Board of Education Outlines Uses for the Additional $1 Million

The Board of Education on Monday added a teacher, a painter and and all-day kindergarten maker to its budget proposal for the 2013-14 fiscal year. 

It was part of a process to restore  the $1 million that the Town Council put back last week after a passionate rally by parents, educators and those who wanted to see more money dedicated to education. 

Voting is today on the $82.7 million budget proposal for the next fiscal year. Of that total, $50.4 million is dedicated to education. It is the third try for passage. 

Here are highlights of what the school board added - after motions were made and votes cast - on Monday, contingent on the budget passing: 

• $189,922 to implement all-day kindergarten at Maple Street and Northeast schools. The plan, after Mayor George Apel and the council took out about $2 million from the original Board of Education request, was to rely on Alliance District funds from the state to get full-day kindergarten going systemwide, knowing it would eventually have to be paid for on-budget. So the logic was to fund two schools in the regular budget, use Alliance money for the other three, but then phase in the other three over a four-year plan on the main budget. 

• $61,693 for a painter systemwide. 

• $14,072 for painting supplies. 

• $69,000 for a Grade 3-4 teacher at Center Road School. 

• $143,000 for textbook adoptions. 

• $29,968 for a secretary at Vernon Center Middle School. 

• $11,935 for a paraprofessional/secretary at VCMS. 

• Three secretarial positions totaling $29,968, $10,898 and $13,901 at Rockville High School. 

• $125,000 for special education tuition. 

• $20,000 for central supply. 

• $100,000 for a health insurance account. The open enrollment period for employees to opt for an economical health savings account plan is being extended, school officials said. 

• $15,000 for contingency. 

• $28,068 into an alternative learning school account. 

• $28,000 for vacancies that might be filled during the next school year.