Nast Presents Initial Budget Reductions

At the Board of Education meeting Tuesday night, interim Superintendent Michael Nast made his first proposals for reduction. The Norwalk Board of Estimation and Taxation and City Council have asked the BOE to cut its budget by $5 million. So far, Nast thinks he can find $3 million. “Let me stress that these are suggestions that my staff and I have come up with. We are trying to make this a collaborative process,” Nast. “I am always open for suggestions.”

Changes, consolidation and reduction of teaching staff make up the bulk of savings. For example, 43 teachers are projected to retire. New teachers cost less to hire so this will result in considerable savings. In addition, Nast proposed the reduction of three teachers at the Alternative Middle School at Briggs who currently teach only four students.

More controversial is the proposed reduction of five high school teachers and four middle school teachers. To achieve this, Assistant Superintendent Tony Daddona will review course selections and enrollments along with principals. “Every program needs to be audited,” said Nast. Daddona will also review the pros and cons of the current eight-period day versus a seven-period day in the high schools. “This will all be done with the discretion of the principal. We’ll need to have a committee to work on this,” he said. “We won’t move without concrete data.”

Rowayton and Naramake are not likely to get modular classrooms next year. The lunch program is running a surplus since there are more kids signed up for free and reduced lunch this year. The surplus will go towards paying a portion of the cafeteria staff’s health benefits. The purchasing department is ordering fewer printing supplies next year. Nast is proposing an immediate “spending freeze". The savings from this year will carry over to next year.

Nast said he is talking to the two biggest unions—the teachers and administrators—about possible givebacks. The Norwalk Federation of Teachers, who negotiated a 1% raise for next year, say they netted the district considerable savings by switching health plans. “Their position is ‘We don’t renegotiate contracts,’” said Nast. The Norwalk Association of School Administrators, however, has not shut out the possibility of givebacks. They have said that they want the BOE to exhaust all other savings possibilities first, according to Nast.

Nast expressed concern last night about where to find the other two million dollars. “We need to convince the BET that we can’t go lower than this, beyond this we really impact programming” said Nast. “But we also need to plan for the worst case scenario.”

Nast said that several items are on the table: assistant principal positions, house master positions, changing class sizes and a return to half-day kindergarten. Those did not sit well with the board. The district should be expanding pre-school, not taking away full day kindergarten, said several board members upon hearing Nast’s dire options.

Nast also recommended reevaluating class size in certain situations. However, this would also require opening up the teachers' contract. According to Dan Cook, Chief Financial Officer, Norwalk has the lowest student teacher ratio in the area.

A couple of board members were not happy with the teacher’s union non-renegotiating stance. “It is nasty out there. The teacher’s should be damn thankful they have a job,” said Board Member Jack Chiaramonte. “If we all give a little bit, we will all survive.”

Board Member Erin Halsey said that she lost her job ten months ago. “In the real world you don’t have choices. A lot of people have taken a hit.” Lisa Thomson, a parent who spoke during public comments, called the union’s position “un-American.”

Board Member Steve Colarossi tried to temper the strong emotions. “We shouldn’t fall into the trap of finger pointing. We negotiated the contract in the same recession as the one we are in now. There must be room for compromise.”

The BET’s public hearing on the draft budget will take place on March 24th at 7:30pm in the Community Room at City Hall. Parents can comment on the budget at this meeting.