Schools work on budget
Published on October 26th, 2005
Preparation for a new budget year has begun and School Department budget holders are directed to do more of the same - level fund or reduce their budgets wherever possible.
Now that official enrollment figures have been developed and disseminated, budget holders must come up with a list of nonsalary needs for next year, but are required to stay at the same level of funding or at a reduced funding level as the current year. As reported to the School Committee last Wednesday, if a modest increase is needed to accommodate basic supply needs, the budget holder must provide a detailed explanation for such to present to the administration.
"Usually, unfortunately, they usually go away with a smaller budget than they presented," said School Superintendent Dr. Joseph Connelly.
Last year, budget holders were required to cut nonsalary line item spending for FY2006, and the draft 1 budget was presented with a $406,000 cut in supply spending. However, Connelly warned the School Committee that that type of budget cut "can't go on forever," particularly due to the double-digit inflation in instructional materials and the increase in high school enrollment.
"We need to give the teachers the tools they need to do their job, (but) we will continue to be as conservative and conscientious of the town's fiscal constraints as possible."
No additional staff is expected at the elementary or middle school levels, where enrollments are expected to remain stable, but an increase in the high school population is expected, likely necessitating three additional teaching positions.
In addition to increased enrollment, additional high school staff will be needed to remain in compliance with time on learning.
"We must offer every single high school student 990 hours of instructional time. We need adequate staff to do that," Connelly advised.
"In the 2007 budget year.we're not playing catch up. We're not trying to restore lost positions at the middle school or lost programs at the elementary. We're just trying to maintain and survive for one more year because, at this point, we don't anticipate Stoneham will have the ability to allow us to play catch up or restore programs. We'd like to.but we don't think it will be realistic or possible in the next budget year."
Draft 1 of the FY2007 budget is expected to be ready for presentation to the School Committee in December and January. Following that, School Committee members meet with each budget holder to review the needs.
Connelly asked for School Committee approval of the budget guidelines in order to proceed with this step of the budget process.
"Level fund or less, no new staff except maybe at the high school," Connelly reiterated. "If the School Committee supports this, that will be our approach."
"I think it's a consensus of the School Committee that we don't have a choice but we support it," said committee member Maureen Soley.
Committee member Kristin Russo reminded the audience that on November 3, the town's Chapter 70 committee will be attending an education hearing at the State House at 3 p.m. and encouraged Stoneham residents to attend in support of procuring additional state aid for Stoneham.
"They need to see our faces, they need to hear our concerns.they need to hear it over and over and over again.we are talking about essential services."
Assistant School Superintendent Joseph Casey clarified the importance of the Chapter 70 committee's work.
"What Stoneham and the Chapter 70 committee are doing is asking the state for increased money, increased aid to the town so we won't have to ask you, the citizens and taxpayers, to reach into your wallet to take more money out to help provide and fund services in the town.This is not a School Committee effort, this is a town effort."
Russo encouraged citizens of all ages to consider attending the State House hearing. For more information regarding the hearing, contact Kristin Russo at 781-438-9018.
"These decisions we are making for our children, for our police, for our safety and for the upkeep of our town are just as important as the decisions we are making for our families."
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