Schools
Superintendent Presents a 2.42 Percent Increase for the Proposed 2012-2013 Budget
The proposed budget would increase from $47,462,358 to $48,610,678, if no changes are made.
Vernon Superintendent of Schools Mary Conway presented a 2.42 percent increase request for the 2012-2013 budget to the board of education on Tuesday.
If the board makes no reductions, the education budget would increase to $48,610,678 next year from $47,462,358 this year.
Conway, along with principals and other administrators, went over the budget with board members for almost two-and-a-half hours on Tuesday night. Board members listened for the majority of the meeting as they just received the budget for review Friday. Clarification questions were posed by the board throughout the meeting.
Find out what's happening in Vernonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Conway called the "big" ideas of the budget the "helicopter" view, while principals and other administrators presented the "balcony" view and maintenance and other services were looked at as the "on-the-ground" view of the proposed budget.
"We are not eight islands. We are systemic," Conway said. "We are a system. Just like in a family there may be one child that needs more than another or you may want to remodel or put an addition on your house. We move resources around based on what the needs of the system are."
Find out what's happening in Vernonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Conway explained that some budget items "maintained" the board’s goals of building and improving relationships with family and community as well as promoting safe environments that are socially, emotionally and physically conducive to learning. Conway stated that the board's goal of increasing the achievement of every student through high quality curriculum, instruction and assessment was the focus of this year's budget proposal.
"The one thing that has the greatest affect on a child's education is a high quality teacher," she said. "We want to ensure that every child has full access to that curriculum. For every dollar spent in early childhood education you will save $7 later."
These are highlights to the budget presented.
Salaries and Wages
- Classroom Teachers $235,423
- Reading Teacher at Center Road School. This is not a new teacher, but a teacher who was out on maternity leave and not showing up in the budget.
- A teacher moved from Lake Street School to Center Road School
- Reduction in team of teachers at Rockville High School
- Additional of two Elementary Teacher Coaches
The federal jobs grant originally funded four coaches. The district is looking to fund two.
- Special Education Personnel $228,159
- Teacher of Hearing Impaired shared at Lake Street School and Skinner Road School.
- Skinner Road School Teacher Replacement.
- Salary Non-Affiliated
- Data Manager $44,000
This position was funded originally through the federal Jobs Grant.
- IT Team, $40,000
This is to make salaries more competition to the technology industry.
- Truancy/Residency Officer, $44,900
This position was funded originally through the federal Jobs Grant.
- Paraprofessionals (reduction in general education salaries - $237,000)
This line item increased $179,000 this year, according to Conway. "That is out of control. WE need to pull back and see where they are most needed," she said.
- Curriculum Development Salary (summer work) $23,622
- Temporary/Custodial Salary (summer work) $28,000
Employee Benefits
- Medical Insurance (5 percent) $215,402
- Pension $30,400
Professional & Technical Services
- OT/PT Services ($38,500)
- Science Services ($8,500)
- Gifted/Talented Teacher (part-time) $24,600
- Professional Development $10,800
- Director of DPW (salary moved) ($30,000)
Property Services
- Lease of Truck and Vans $28,550
Other Purchased Services
- Tuition to other Local Educational Agencies ($258,940)
- Tuition to Non Public Schools $69,588
Supplies & Materials
- Heating Oil $67,664
- New Textbook Adoptions (VCMS Mathematics), $68,188
- Instructional Supplies $31,532
- Other Supplies & Materials
- NEASC $20,315
Capital Outlay
- Time and Attendance $40,000
- Asset Management Inventory System $5,944
- Wireless Network – RHS $143,126
- 21 iMacs for Mac Lab (lease) $9,114
- 6 SmartBoards (elementary and middle school) $12,756
Information Technology Director Kevin Lemoi explained to the board that the technology budget for this upcoming year was viewed in terms of saving money down the road. "The infrastructure is aged," he said. "Pay a little today and save a lot tomorrow."
Public Works Director Robert Kleinhans, who oversees the school district’s maintenance, explained to the board that maintenance portion of the budget was really "bare bones."
"We have a pro-active maintenance approach and are doing more with less," he said. "We have approximately 600,000 square feet of building. We paying $1.70 per square foot to clean and maintain that space. We really don’t have a lot of fluff. We are always just one failure away from coming back to you saying we need more money."
All the elementary school principals showed a 9 to 10 percent decrease in their school budgets. But board member David Kemp pointed out that is only because some of the schools budget items have been moved to the central office portion of the budget.
Kemp also praised Patricia Buell, the director of pupil personnel, for her management of that portion of the budget. Although Buell's portion shows an increase because of new line items added to that section of the budget, Buell’s area actually showed a decrease of $175,000.
When asked if the board had figured out what tax impact this would have, the response was that the board or staff did not know what a 2.42 percent increase would have on a property owner.
The board has budget workshop meetings scheduled for Jan. 24, 31 and a special meeting Feb. 6 to finalized and approve next year’s budget before sending it to the Town Council. Meetings are held on the third floor of the administrative offices at 6 p.m.
