High School Budget Proposal

Down From Last Year

By Tanjua Damon

The budget process has begun for the Newtown Board of Education. At its Tuesday night meeting, Newtown High School Principal William Manfredonia gave a presentation of his proposed 2001-2002 school budget to the board.

The high school budget has decreased from last year. Mr Manfredonia told the board that he knew it would be a rough year with the 5/6 school and the undecided issue of Fairfield Hills. He assured the board that the students would not be hurt by the almost $11,000 decrease in this year’s proposed budget.

 The high school is expecting an increase of about 80 students next year, according to the report presented by Mr Manfredonia. The proposed budget asks for another Spanish teacher and part-time faculty for Latin, social studies, music, and childhood education. An assistant indoor track coach is also requested to help with the 40 to 60 students who participate in the sport. Two part-time clerks are requested for the English/history and math/science/world language departments.

Mr Manfredonia is also asking for funds for the new Alternative High School, which is still in its beginning stages. The proposed funds included $7,700 for materials and supplies, $940 for student/staff travel, and $500 for staff training.

No funding was allocated for the Alternative High School in last year’s budget, according to Mr Manfredonia. Other areas of the high school’s budget gave up some funding so the new school could have money for supplies.

Supplies are the largest item for the proposed budget. The high school is asking for $364,293, up $7,052 from last year’s total of $357,241. Some of the items included in this area of the high school budget include scanners, digital cameras, overhead projectors, classroom furniture, general supplies, copy paper, envelopes, folders, diplomas, and microscopes.

The school is asking for various equipment items including three VCRs, a digital video mixer for Channel 17 (which has not received very much funding in the past for the school), spectrophotometer, jug generator, outer thigh, pec fly, roll away backstop, percussion station, tuba, and bass violin.

The school is researching whether or not to put some of its computers on a wireless station. Technology requests are 38 wireless laptops, five PC computers, 12 IMAC computers, two IMAC scanners, five IBOOKS computers, HP Laser-Jet Wide Format, four LCD Projectors, digital video camera, and an IBM Netfinity Server. Some of the technology equipment being requested is new, while other pieces are to repair aging equipment. The proposed equipment budget for 2001-02 is $20,748, down from last year’s $44,451.