No Decisions On What To Sacrifice––

Prospect Of Further Cuts Worries School Board

By Tanjua Damon

School supporters Monday night urged the Newtown Board of Education to begin making the more than $1 million cuts that have resulted from the Board of Finance cutting $400,000 early in the budget process, and another $775,000 cut by the Legislative Council after the budget failed April 22.

But the board decided to continue with its usual practice of waiting for final voter-approved budget figures before deciding where to cut. Voters will again go to the polls Tuesday, May 6, to decide the fate of a proposed $79.7 million budget.

“I called this meeting because of the desperate situation we are in. In my history, it’s the largest defeat I’ve ever seen,” school board Chairman Elaine McClure said. “What you are seeing is a board that is in touch with the town. Anything we passed forward we thought was a need. Unfortunately the town has spoken that $400,000 was not enough.”

The board explained that they were not prepared to make a decision on any of the items on its list of potential cuts because it had yet to discuss in depth the list complied by Superintendent of Schools Evan Pitkoff.

The potential cut list includes $10,000 for refinishing the gym floor at Middle Gate; $5,000 for bulletin boards at Middle Gate; $21,000 flooring at Newtown Middle School; $13,000 for activities at Reed Intermediate School; $19,700 for an educational assistant at Head O’ Meadow School; $16,000 for an educational assistant at Sandy Hook School; $56,000 for fiber optics; $124,000 to change the bus schedule; $114,000 for two fifth grade teachers at Reed Intermediate School; $57,000 for a resource teacher at Middle Gate; $61,000 for the fourth grade string program; $80,000 to close the high school pool; $174,000 in clubs and marching band; and $475,000 from athletics.

“We’re looking at nickel and dime items. We’re looking at things we could eliminate or have a moratorium for a year,” vice chairman Vincent Saviano said. “Not only are these decisions complicated. They are difficult to make. Everything we talk about will have an impact on students.”

Board Secretary Margaret Hull cautioned that eliminating teachers would make the district’s teaching philosophy of differentiated learning more difficult if not impossible to achieve.

“It’s not as simple as it sounds. What is most important is that children learn,” Ms Hull said. “We can’t have large class sizes and have effective differentiated instruction.”

The board briefly discussed that pay-to-play fees for athletics could be increased as well as the possibility of cutting freshman and some junior varsity sports. Closing the high school pool also is on the potential cut list.

In addition, board members said they will be examining the technology budget, operations and facilities budget, cutting teachers, the bus policy of making students walk the maximum allowed by law to a bus stop (one mile for primary school students and a mile and a half for secondary school students), and the gifted program because state law only requires districts to identify students, not provide a program for them.

“The town has said they aren’t willing to fund [everything we want],” said Mrs McClure. “If the budget fails a second time we’re at their mercy.”

The audience of about 20, all school supporters, questioned why the board would not begin making decisions on what would be cut from the potential cut list provided to the Board of Finance and Legislative Council during the budget process.

“We need to see some of those cuts be made before people start taking us seriously. The town decided to put taxes before education,” parent Amy Cameron said. “They have to know this is real. They have to know their children and their neighbors’ children will be affected. If we don’t make these cuts, people are not going to know. They need to feel the pain. Until they see it’s real, I can’t imagine it will pass again.”

Parent Ted Ruddock cautioned that the board as well as school supporters needed to be watchful of the “backlash” that could occur if cuts are made at this time, but he also told the board they need to stand firm and make the cuts they said would be on the table when the time comes.

“This isn’t one we’ve seen in the past couple of years. We were off by a big margin on a big turnout,” Mr Ruddock said. “I would be very careful about the specifics of where the cuts are going to come from.”

Several audience members pointed out that many people they spoke to voted No because they are upset about the increase in their taxes because of the revaluation this year.

“I know people who voted No because they are upset about their taxes. They’re not against education. People stay home instead of having to go and vote their conscience,” Jackie Himmelfarb said. “I’m still not sure how it impacts me. But I’m not worried because I think education is important. Year after year we’re going through this with the school budget. There’s a lot more that’s going on in this town where people need to hunker down.

“The $400,000 is a bleed,” she added. “The $1 million is a hemorrhage. Take that list. If you mean it, stick to it. You really need to stick to that list. You’ve published it.”

Support Our Schools co-president Gene Vetrano told the board it will not be easy to get people to go to the polls May 6.

“They are only looking at the bottom number,” Mr Vetrano said. “This is going to be a very difficult budget for us to pass next week. I don’t know what the answer is. No matter how you explain it, they are looking at the bottom number. They aren’t looking at anything else.”

Many at the meeting felt taxpayers were confused and were not sure who to believe since so many numbers and figures have been discussed that do not always measure up.

“I feel very strongly about the confusion. I think people have to understand a little bit more clearly some particular situations that will affect them,” Joan Salbu said. “The reality is the town quality is going to go down tremendously. It snowballs. People are shortsighted. They’re making a future mistake. The future ramifications are far greater than the taxes we pay now.”

Susan Ruddock told the board that people in the community are saying the board will “find the money.” She encouraged the board to make real cuts so people see and feel the reality of the $1.175 million cut that ultimately was voted by the community.

“We need to make it clear what the specific cuts are. Right now it’s, ‘they’ll find the money,’” Ms Ruddock said. “The parents need to get angry. I don’t think they will change their mind unless it will personally affect their child. What a huge magnificent drain they are going to feel if they don’t go out and do something. In the past we’ve robbed Peter to pay Paul.”

Bill Sheluck pointed out that it is not the parents that are going to suffer, it is the students of Newtown that will.

“We worked very hard to get this budget passed. We failed,” Mr Sheluck said. “It’s unfortunate children can’t vote. They would vote to keep fourth grade orchestra and the teachers that help them learn. The children will suffer, but the parents won’t. The parents will suffer if the parents have to pay to play sports or changing busing so their privileges are taken away. Its’ the parents that didn’t vote that have to suffer not the children.”

The board thanked the audience for their support and reiterated that nothing is sacred. Everything is up for discussion when the cuts need to be made.

“Everything is up for grabs. If we say this is a done deal people with special interests won’t vote,” Dr Pitkoff said. “The budget needs to pass.”