School officials decide on override reduction list
Published on April 14th, 2004
STONENHAM, MA - If you have followed any of the School Committee issues over the past several weeks, then it will not be news to you that the School Committee wants a proposition 2 PI override, is forced to make drastic cuts to the school department budget just as every other department in town must do, and is in no way in favor of these cuts.
At last Thursday's meeting, these three areas were revisited, but this time the major difference was that official action was taken on $700,000 worth of budget cuts in a public hearing.
School Committee Chairman Marc Grimaldi peppered his remarks during the lengthy budget discussion with the point that the School Committee does "not endorse, encourage or support having to do this," and repeatedly called the reductions "devastating."
Going into Thursday night's meeting, the draft 2 budget stood at $23,096,155. That figure fell during the course the course of the night and by meeting's end was endorsed by School Committee action at $22,396,155.
The $700,000 in reductions assumes passage of a $2.9 million override that has been supported by the Board of Selectmen and will be presented to townspeople in June. If the override fails, then the $700,000 worth of cuts will be made in addition to another $1.4 million in cuts.
"If the override passes, next year's budget will be a 1.9 percent increase over this year's," said School Superintendent Dr. Joseph Connelly. According to his discussions with Finance Board member Richard Gregorio, "a typical budget increase that you need to maintain your level of service is closer to 4 to 5 percent."
The town of Reading has been able to do even more than that, Connelly said, as he held up a recent edition of Reading's local paper with headlines boasting passage of a 5.2 percent school budget, "allowing this town to maintain and remain competitive with its instructional program."
"I'm not going to suggest that because Stoneham is going through a couple of difficult years that our test scores are going to decline, because we have quality teachers and very committed kids. But clearly if this happens year after year and we're not funding a school budget at the level to keep us competitive, our results and accomplishments will start to decline. That's what we're most concerned about."
Each of the cuts presented garnered unanimous approval from the School Committee and were presented in priority of most to least harmful. The total savings in most of the personnel cuts takes into consideration salary, plus the cost of health insurance, less the amount the school system will have to pay in unemployment insurance. The $700,000 is comprised of the following
17 cuts:
- Two high school teachers, totaling $91,220. Impact: Number of sections with over 30 students will increase from 30 to about 40. The high school will still be in compliance with Time-On-Learning requirements, however.
- One Middle School teacher totaling $42,369. Impact: The Middle School has successfully utilized the team teaching approach and some existing teams will be disrupted. Effect on class size is not as great a concern here as enrollment is at more reasonable levels than in recent years.
- Elementary Curriculum Administrator to be replaced by Master Teacher/Curriculum Facilitator position resulting in a savings of $37,693. Impact: Current level of elementary curriculum coordination will be diminished.
- Elementary .5 Secretary position totaling $18,342. Impact: Elimination of Elementary Curriculum Central Office.
- One Special Education position totaling $48,851. Impact: Grade 4 integrated classroom teaching position will not be filled; Grade 3 and 4 integrated classes will be combined. Anticipated enrollment for next year is expected to stay within state requirements with room for growth. Beyond next year, it is doubtful that this position can stay unfilled.
- Middle School 10-month secretarial position totaling $17,138. Impact: Reduction in coverage of the Middle School office by 50 percent.
- Four lead teacher stipends totaling $8,000. Impact: Master teachers are expected to pick up this function and elementary curriculum coordination could be compromised.
- Middle School scheduling stipend of $3,000. Impact: Cumbersome task will likely fall to Middle School Principal James Andreottola.
- Elementary Physical Education teacher totaling $73,825. Impact: Weekly physical education time for elementary students falls from 60 to 45 minutes, however, does not violate state requirement. Also, 15 minutes less for teachers to use for planning.
- Athletic participation fee increase from $150 to $200 generating an additional $25,000 revenue. Impact: Stoneham's fee will become second highest in Middlesex League, however, an $800 family cap will be imposed.
- Elimination of mandated Restraint Training Funding, totaling $6,500. Impact: Funds must be sought through grant or use of limited Professional Development funds.
- Moratorium on small capital equipment extended, resulting in savings of $25,000. Impact: No purchases of equipment such as printers, overhead projectors, and staff chairs allowed.
- $10,000 savings in Athletic Program supplies as result of lower than expected costs of buses in FY05. $10,000.
- Special Education tuition account reduced by $150,000 due to unanticipated Circuit Breaker funds received in 2004 to be applied to this 2005 account. Impact: Helps save three teachers.
- Reduction of Elementary Instructional Supply account by $20,000 generated from After School Child Care program profits.
"This is one of our success stories," Connelly said of the program that has grown to each of the four elementary school buildings this year and services about 85 students per day.
- Reduction in Maintenance and Operation account by $110,000 with the use of Old Central School rental income. The town of North Reading will pay $125,000 for use of the building for the 2004-05 school year; $15,000 of that will be applied to building repairs in preparation of occupancy. The tenant will then take responsibility for day to day repairs.
- Teacher retirement savings of $24,324. In all, three teachers have indicated a wish to retire at year end but none are required by contract to make this decision official until May 1. With three expected, Connelly said he felt fairly confident to factor at least one in the budget.
"It's a risk but it gets us to $700,000."
If a $2.9 million override is shot down by voters in June, another $1.4 million in cuts will be added to this $700,000 list and will include 7 high school teachers, 9 middle school teachers, 10 elementary teachers, 8 elementary teaching specialists, 1 middle school administrator, 2.4 elementary technical aids, 3 elementary classroom aids, 1.4 program supervisors, and 2 custodians.
In addition 13 extracurricular stipends 23 coaching positions will be eliminated.
"It's obvious just by reading the numbers the devastating effects these cuts would have on the Stoneham School Department. It would send education in Stoneham back several decades and it would take...several years, if not decades, to get back to where we are today...Without this override passing, Stoneham is going to be very, very damaged," Grimaldi said.
In other news, the School Committee satisfied another annual requirement by taking a negative position on participating in School Choice. Each year, school departments are required to take action on whether or not to become School Choice communities for the coming year and this year, Stoneham opted not to participate due to budget, space, and staffing level constraints.
Just two days after election into office, David Sheils made a return appearance to the School Committee. Sheils beat out Matthew Whooley last week for the one year term and will again serve on the board that he voluntarily left earlier this academic year when his wife was seeking employment in the school system as a school nurse. Kristen Russo was also back at the table having won an uncontested seat for a three year term.
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