School Committee Submits Preliminary FY11 Budget
By Michelle Murdock

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Meeting the February 1 deadline, the School Committee has submitted its recommended preliminary budget for fiscal year 2011 (FY11) to the Town Manager. The final budget number is $32,419, 015 which represents a 0.5% increase over last year’s budget.

The accompanying statement from the School Committee states, “With its preliminary budget scenario, the School Committee has committed to maintaining current class sizes, safe guarded all existing curricula and extracurricular programs and has provided the necessary funding to meet the needs of our special education students. The School Committee’s preliminary FY11 budget also implements a number of initiatives outlined in its strategic plan by providing support for a tuition-based full-day kindergarten program option, virtual learning and improved district communications. The preliminary budget supports these initiatives without fee increases.”

This budget represents a $638,570 reduction from the initial Superintendent’s budget proposed in December of 2009, but it does not meet the selectmen’s requested reduction of 2.65 percent. Further reductions totaling $1,023,906 would be required to meet the 2.65 percent reduction level.

According to School Committee Chair Nancy Burdick, the School Committee’s goal is to “provide a budget that continues its commitment to the educational needs of its children.”

While the recommended budget was delivered by the February 1 deadline, Burdick expects more discussion and conversation as the budget process continues.

Burdick outlined the major differences between the School Committee’s preliminary budget and a budget that included the requested 2.65 percent reduction. The recommended budget maintains “teaching service” in the classroom while the 2.65 percent budget would reduce the level of service in the classroom. The recommended budget makes available a sum for good faith bargaining while the 2.65 percent budget does not. The current level of extracurricular activities, such as clubs and athletics with no fee increases, is maintained in the recommended budget versus the cuts across the board in this area in the 2.65 percent budget. The recommended budget provides for regular education and remedial intervention to be implemented while the 2.65 percent budget does not and finally, the recommended budget calls for a reduction in supplies, but to a lesser extent than the 2.65 percent budget.

Update on Principal Search

An update on the search for principals for the High School and Hopkins Elementary school was provided by Superintendent Phelan. With regard to the High School, an aggressive timeline has been set due to a dearth of qualified candidates and searches by other districts with similar timelines Pre-screening of candidates will take place the week of February 8, followed by interviews during the week of February 22. A public forum has been scheduled for March 2 and the selection and announcement of the new High School Principal should be completed by March 5.

At the elementary level, Phelan says there is a broader pool of candidates, allowing for a less aggressive pace. Candidates for the Hopkins School principal will be pre-screened on March 4, interviewed during the week of March 8 and the public forum will be held on March 17. Final candidate selection and announcement is to be completed by March 19. Both searches are under the direction of the School Department’s Human Resource Director, Ms. Kim Pulnik.