16 teachers among projected school cuts
Published on March 5th, 2003
STONEHAM, MA - The School Committee heeded the directive of the town to find ways to bridge a $1.1 million fiscal 2004 budget gap on Thursday night by considering painful cuts to school personnel and services as well as pondering creative solutions to increase revenue.
School Superintendent Dr. Joseph Connelly presented a list of potential cuts to the School Committee, reflecting across-the-board reductions to all grade levels and school buildings.
The goal of this difficult task was to come up with over $1 million in reductions by using the least harmful approach, preserving academic integrity, maintaining appropriate class sizes, and adhering to existing state mandates.
Proposed Cuts
Among the most serious reductions suggested was the cutting of five Middle School teachers, five high school teachers, six elementary teachers, three elementary teaching assistants, two elementary reading specialists, two special education teaching assistants, and elementary library/media specialists.
One effect of these cuts could be larger class sizes. For instance, the proposed personnel reductions at the Middle School translate into an entire team of teachers in core subjects. Middle School Principal James Andreottola said the resulting impact on class size "will be jaw-dropping."
Another major cut proposed was elimination of professional development funding. About $42,000, earmarked to fund professional programs for staff, would need to go. Connelly called this "a significant step backwards."
"Education Reform tells us...to have the highest quality teachers in the classroom. Professional development is a way to ensure that," said Assistant Superintendent Dr. Joseph Casey.
But cutting this line item precludes additional hits to the classroom and School Committee Chairman Daniel Moynihan supported the action.
"If I had a choice between cutting this and cutting a teaching position, I'd rather have the teachers here than not have them develop for a year."
Other cuts considered for next year include elimination of new textbook adoptions and small capital equipment purchases as well as elimination of all but mandated school busing. This means that only the small number of students who live more than two miles from school will be provided bus service as required by the state. If approved, this line item will force families to shoulder the entire transportation burden at a cost of $375 per student.
Also on the chopping block are all Middle School extracurricular activities, half of the high school extracurricular activities, and all K-12 intramural activities.
"We don't support any of these (cuts). Unfortunately, we must choose," Moynihan said.
While the School Committee did not take official action on the cuts, it did vote in favor of removing certain items from the list.
The Middle School Alternative Education Program, which was approved by the School Committee last fall and put in place in January, was taken out of consideration due to the impact its elimination would have on the entire Middle School population.
This program seeks to remove troublesome students from the regular classroom and service their needs on an individual basis. According to Andreottola, the program has been successful in pulling that element out of the population.
"Granted, it involves a handful of kids but that handful impacts 720 other children."
The Director of Elementary Curriculum position was likewise spared by the School Committee as was the special education grade two integrated classroom teacher. According to Director of Pupil Personnel Bob McArdle, any savings realized from cutting the latter could be jeopardized by costs incurred as Sped students leave the system for costlier outside programs.
Not Opening New Schools
"As distasteful as it sounds, it has to be considered," Connelly said of the option of not opening the new Robin Hood and Colonial Park Schools in September to avoid incurring additional costs of running those bigger, state-of-the-art buildings.
The $400,000 needed to open those schools for the year translates into 10-12 teaching positions. Keeping the students where they are in the Old Central School building would only cost $71,000.
"Clearly it doesn't make sense to give up teachers to open a new school," Connelly said. "Quality teaching is good teachers and good class sizes. It's not brick and mortar."
While the administration does not recommend this move, Connelly said it is obligated to put all ideas on the table for consideration. State reimbursement would not be jeopardized if the delay was temporary.
Proposed Fees/Increases
Increasing existing fees and implementing new ones was presented as another way to help balance the budget. A high school athletic fee is already in place but the School Committee approved a proposal that would double the costs to play sports at Stoneham High.
Increasing the fee from $100 per student, per sport to $200 and likewise raising the per family cap from $400 to $800 would result in increased revenue of $60,000.
According to Moynihan, some parents have already expressed support of this option.
