School Bd Poised To

Cut Its Budget

By Larissa Lytwyn

More than 150 parents, educators, and administration attended a Tuesday evening Board of Education meeting, anticipating the opening round of required budget cuts.

While the board approved several items first discussed at the May 13 meeting, including the approval of several retiring staff members, the adoption of new mathematics texts, and the decision to move forward with funding for the Middle Gate Water Line Project, no votes pertaining to the 2003–2004 school budget took place. Action on budget-related items was deferred to a meeting scheduled for Thursday evening, after the deadline for this week’s edition of The Bee.

Before adjourning, however, the board did discuss several items on Superintendent of Schools Evan Pitkoff’’s list of recommended cuts. One proposal was to eliminate fourth grade orchestra by removing the position of the school’s primary orchestra teacher, saving an approximated $40,000. Students could choose between participating in band or orchestra in fifth grade. Another suggestion was to equalize the number of educational assistants throughout the district. Originally, Dr Pitkoff had proposed adding two to Sandy Hook School and Head O’ Meadow. Now, it is likely that these proposed additions are no longer a possibility. The combined cuts could save more than $60,000. A similar original proposal to add two fifth grade teachers is also no longer likely. The board is considering a motion that will remove one second grade teacher from Sandy Hook School, increasing the student-teacher ratio to 23:1 from the current level of 19:1.

During the preceding public participation phase, several parents and members of the administration spoke. “Teaching is not what we do; it’s who we are,” said Candace Dietter, head of the Newtown High School social studies department. She encouraged the Board of Education to not cut teacher’s salaries or reduce the number of school days. While teachers have the summers off, she said, most spend it teaching, studying, preparing lesson plans, or engaging in other education-related activities. She maintained that the 183 school days currently in existence are necessary for staff development days.

One still highly controversial issue involves cutting the four-tier bus system to a three-tier program, in which middle school and high school students are bused together. The proposed motion can save an estimated $124,000. Currently, elementary school and Reed Intermediate School students travel together. Wendy Leon-Gambetta has been one of the most vocal supporters of maintaining the current system.

“This is a critical academic period,” she said. Wilton schools, she continued, are among the growing number of nationwide school systems embracing a later start time for middle and high school aged students. “They have had less car accidents,” she said. Ms Leon-Gambetta said she has consulted with numerous sleep specialists who suggest that adolescents are physiologically attuned to sleeping later in the mornings and staying up later in the evenings.

Another concern has been that middle school students arriving home from school earlier would spend more of their afternoons unsupervised, increasing the potential for unsafe behavior. More than one parent expressed concern over evidence that drug use and other criminal activity often occur during periods of unsupervised time.

LeReine Frampton, however, one of several contracted bus drivers for the town, said that the change would lessen the volume of lower-grade buses and subsequently ease behavioral problems. “When I’m up front driving, I can’t be in the back of the bus where rubber bands are being shot and kids are using foul language,” she said. Ms Frampton also expressed concern about the high number of elementary students returning to empty homes at the end of the school day. “[Bus drivers] care a lot about the children,” she said. “Most of us live here in town and have children in the system, too.”

Several parents shared possible solutions, including incorporating “pay-to-play” program to sports and other extracurricular activities such as swimming and orchestra. “It will help keep the pool open,” said Joseph Hemingway, a parent of one competitive swimmer. Other suggestions included adding activity and academic fees in order for students to participate in both extracurricular programs and classes.

A second Board of Education voting meeting was scheduled for June 12, at 7:30 pm at the Reed Intermediate School.