Board Of Ed Finalizes Budget,

Announces Retiring Teachers

By Eliza Hallabeck

Before the school board acted on its budget and heard from participants in the district’s Strategic Planning Action Teams during its meeting on Tuesday, June 2, the names of five teaches and one principal who will be retiring this year were announced.

Newtown High School math teacher Ava Chervansky, NHS science teacher Michael Chervansky, NHS math teacher Kevin O’Sullivan, NHS English teacher John Percivalle, NHS physical education teacher Dan Winsett, and Reed Intermediate School Principal Donna Denniston will all be retiring at the end of the school year.

Superintendent of Schools Janet Robinson said if all of the years spent by the retiring teachers in the district were added up, “You would have a lot of history here.”

To Ms Denniston, who was present at the meeting, Dr Robinson said, “We are truly honored to have had you here.”

Since coming to the district to work toward the opening of Reed Intermediate School in January 2002, Ms Denniston said, “It has been a magnificent experience working here. I will carry this district with me.”

While discussing the school district’s budget for possible action, the board used a paper that broke reductions down to five categories, prepared by Business Director Ronald Bienkowski’s temporary replacement, Diane Raymo.

“We have to get past this piece first,” said Dr Robinson. “We need this budget to move forward.”

Dr Robinson also asked the school board to use further cuts to supplement the $70,208 already cut to add a professional development day back into the school calendar for a cost of $160,000.

Board of Education Chair Elaine McClure specified during the meeting the $70,208 extra reduction to the district’s budget would not have been possible without concessions, furlough days, and givebacks from almost all people within the district.

In order to meet the approved budget total of $66,314,928, the school board needed to reduce the budget by $866,667, but after reductions were totaled, including $180,256 in savings from transportation negotiations with MTM Transportation, the board had reduced the budget by $936,875, a savings difference of $70,208.

In further budget discussions, summer school for kindergarten through sixth grade students was added back to the budget, but will be altered slightly from how it has been made up in the past.

The board voted to fund the summer school program by approximately 50 percent, and tuition will be increased somewhat. Kindergarten through fourth grade will be $175, and the fifth and sixth grade programs will be $175 for the first class and $275 for two classes. All classes will be held at Reed School this year.

Assistant Superintendent of Schools Linda Gejda said the administration is trying to get information to parents, and letters will be going out through students next week. Parents interested in the summer school programs should contact their child’s school for more information.

Board member Anna Wiedemann moved to approve the 2009-10 budget reductions as presented, use the $70,000 difference and $50,000 from reducing technology, $40,000 from reducing the summer school amount by 50 percent, allowing the board to restore one furloughed day in the amount of $160,000. Board member David Nanavaty seconded the motion. Board member Kathy Fetchick was the only vote against the motion.

The athletic trainer position at Newtown High School was also passed by the board during the meeting, for roughly $14,000, to work for the school district and not through a company.

Strategic Planning Action Team members also gave presentations on their specific topics within the district’s Strategic Plan. Their findings will be presented in next week’s edition of The Newtown Bee.