30 pm.

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To read about that meeting, see the related story hereThe January 10 meetings was the latest in a series of budget workshop meetings for the board to continue learning about the budget since Superintendent of Schools Joseph V. Erardi, Jr, first presented it to the board on Tuesday, January 3. The $74,996,756 spending proposal represents a 1.81 percent or a roughly $1.3 million increase over the 2016-17 budget, $73,665,065. The board also held a meeting on Thursday, January 5, when it focused on the proposed budgets for Newtown Middle School, Newtown High School, special education, pupil personnel, and health. (

The board is expected to vote on its approved 2017-18 budget at a planned February 2 meeting before the budget will go before the Board of Finance and Legislative Council for further consideration.

The January 10 meeting focused on the curriculum and staff development, technology, general services, Newtown Continuing Education, benefits, plant, and transportation areas of the budget

, the curriculum and staff development budget request is $666,903, a $126,417 increase from last year's approved budget.Assistant Superintendent of Schools Jean Evans Davila presented the curriculum and staff development budget. According to the Superintendent's Requested Operational Plan 2017-18 document, available at the district's website,

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Ms Davila said the budget is "feasible from an informed perspective" and it requests funds to cover a range of efforts and programs.

"My philosophy when I build a budget is that it needs to be... a hand-in-glove fit with what the community values for the education of our children and for the education of our adults in the school system as well," said Ms Davila.

The curriculum budget prioritizes efforts in the district's strategic plan, Ms Davila said, and it incorporates new educational standards.

"This budget also prioritizes development of a team of [kindergarten to eighth grade] curriculum coordinators for

.1 [full-time equivalent position] beyond the school day, which is essential in helping us align our curriculum, our instruction, and our resources so we can do what we do with fidelity and be proud," said Ms Davila.

The rollout of a concept-based curriculum effort is also supported in the budget, according to the presentation, along with professional development opportunities for staff, like attending national conferences or the ability to offer more positions for staff to attend a district summer professional development event.

While speaking to a number of items he supports in the curriculum and staff development budget, board member John Vouros said it is refreshing to see the money for teachers to attend professional development events in the budget, because it gives educators a sense of support.

When Director of Technology Carmella Amodeo presented her budget, she said the technology budget is "pretty much" in line with what has been requested in the past. As outlined in the Superintendent's Requested Operational Plan, the requested $1,501,947 technology budget is $61,925 more than the 2016-17 budget.

Board members asked about cellphone reception, equity of available equipment in schools, expectations for future technology budget requests, and more before the general support services $2,480,748 budget request was presented by district Director of Business Ron Bienkowski.

Mr Bienkowski pointed out there is a decrease for the requested general services budget, of $209,937, from the 2016-17 spending package.

"Primarily because of some changes in the certified salaries," Mr Bienkowski said, later sharing that some areas of the budget are going up, primarily related to contracted salaries.

Mr Bienkowski and district Director of Security Mark Pompano shared the requested $321,836 proposed security budget with the board, which has a $5,000 decrease from the current year, primarily from anticipated lower equipment repair costs, according to the Superintendent's Requested Operational Plan.

"The security staff is the same staff we have this year brought forward," said Mr Bienkowski.

District Director of Facilities Gino Faiella spoke about the plant operations and maintenance budget proposal of $8,303,762, which is a $392,034 increase from the 2016-17 spending plan. Dr Erardi reminded the board that building projects were put on hold in the last budget, and the 2017-18 fiscal year will be a "catch-up year."

Mr Faiella also said a new custodial position is in the requested budget to help cover the breadth and width of the grounds at the new Sandy Hook Elementary School.

The school board also heard about the $4,392,201 transportation budget request from Mr Bienkowski.

"The overall [transportation] budget is currently projecting a decrease here, and that is primarily related to

the change to propane vehicles [from] diesel power," said Mr Bienkowski, referring to an effort to gradually replace diesel-powered school buses over the length of the current contract with All-Star Transportation.

"Beginning in 2017-18, All-Star will deliver services with a zero percent increase," the Superintendent's Requested Operational Plan reads, "followed by 3 percent in subsequent years. The five-year effective increase is 2.4 percent. The board will continue to utilize Ed Advance (formerly Education Connection) for out of district transports at a zero percent increase for 2017-18"

Mr Bienkowski also cautioned that an adjustment to the cost of fuel for transportation may need to be made in the budget. The market for oil and diesel has been going up, according to Mr Bienkowski, and the town is expecting to bid on new rates in February. At that point Mr Bienkowski expects the rates to be more than the school district is currently paying and anticipating in the budget.

He also explained a federal reimbursement provides the lower cost anticipated for propane.

"We have to submit essentially tax returns for what we buy from the contractor. Then they will rebate us," he explained, adding that he understands the reimbursements are made on a quarterly basis, and therefore may not be reflected in the ongoing budget.

The board also heard and inspected the employee benefits budget at its meeting. Mr Bienkowski again said he expects this portion of the budget will be finalized further along in the budget process, due to an anticipated meeting of the Employee Medical Benefits board that will determine the increase.

The school board has a regular meeting set for Tuesday, January 17, before its budget workshop public hearing on January 31.