At its second workshop for the 2015-16 budget, on Thursday, January 8, the Board of Education continued to hear from school district leaders regarding individual aspects of the superintendent’s proposed spending plan.

The workshop came after Superintendent of Schools Joseph V. Erardi, Jr, presented his proposed budget to the school board on Tuesday, January 6.

Dr Erardi’s presentation is available here, and the full proposed budget is available here.

Dr Erardi presented a $72,399,186, proposed operating budget, a 1.48 percent increase over this year’s budget on Tuesday. It was the first meeting of multiple budget sessions for the board to deliberate and make possible changes to the budget before it is passed on through the budget process. The budget is set for adoption by the school board at a planned February 5 meeting.

The 2014-15 operating budget is $71,345,304 and was passed by voters last April.

The 2015-16 superintendent’s budget represents both proposed reductions and additions for the district in the next fiscal year.

Newtown High School

When Newtown High School Principal Lorrie Rodrigue spoke before the school board, she said her school’s proposed budget is fiscally responsible “through the lens of meeting the needs of all learners.”

Dr Rodrigue also addressed some changes that were proposed in the 2015-16 budget. At the high school those include an academic officer at NHS, funding a guidance position at NHS that was previously funded by the School Emergency Response to Violence (SERV) grant, stipends for Newtown International Center for Education (NICE) program expansion, and athletic coaches for the NHS track, gymnastics, and girls’ golf teams.

The requested academic officer, Dr Rodrigue explained, would be a teacher leadership position that would be responsible to develop and implement services designed to help students, specifically students who are struggling and endanger of failing. The person would be working with students and would report to Dr Rodrigue directly, she said.

Newtown Middle School

Newtown Middle School Principal Thomas Einhorn told school board members that the proposed budget for his school supports academic and social/emotional growth for students while being fiscally responsible.

Mr Einhorn also addressed an increase in the budget for supplies and contracted services. The increase in supplies, Mr Einhorn said, is equipment that needs to be replaced . He hopes that some of the increases can be offset by grants.

The 1.3 full-time equivalent positions in art, music, and physical education, that are proposed to be reduced at NMS, Mr Einhorn said, are directly related to enrollment. The principal said all of the programs and opportunities for students will not be affected by the changes.

When asked about the school-based health center being added at the middle school now, Mr Einhorn told the school board it will be a self-sustaining program, so there is no line item for it in the budget.

Reed Intermediate School

Reed Intermediate School Principal Anne Uberti was asked to address staffing reductions at her school for the 2015-16 school year when before the board on Tuesday, January 8.

“None of the cuts represent any programming changes,” Ms Uberti said.

Dr Erardi said the staffing reductions are directly connected to fewer classes, due to a projected enrollment decline.

“The reduction does not impact student time at all,” said Dr Erardi, in response to board member David Freedman asking about the physical education staffing reduction specifically.

Four full-time equivalent positions at Reed are proposed to be reduced in the 2015-16 budget. The positions are in art, music, physical education, classroom teachers.

 

Elementary Schools

After saying she supported Dr Erardi’s description of how his 2015-16 budget is a product of teamwork, Head O’ Meadow Principal Barbara Gasparine told the board on Tuesday, “I feel comfortable this year coming before the board.”

Ms Gasparine also explained room will be needed at her school in order to create another third and another fourth grade classroom. In order to make space, Ms Gasparine said it has been requested that the district’s pre-kindergarten program be moved elsewhere.

School board members asked the elementary principals a range of questions, including how many para-educators work at each of the elementary schools.

 

Pupil Personnel, Health, And Special Education Budgets

Director of Pupil Services Julie Haggard spoke about the pupil personnel, health, and special education budgets proposed for 2015-16.

Along with answering questions about a number of topics, Ms Haggard also gave an overview of changes for the 2015-16 budget for the board.

Special education referrals are continuing to rise, according to Ms Haggard. While overall enrollment is decreasing,she said the number of identified special education students is increasing. Along with the increasing student needs, Ms Haggard noted that time spent servicing students and identifying students with needs is also increasing.

The increases are not unique to Newtown. According to Ms Haggard districts across the state are seeing increased out of district student placements.

According to Dr Erardi’s presentation on Tuesday, the special education and pupil personnel budget increase for the 2015-16 year is $436,457, or .61 percent of the budget’s overall proposed increase.

Ms Haggard said the proposed special education supervisor at NHS, which would replace as existing position, is “a significant need.”

Along with helping to service the students, Ms Haggard said the new position would help bring coherence, consistency, and vertical alignment for the district.

“This type of administrative leadership,” said Ms Haggard, “working shoulder to shoulder with administrative staff and families will also help redesign programming, intervention, and procedures and processes to continue to ensure that we meet the increasing demands set before us.”

The school board’s next budget workshop is slated for Tuesday, January 13, at 7:30 pm, at the Newtown Municipal Center. The curriculum, technology, general services, continuing education, benefits, plant, and transportation budgets will be discussed.

A public hearing on the budget is scheduled for Tuesday, February 3, at 7:30 pm, at the Newtown Municipal Center.

The board is set to adopt its budget on Thursday, February 5.