Middle School Budget Tells A Story

By Tanjua Damon

Once upon a time is how the Newtown Middle School budget presentation began Tuesday night at the school board meeting. Principal Diane Sherlock presented her 2001-2002 budget request in a storybook fashion.

Ms Sherlock told the board that the budget numbers tell a story about the “very special” middle school and the needs that they are facing in the upcoming year.

“Dr Reed encourages us to tell a story,” Ms Sherlock said. “That’s exactly what I thought I would do tonight.”

There are many things at the middle school that are free, according to Ms Sherlock. But the school is facing a difficult problem ahead – more students in the upcoming years.

“There are many characteristics that help make this middle school free. While the teachers are costly, their excellence is free. The parent/school partnership is also free,” she said. “We are facing a difficult problem, however. So the difficult problem is where to put these children and get enough teachers and materials.”

The capacity for the middle school is 1,077, according to Ms Sherlock. This year alone the school has 1,200 students, up 72 students from last year. For the school year 2001-2002 the middle school anticipates 1,246 students.

“The biggest focus is now to deal with our increasing enrollment,” Ms Sherlock said.

The middle school is asking for $294,700, excluding salaries, compared to last year’s budget of $271,067. The middle school is asking for additional staff and supplies in this year’s proposed budget as well as additional funding for maintenance and technology.

Two teachers for both the sixth and seventh grade are being requested. The cost for the four teachers is estimated at $168,000. Ms Sherlock also requested additional instruction time in vocal music ($1,969 – 1.5 periods), French ($8,014 – five periods per week), and Spanish ($5,630 – three periods per week).

“Class size is one of the key pieces in terms of learning,” Ms Sherlock said. “We’re still two students over the state average.”

If two teachers for both the sixth and seventh grade are not approved, sixth grade classes will average about 26 students per class, seventh grade will be about 27 per class, and in eighth grade their will be about 25 students per class.

The middle school is asking for $216,500 for their maintenance budget for a 175,000 square foot building, according to Ms Sherlock. This is half of what was asked for last year. Some of the items included in the proposed maintenance budget are paving the rear ($50,000), replacing the school’s phone system ($10,000), bleacher replacement in A-wing gym ($38,000), exterior lights back of building ($4,000), replace curtain on stage ($9,000), Home Ec room changes ($7,500), flooring replacement around school ($80,000), repair front steps leading to B-Wing offices ($4,500), and renovations to the Marriott kitchen ($3,500).

The middle school budget also includes continuing funding for the Project Adventure program that began this year at the school. It is a program that all students go through. The proposed amount is $24,200, which includes training ($3,520), supplies ($6,530), and equipment ($14,150).

“This is necessary to implement for the next stage,” Ms Sherlock said.

The technology budget is $42,330, and includes 12 IMAC computers, 15 IMAC DV, a camcorder, and a CTX LCD projector.

“We feel this is pretty modest,” Ms Sherlock said. “So we can address most needs of the students.”