School district proposes $2.2 million in cuts for FY10
Date: 3/16/2009
By Courtney Llewellyn
Reminder Assistant Editor
HAMPDEN -- Individual towns may have been hit hard by Gov. Deval Patrick's latest round of 9C cuts, which he announced in late January, but regional school districts were hit especially hard.
The Hampden-Wilbraham Regional School District was not spared.
Chapter 70 funding for the district was untouched for fiscal year 2010 (FY10), but regional school transportation receipts are expected to be cut by $434,855, and charter tuition reimbursement receipts will be cut by $21,292. The total estimated receipts are expected to be $410,771.
The state's cuts to the school district's budget, the town budgets and the uncertain economy left the School Committee and Superintendent Paul Gagliarducci with some difficult decisions to make.
School Committee member Peter Salerno, chair of the group s budget subcommittee, and Gagliarducci presented the FY10 proposed budget during a public hearing at Thornton W. Burgess Middle School on March 10. The budget for the upcoming fiscal year presents a 1.28 percent growth over FY09, and Gagliarducci called it "the most difficult budget we've had to work with." He added that this was the smallest budget increase he's ever seen during his time as a superintendent.
"It was difficult because we've impacted a lot of people who work for us," the superintendent stated. "There's a possibility next year could be even worse."
In order to achieve the goals of maintaining the integrity of the district, class size, student programming and moving initiatives forward, the budget proposes a total of $2,237,616 in cuts for FY10.
"The first million came from reducing bills and supplies," Gagliarducci explained. "The second million comes from staff cuts."
These cuts include:
• The elimination of 5.33 high school teaching positions, two middle school positions (eliminating the family/consumer science courses) and 2.3 elementary positions
Two of the positions at the high school will be lost through attrition, according to Gagliarducci. This also includes the loss of a 0.3 science teacher, which will mean one less class available per semester.
• The elimination of 0.4 English as a Second Language positions, 1.6 Reading Recovery program positions, two 0.5 MCAS tutor positions, and 0.6 Information Specialist positions.
The Reading Recovery and Information Specialist positions, which have been funded by grants, may remain in place if more grant funding can be found.
• The elimination of one middle school and 0.5 elementary special education positions.
• The elimination of three adjustment counselor positions.
These are more positions that may remain if grant funding can be found.
• The elimination of one regular paraprofessional position, 14 special education positions and 4.5 library positions.
Some of the special education paraprofessionals will be lost because there are students who may no longer need them, some because students may no longer need one on one care and others through attrition. The libraries at the elementary schools will be open only half-time.
• The elimination of four 0.5 custodial positions, one speech assistant position, three clerical and bookkeeping positions, one nurse, late bus services and the high school summer school program.
• A reduction in student activities, lunch monitors, assistant principal days, guidance days and professional development; cuts in supplies, materials and equipment by five to eight percent.
• No raises for administrative staff or independents; furloughs will be taken by hourly employees; there will be a total winter shutdown; there will be no new textbooks.
Athletic fees will be increased by $50 on average per sport, with increases of $75 for hockey and $65 for skiing.
"I'm not one to tell you the sky is falling," Gagliarducci said. "We saved the core and cut from the outside."
The cuts weren't the only issue with the budget, however. State-mandated Minimum Local Contributions from each town for the school district have increased for FY10; in Hampden, by $115,732, and in Wilbraham, by $607,000.
Required school spending in both towns increased as well -- by $43,950 in Hampden and by $678,682 in Wilbraham.
The assessment for Hampden increased by 1.78 percent for the upcoming fiscal year; Wilbraham's assessment increased by four percent. Gagliarducci said he's been trying to keep assessments under three percent, and this is the first time since FY07 that Wilbraham's has exceeded that.
"This budget was based on fairness," Salerno noted. "It reflects on what we can do, even in challenging times. The stark realities of this economy...cut to the core of who we are as people. Our budget will in large part set how we see our future."
"It's a perfect storm, for lack of a better word," Gagliarducci said.
He added that there may be a silver lining to this dark storm cloud, however -- additional funding from the state through the federal stimulus bill may come in to play, and increased school choice enrollment could increase revenue.
Parent-Teacher Organizations and volunteers may help the school district work through this next fiscal year as well.
"I don't know what we're going to do next year in specificity," Salerno said at the closing of the hearing. "We will uphold our principles. Next year, we'll take a look at this again."
Following the hearing, the School Committee unanimously approved the proposed FY10 budget. Parents who want to learn more about how this budget will impact their children next year are invited to attend a session at Wilbraham Middle School on March 18 at 6:15 p.m.
