Norwalk Superintendent Susan Marks told her school principals that $4 million needs to be cut from next year's school budget and outlined a series of proposed cuts for them. Possible cuts include housemasters, assistant principals and elementary school aides. The actual budget will not be made public until next week.
Norwalk High School Principal Leonard Mecca attended the Wednesday meeting and wrote an email to his staff, calling the cuts "pretty devastating stuff." Among the proposed cuts at Norwalk High are one housemaster, a security guard, the School to Career Program, the police officer that monitors outdoor activities daily from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., $20,000 from the band transportation budget, and co-op athletic programs in hockey and swimming.
At the principals' meeting, Marks explained that maintaining the current level of staffing and programs would require a 6 percent increase over the current $150 million budget. Given the economy, Marks plans to present a budget with a 3.5 percent increase to the board, which means the district would need to cut $4 million.
On Thursday, The Hour also identified potential cuts, including two elementary assistant principals, two middle school assistant principals and first-grade aides.
In an interview after receiving news of the media reports and Mecca's email, Marks said the protocol is for the Board of Education to receive the budget before it goes to the public. "I wanted to give my principals the heads up," she said surprised that information had already been widely shared. She said the BOE will receive the budget next week at which time she can discuss the scope of proposed cuts in detail.
"This budget affects the entire district. I tried to be as equitable as I could. The cuts go across administration, teachers, support personnel, central office and programs. These are not fake reductions," Marks said.
"I don't like this budget. In fact, I'm calling it my 'non-recommended' budget," she said, referring to the fact that the superintendent usually presents a recommended budget to the school board. "It will hurt kids, but there is a financial reality."
Marks said she is also looking for ways to get more money for next year. On Wednesday, she instituted a spending freeze and plans to push savings forward to next year's budget.
Early next month, the superintendent will present the draft budget to the school board. It will be reviewed at public workshops before the board votes and moves it to the city.
Friday, December 17, 2010
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
For immediate release;
ReplyDeletehttp://www.freepress.net/press-release/2010/12/18/free-press-cheers-passage-local-community-radio-act
Does this mean McMahon can get on the air?
You may have a local community radio at BMHS - as long as it does not require funding...
ReplyDelete8:46 - I'm pretty sure that the posting wasn't about getting the funding for the radio station. It was about the relaxing of licensing restrictions.
ReplyDeleteThat issue aside, everyone needs a wake-up call. I just finished reading about the NHS band parent who is protesting the loss of $20,000 in the BOE subsiding for the Marching Bears (and an equal amount for the BMHS Marching Senators) because of the threat to the marching band program. I agree that both schools' programs would be hurt badly by the loss of this funding, but the operating budget was already tight, and everything has to be on the table for consideration for cutting.
Before long, swimming and hockey parents will be protesting the loss of the coop teams at both high schools. They will be joined by every other ad hoc special interest group. The AT parents are probably already preparing their arguments. And then there are the _________ (fill in the blank here).
The point is that there can be no sacred cows here. People there will be significant pain to essential programs and activities, and everyone needs to face the reality that no one can feel protected from this.
My feel is look at APs in the elementary schools.......why are they needed? Dr Marks should be looking at what they do and what the prinicapls do......they are nice people BUT all the parents that I speak to are saying that their positon should be the first to go. Each elementary school does not need an AP and literacy coach.
ReplyDelete3:56-While I agree that there should be no "sacred cows" why should the band lose 100% of the funding they receive while other groups lose nothing? are any other competitive teams losing 100% of their money? Are they losing any of their money? I have a child in band and one in sports and I think the money spent on these activities should be divided evenly. Why should other teams be funded 100% and others cut completley? Band parents pay a lot of money for their children to be in band, not true on other teams. other towns have "pay to play" maybe its time we look at that as an option. Why should one group have to pay and others don't. Band is a graded class. As I said, I have children involved in both. I know there is not much moneyti go around but it should be equitable.
ReplyDeleteWho is more valued in the school, the AP or the Literacy Coach? Teachers should decide this.
ReplyDeleteI wish I knew who keeps this silly notion that an elementary school asst. principal does the same duty as a literacy specialist.
ReplyDeleteThe literacy specialists coach teachers on strategies to help struggling readers. A big part of their job is reviewing the various test scores of the struggling students and monitoring their progress. They also, depending upon the school, do some one-on-one coaching of the kids.
The Asst. Principals have had lots of duties added to their role over the years. They lead some of the greade-level data teams (these are the teams that the state requires us to have so that we can assess learning and a grade's progress along the state curriculum frameworks). The APs also perform some of the teacher evaluations, assist with special education planning and implementation.
If we are going to debate what an elementary school needs to function properly, let's at least all be on the same page and have a discussion based upon actual job descriptions and not some anecdotal urban myth about how literacy coaches are superfluous.
As for the band, isn't the band director paid for by the city? That's a big contribution. Would cutting the bus budget in half really hurt the program?