"I wouldn't mind seeing it go up. I hate to think it's going to hurt things but in these financial straits, I really think it's something to consider," he said.
School Committee member Marie Christie cautioned the committee that for some families, such an increase would pose a hardship. She suggested implementing a discount similar to the school lunch discount for qualifying families.
Connelly will look into the feasibility of instituting a Middle School and High School fee for extracurricular activities, such as French Club and Student Council.
Instead of cutting elementary instrumental music staff as proposed, the School Committee is looking into providing this program for a fee. Such a set up would be allowed by the state since the program is not part of the curriculum.
Marble Street resident Linda Corapi said that an increase in fees may be an easier sell than an override, an option that has been discussed around town of late.
"I think asking parents to pay fees will be accepted more widely in the community than an override of any kind."
"I absolutely concur," Moynihan said. "I get the same sense from the community."
While Connelly cautioned that an increase in fees is not going to solve the total gap, more ideas were thrown into the mix.
Other Ideas
While Stoneham's after school child care program has proven to be profitable, it maxes out at 35 students per day. Corapi suggested that expanding the program to all neighborhood elementary schools might generate more interest. School Committee member Cheryl Walsh supported the idea and asked that a survey be sent to parents to determine interest.
A full day Kindergarten program could also generate revenue, as much as $240,000. A pilot program could be offered for 2003-2004 for a fee of $4,000 per student. The program would be offered in addition to the regular Kindergarten program at each elementary school.
"$200,000 would go a long way toward taking some of these teaching positions off this list," Connelly said.
School Committee member David Sheils pointed out that piloting the fee program would begin to address one of the School Committee's long term goals of eventually providing a full day public Kindergarten program.
In response to the School Committee's inquiry of selling school-owned land, Town Treasurer Thomas Cicatelli advised that proceeds from the sale of property are restricted for use to purchase, develop or pay off other property and could not be used to directly offset the operating budget.
If deemed buildable, unused land behind the high school could generate additional tax revenue. Selectman Charlie Smith suggested that money from sale of such land could be appropriated to existing debt, thereby freeing up additional cash for the budget.
But the School Committee should be careful, Christie said, not to mortgage its future by selling assets that may one day be needed.
Cicatelli reminded the committee that tax payers have the option of contributing to the town's education fund and a section for this is included on property tax bills. Use of these funds is controlled by the School Committee and can be used for any education needs including offsetting the budget. While this account currently has a small balance, Cicatelli said that making people aware of the benefits of these contributions may induce more donations.
Rental possibilities for the old Central School building will continue to be researched. Connelly has looked into this previously but no educational outfits were interested. Renting out the building for alternative uses is being considered.
"I'm hoping with these revenue ideas, we'll be able to save more on the list (of cuts)," Walsh said.
Reduced Grant Money
The school budget has benefited in the past from offsets realized through various state and federal grants. While nearly $1.4 million is currently being funded through grants to support the schools, and such grant funding continues to be pursued, Casey cautioned that many of these grants are drying up, while competition for the limited funds is growing.
"The state isn't in the grant business as much anymore. Where they did have grants, they're pulling them off the table...The federal grants, while we have been successful in writing those, they're not funding them in a timely manner."
Override Argument
As often happens when money is short, talk of a tax override begins to surface and the possibility exists that taxpayers will be asked to shoulder a greater burden in order to get the town and school budgets out of the red.
Selectman Chairman Anthony Kennedy advised the School Committee that based on information from the Assessors Office regarding average home values in Stoneham, an override of $1 million would cost an average household an additional $120 on its yearly property tax bill. A $2 million override would cost that household $240 more in taxes.
"Before you put the issue of an override on the table, you have to look long and hard at all the elements," said Finance Board member Peter D'Angelo.
Budget discussion continues this week and is expected to be at the forefront of the next School Committee meeting scheduled for Wednesday, March 12 in the high school library.
"I am confident that we'll find a solution that's ultimately in the best interest of the Stoneham community," said Committee member Marc Grimaldi.
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