School Board Cuts Its Budget By $496,858

By Larissa Lytwyn

Just after midnight at a special meeting February 10, the school board voted 5-1 to reduce Superintendent of Schools Evan Pitkoff’s proposed $53,865,315 budget by $496,858.

The lone dissenter in that vote was the board’s newest member, Paul Mangiafico, who believed more cuts should have been made.

  The now-$53,368,457 budget, a 7.37 percent increase over the current year’s budget, will be presented to the finance board on February 27, which will conduct a public hearing on the spending package on March 3.

The board decided to establish a full-time dean in lieu of a full-time assistant principal at Newtown High School next year, saving $61,907.

Though the vote was ultimately unanimous, the issue was discussed at length before a vote was made.

Earlier in the meeting, Newtown High School Principal Bill Manfredonia argued that an additional assistant principal was of critical importance.

“Joel Barlow High School [in Easton] has 700 students and four administrators [including three assistant principals],” he said.

With 1,600 students and growing, Newtown High School currently has just two assistant principals, Lorrie Aresenian and Jules Triber. Mr Triber will be retiring in June.

A full time dean hired halfway through the school year was budgeted by Dr Pitkoff to be replaced with a full time assistant principal.

At the February 10 meeting, Ms Aresenian reiterated the wide spectrum of responsibility an assistant principal incurs.

“The role [of an assistant principal] goes far beyond disciplinary,” she said. Other responsibilities include curriculum planning and student scheduling.

  But remembering last year’s thrice-rejected budget, the board ultimately decided to compromise with a full time dean.

Newtown High School’s $208,000 project to replace the auditorium ceiling lighting and paint the walls and ceiling was deferred.

Also, $22,871 in potential benefits for new Supervisor of Special Education Janet Calabro was removed because she did not choose to participate in the program.

An additional $40,000 was saved because a higher-than-expected number of district staff also chose not to participate in next year’s benefits program. Business Director Ron Bienkowski speculated that the lower participation rate is related to rising co-pays and other factors.

Requests to increase Newtown High School’s data clerk position to full time in the main office were not fulfilled, saving $15,749.

Similar adjustments were made to the special education clerk position, saving $17,024, a guidance data clerk position, saving $15,987, a human resources clerk, saving $6,454, additional custodian requests, saving $58,671 and a reduction in the hours of student assistance during the summers, saving $7,195.

Board member Tom Gissen advised that the board not make these scheduled reductions a “long-term policy.”

“We’re just bringing them [to a point] where they don’t get health benefits,” he observed.

Requests to replace Hawley Elementary School’s stage curtain, at a cost of $8,000, was deferred, as was a $5,000 proposal to replace Middle Gate Elementary School’s tack boards.

The majority of the public attended the meeting in supporting of preserving the budget.

Save Our Schools (SOS) Chair Keith Jacobs said he spoke on behalf of the students.

“Many kids are struggling due to the deep cuts [made last year],” Mr Jacobs said. “Education is very important to any community. It’s [often] what brings people here [to Newtown].”

Amy Cameron, a parent, expressed concern that only a small percentage of the public would vote on the budget.

“I am really going to work to get the vote out this year,” she vowed. If deep cuts are made, she said, she is “afraid of what will happen to schools.”

“We must support our children!” she said.