They are not cutting the bus budget in half, they want to cut it completely. If busses budgets are being cut completely, then cut the busses for ALL travel teams, football, baseball, soccer etc. As for the band director, he is paid for by the city because band is a class and he teaches the students during the dayas well. The students are required to take and "arts" class and band is one of the choices. Who pays for coaches who aren't teachers? The band has other instructors who are not teachers and they get paid out of the money raised by the band members/families. Do football and baseball
ReplyDelete(etc) players pay for their own coaches? Yes, I am a band parent, but I am also a sports parent.
NO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL NEEDS AN AP AND LITERACY COACH--let's get real. Plus the math coaches that are out there.
ReplyDelete"are any other competitive teams losing 100% of their money?
ReplyDeleteYes, hockey and swimming are on the block AGAIN! If sports programs and extracurricular activities need to be cut, then I agree that the sacrifice should be shared across all the programs, instead of just picking on one or two. Most kids who play hockey or swim have been actively training since before elementary school. Their families have invested time and money and the kids have made a commitment. I would be a shame to just let all of that go.
How about a little good news?
ReplyDeleteBreaking and encouraging news,
McQuillian resigns and the
Huskies make history.
Double, yes, YES!!
5:52 I agree...I am the one who asked that question....no one should be cut completely. Just because band parents work hard to raise money doesn't mean our kids don't deserve money from the board. They should share what little they have with ALL teams, if everyone has to do some fundrasing or pay assessments then so be it. at least it would be fair.maost of the kids invovled in an activity in HS have been playing for years. They did make a committment many with the thought of playing in HS in mind. They shouldn't be turned away now, especially when other activities ar not being touched.
ReplyDeleteDr Marks has gone to all the schools and is continuously visiting--doesn't she see the waste? 2 secretaries per school (when no one answers the phone, AP in their offices and not with kids, math coaches where are they? At least the literacy coiaches are hands on with teachers and kids all day.....I think based on observations she wil make good decisions as to what should be cut from elementary schools.....
ReplyDeleteThe marching band is not a sacred cow. Check the teachers' contract for additional stipends paid to band staff.
ReplyDeleteDo we really need intervention aides at the elementary schools? Isn't the threat of going to the principal's office scary enough for 5-10 year olds that misbehave?
ReplyDeleteI also believe all the elementary schools have full time social workers.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous 5:50 am.
ReplyDeleteSadly, no the threat of being sent to the principal's office is no longer a deterrant to the poor choices that students make in elementary school. I have watched little ones openly defy a principal. There are lots of kids out there that have no fear of authority. Very scary indeed.
I can't say anything about the intervention specialists but I can assure you that the social workers are necessary. If children are troubled the sooner that they get some help the better. Of course the quality of the social worker is important. I've experienced a social worker that out and out lied to DCF regarding a parent's involvement in the childs life. The elementary schools need all of the resources they can get otherwise the troubled children will continue to make poor choices throughout their school years (this affects other students as well because if unruly students take up the teachers time the other students are not receiving the education they deserve and we are paying for.)
I hear a lot of arguments for not making the cuts in a number of areas, but I am not hearing anyone suggest where $4 million dollars in cuts can be made. Can anyone think of anywhere near that amount in cuts elsewhere? I'm only guessing at the salaries and cost of benefits per person, but if all of the elementary assistants and one housemaster each for NHS and BMHS were cut, would that save $2 million in salaries and benefits? But then the board would have to pay unemployment benefits to those who were unemployed because municipalities don't pay into the unemployment insurance fund.
ReplyDeleteIt may be a very undesirable move to make, but is part of the "solution" to close Briggs, thereby eliminating those administrative, counseling and teaching positions? But then those students would return to BMHS and NHS, adding to the enrollments there. If elementary schools need additions, I don't suppose it's possible to close one of them.
I see painful decisions and even more painful teaching/learning conditions ahead.
check the teachers' contract for stipends paid to coaches too. the instructors other than the band director, are not paid for by the Board. They are paid for from the money raised through fundraising and assessments. Let the athletes' parents chip in for their assistant coaches too.
ReplyDeleteI understand that everyone needs to pull together and cuts need to be made to all areas. But did I miss something? I did not see any cuts to Central Office.
ReplyDeleteI agree 3:33--what about central office staff???
ReplyDeleteWhat if the BOE employees agreed to help the cause (the children) and forgo salary increases this year as many for profit and non-profit employees have done to help our organizations? They could also share more of the cost of health insurance as most working people are doing.
ReplyDeleteFrom all the cuts noted by Dr. Marks - nothing was mentioned on salary freeze. I have yet to hear about the unions- they were part of the "committee" yet no one is speaking about Salary freeze. Some of the freeze can save the jobs noted to be eliminated. Remember folks, if we save a " proposed cut" we will have to find the monies somewhere else - how much more should we take away from the kids. Why can't teachers take a freeze on their increase - how about restructuring positions - can the grant coordinator be done by some one else? Combine jobs - eliminate those that are not doing their jobs - it should start from the top.
ReplyDeleteNever mind not for profits passing on salary increases. Most employees in the private sector have had their salaries frozen, hours cut and their benefit sharing increased in order to save jobs.
ReplyDeleteCUT THE BLOATED RANKS OF ADMINISTRATORS IN THE CENTRAL OFFICE !
ReplyDelete