Politics & Government

Board of Education Votes for 2.79-Percent Budget Increase

Next Stop: Board of Finance

The Board of Education approved a 2011-2012 budget of $22,904,566, a $620,754, or 2.79-percent increase from the current budget year.

The plan will now go to the Board of Finance.

The Board of Education’s proposed number is some $228,956 lower than the original proposal submitted by Superintendent Kevin Case, which represented a 4.7-percent increase. The largest savings came from a decision to put in $200,000 toward window replacement for portions of the Canton High/Middle School building, rather than the full $400,000 for the project.

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“We recommend we fund half of that,” board member and finance subcommittee chairman Mark Lange said during a presentation of the recommended changes.

That committee worked with Case on the reductions.

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In addition to that capital plan, cuts included $7,000 through administrator concessions, a $5,000 in extra-curricular stipends at , $21,000 in salaries due to an additional retirement, $100,000 in technology, $48,000 in special education paraprofessionals and a $10,000 in high school athletic transportation, which will be made up through pay-to-participate funds.

The board also trimmed some funds by teacher reductions, including a .18 music tech position at Canton High School and using paraprofessionals for a couple of positions. One will involve hiring a para for a new .4 sixth-grade Spanish position at . That will cost the district $7,000 rather than $14,000, according to the school board.

Case said it makes sense to hire a highly qualified paraprofessional in that case since so much of the program will be driven by computer software.

The board did retain additional third- and fourth-grade teachers proposed by Case.

Although they may not have wanted to make all the cuts, board members generally supported the changes but a few posed questions and concerns.

Member Gretchen Sonju asked where the new third-grade section would be located at and asked if a reduction of a second-grade class was at all feasible.

Sonju said she fully supports the position but is worried about the space crunch at the school and what may have to be sacrificed to find the room.

Case said reducing a second-grade section would bring class sizes up to 23, which he feels is too high for that grade. He also said administrators have not yet determined where the third-grade classroom will go and are considering a few possibilities. 

Susan Crowe asked about the reduction of four special-education paraprofessionals.

Case said that another area where specifics have to be worked out but said it will likely involve some reconfiguring and consolidation.

“We’re always looking at how we can provide special education services in the most efficient way possible,” Case said.

The school board will present the plan to the Board of Finance March 14 and on April 4 present the budget at a 6 p.m. Board of Finance meeting.

A budget public hearing for both school and town spending will take place at 7 p.m. on April 7.  

Town-side spending has been proposed by the Board of Selectmen for $9,314,852, a $226,569 or 2.53-percent increase over the current adjusted budget of $9,085,283. 

On April 14 the Board of Finance will hold a budget workshop and the annual Budget meeting is set for May 9 at 7 p.m.

The school board is also working on scheduling some coffee sessions in Canton neighborhoods, in which Case and a few board members will present the proposed budget in an informal way.

The effort reaches some people who are not able or comfortable with attending the board’s public meetings, said Beth Kandrysawtz, who chairs the Board of Education.

“I think people are more comfortable,” she said.

Dates and locations have not yet been announced.

 

 


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