Schools get $ they need now and later to avoid cutting teachers
Published on May 1st, 2002
STONEHAM, MA - With just a few days to spare, the School Committee finalized a budget for fiscal year 2003 to present to Town Meeting voters on May 6.
The final budget draft figure of $21,293,847 was presented in a public hearing at last Wednesday’s School Committee meeting. This figure represents a $1.1 million or a 5.49 percent increase over the current year’s budget.
However, the School Committee is quick to point out that the figure being presented at Town Meeting does not represent the final dollar amount that will take the schools through next year.
According to School Superintendent Dr. Joseph Connelly, the School Department agreed to under-fund heat and electricity at the High School by a total of $113,000. This money is expected to be appropriated back into the school budget at the Fall Town Meeting in October, as per agreement between the School Committee, Finance Board and Board of Selectmen. This will bring the final School Department budget for fiscal year 2003 to $21,406,847, or 6.05 percent more than the current year.
Connelly also advised that the Finance Board voted to use $50,000 from the Town’s Reserve Fund to help out the school budget. This money will allow the School Department to restore the busing subsidy for families as well as save teaching positions. However, the move also means that the town begins fiscal year 2003 with no money in its Reserve Fund.
“It is a tremendous vote of confidence and support on the part of the town committees,” Connelly said, calling the move “highly unusual but very much appreciated.”
With that, the School Committee reversed earlier action by voting to reinstate funding for school bus transportation for students. Several weeks ago, the School Committee determined that it could no longer afford to help fund this line item, and families were to assume the costs of transporting their children to school on their own. Now, with the recent action of the Finance Board and Selectmen, the schools will once again share the cost, as it has been for the past several years. The user fees for next year, however, will increase by 20 percent.
In order to reach the final budget figure on Wednesday, the School Committee had to complete its action to reduce the budget in areas discussed at earlier meetings. Elementary school supplies, Middle School intramural sports, Middle School extracurricular stipends and supplies, and High School coaching positions were trimmed by a total of about $35,000.
Year End Projections
School Business Manager Michael Musto is still projecting a budget surplus when the books close on June 30.
Based on savings this year in salaries and fuel usage, and on expenditure history in previous years from April through June, Musto told the School Committee he is “fairly confident” that the schools will have about $100,000 in surplus funds at year end.
Superintendent Evaluation
The School Committee signed the contract on Wednesday that seals a deal with its Superintendent for another year.
With this action, Connelly will get a salary of $120,260 next year. This four percent increase, according to the School Committee, is consistent with the rest of the bargaining units. His contract was also extended for another year, through 2006-2007.
School Choice
As it has for the last several years, the School Committee voted against becoming a school choice district.
According to Ed Reform law, all school districts in the State shall accept enrollments of non-resident students unless the districts notify the Department of Education (DOE) by June 1 of each year of their decision to withdraw themselves from becoming a school choice community.
On Wednesday, Connelly cited increased enrollment and lack of classroom space as reasons for Stoneham to reject enrollments of non-resident students. These are the same reasons it has presented to the DOE for the past several years. Stoneham also continues to operate in the midst of school construction projects.
“We cannot anticipate spaces available one year will be available the next year,” Connelly said.
Once a district accepts a nonresident student, it must commit to accommodating that student for the long term.
As long as a community complies with the DOE deadline for notification and provides a reason, its decision cannot be challenged. Stoneham resident students can still enroll in other communities which have elected to remain school choice communities.
StonehamBank Donation
Nervous MCAS test takers can better prepare themselves next time for the state exam, thanks to the generosity of StonehamBank.
Last week, StonehamBank President Jan Houghton, along with StonehamBank officer David Arsenault, presented the School Committee with a donation to fund an MCAS homework club to be piloted at the Central School.
According to Central School Principal Kathleen Windisch, several students have already signed up for the club, which was scheduled to begin this week.
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