School Board Discusses Budget Options

By Eliza Hallabeck

With the end of the fiscal year approaching and another failed referendum announced roughly an hour before, the Board of Education discussed options it could face to reduce spending in its 2012-13 budget during its meeting Tuesday, June 5.

School district Business Director Ronald Bienkowski listed adjustments discovered after the school board’s budget was passed at the end of January. Those adjustments include changes to transportation costs, contracts approved, and more.

The school board’s proposed budget, Mr Bienkowski said, was reduced by $1.7 million after going before the Board of Finance and Legislative Council during the budget process.

For the third referendum the school’s spending package was presented to voters as $68.3 million, and that amount was used to begin discussing options the district could use to work within that spending limit.

Along with the presented adjustments, Mr Bienkowski reported potential areas where cuts or savings could be achieved to meet the needed $1.9 million, the cost of the proposed budget reduction and added expenses learned after the budget was prepared.

Board of Education Chair Debbie Leidlein made it clear during the meeting the school board would have to wait and see what the outcome of Wednesday’s scheduled Legislative Council meeting would be, before detailed discussion on budget items could begin.

Some of the cost reductions Mr Bienkowski presented were eliminating a transportation coordinator position, removing positions for preschool and magnet school bus aides, adjusting funding for after school activities from the elementary level to the middle school level, reducing the cost of professional development by $40,000, and removing a proposed position for a middle school guidance counselor from the 2012-13 spending plan.

School board Vice Chair Laura Roche voiced concern with one listed cut, the removal of two cluster teachers from the 2012-13 spending plan for Reed Intermediate School, where Ms Roche said “a lot of change” is underway and that removal could add stress to the situation.

Two possible reductions in the list were questioned by BOE member John Vouros. On the list, Director of Music Michelle Hiscavitch’s position would be eliminated and she would teach at the high school, which would “bump” a junior music teaching position.

“There would be some bumping depending on seniority,” explained Superintendent of Schools Janet Robinson, adding the junior music teacher position in the district would be cut.

Mr Vouros said he thinks both Ms Hiscavitch and the person she could “bump” should “stay where they are now.” For him to consider the reductions to the budget, he said, this option would have to be removed.

Another option he wants to see removed is the potential cut of preschool and magnet school bus aides.

“I am totally opposed to removing aides from those buses,” said Mr Vouros.

After going over an itemized report provided to him by Mr Bienkowski, board Secretary Cody McCubbin questioned a number of bills for hotel expenses for conferences and more from the last year, ranging in price from $760 to $4,200. Combined with the cost for speakers and workshops in town, Mr McCubbin estimated $30,000 was spent on conferences and connected travel. While he said the costs are not significant individually, he said they add up.

Assistant Superintendent of Schools Linda Gejda said each expense could be explained, and board member William Hart suggested Mr McCubbin provide Dr Gejda with a list of the expenses so she could provided information.

“Let’s understand what these all are,” said Mr Hart.

Ms Roche suggested all scheduled events related to travel, conferences, and workshops for the coming year be compiled with explanations detailing which events are mandatory and which are not.

“Maybe going forward we could look at it this way,” Ms Roche said.

After different items were discussed as possible cuts, Superintendent of Schools Janet Robinson specified that full-day kindergarten is still scheduled to be implemented for the next school year.

Pointing out the cost of implementing full-day kindergarten included cost reductions for transportation, BOE member Keith Alexander estimated not implementing the full-day program next year would save roughly $200,000.

“It’s going to be very difficult,” Mr Vouros responded to the discussion of full-day kindergarten, “to be cutting teachers… and instituting a new program.”

Mr Vouros said he has been researching one option, a program through the Department of Health, that would help fund full-day kindergarten by asking interested parents to cover the cost of the extended day.

Near the end of the school board’s meeting Ms Roche said everything is up for debate at this point.

“This is just a start,” she said.

(See the related story to read about the Legislative Council’s Wednesday, June 6, meeting.)