By Nate Leskovic
Times Staff
2/28/08
The School Committee is standing behind its proposed $33.2 million budget for next year despite a request by town officials to spend $1.7 million less.
“I think it’s our responsibility to advocate what we feel is necessary to educate our children,” says Chair Beirne Lovely. “Selectmen and the Warrant Committee can make recommendations until the cows come home, but the decision will be made right here.”
At the Feb. 26 School Committee meeting, Superintendent Magdalene Giffune presented two proposals for how $1.7 million in cuts could be made, but both were rejected by the committee as too severe.
“If we don’t have an override this year then we are going to have to make some extraordinary cuts,” says Lovely.
Giffune’s preferred option would have eliminated five new teaching positions, 12.8 existing department positions, and slashed $200,000 in supplies. The staff cuts included four teachers, two elementary school principals, the middle school assistant principal, the director of facilities, and the assistant superintendent for personnel and curriculum, which is set to be filled by Pierce Principal John Phelan, when Giffune retires at the end of the school year and Assistant Superintendent Mary Gormley becomes superintendent.
“It is my responsibility to present what I think is the best use of a paltry sum,” says Giffune. “My views are going to differ radically from yours…My recommendation is to err on the side of what’s best for kids and not adults.”
The proposal would have reorganized the elementary schools and used the Tucker School for pre-K and kindergarten, Glover for first and second grade, and Collicot/Cunningham for grades three through five.
Giffune says preserving class size and maintaining academic support were the primary goals of her proposal.
“If 1.7 is the margin to avoid an override, it won’t work,” says committee member Glenn Pavlicek.
Committee member Laurie Stillman says any decision on cuts must consider political realities. An override would have less chance of success, she says, if voters were presented an alternative involving cuts to administration and not teachers.
Giffune’s second proposal—at the request of the School Committee—did not reorganize the elementary schools but cut four new teachers, 19.9 existing staff members, and $100,000 in materials and supplies. The option retained the assistant superintendent position, but dropped approximately seven K–8 specialists.
Both options included $100,000 expected to be saved through retirements and an expected $200,000 increase in state aid.
At the request of the Warrant Committee, Giffune created other sets of possible cuts for a budget increase of $300,000, level funding and a five percent reduction.
The Warrant Committee was scheduled to meet on Feb. 27 with the School Committee, and then formulate an initial town budget on March 1 at its annual Saturday budget session.