Schools

School Budget Proposed at 4.7 percent increase

Plan includes additional staff for increased enrollment, contractual salary increases, $400,000 capital plan for window replacement at Middle/High School

School Superintendent Kevin Case has proposed a 2011-2012 school spending plan of $23,333,522, a $1,049,713, or 4.7 percent, increase. 

Case presented the plan at Canton High School Thursday, Feb. 24.

He said the plan includes some new teaching positions as a result of 53 additional students districtwide, a $400,000 capital expense for window replacement in older portions of the Canton High/Middle School building, contractual increases in salaries, provisions for educating 14 special education students out of district, and the replacement of some six-year-old technology. 

Find out what's happening in Cantonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Among the proposed increases are: 

  • An additional Grade 3 teacher at Cherry Brook to keep class size at 22 or 23 students per class. 
  • An additional fourth-grade teacher at Canton Intermediate School to keep class size to 21 and 22 students per class. 
  • A 0.3 World Language teacher to teach Spanish in the sixth grade, a new initiative.
  • A 0.3 High School science teacher to meet growing enrollment and graduation requirements. 

Case said the proposed plan includes decreases as well. They include: 

Find out what's happening in Cantonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

  • A 0.2 reduction in physical education at the Middle/High School
  • A 0.4 reduction in world language at the Middle/High School
  • A 0.15 reduction in CAPT preperation at the Middle/High School
  • A 0.2 reduction in math at the Middle/High School
  • Elimination of the International Studies elective at the Middle/High School
  • Savings from three retirements
  • Elimination of athletics scrimmages
  • Elimination of middle school interscholastic matches, except for cross country and track 
  • Funding of the athletic trainer through athletic participation fees 
  • Utility savings through energy conservation 

Case said the budget is a year-round process that really gains steam in January. He said he took all the requests from school administrators, which would have resulted in an 11.1 percent increase, and worked to cut where possible. 

Case said many of those requests, such as an assistant principal shared between Cherry Brook and Canton Intermediate, were justifiable but not feasible with current economic conditions. 

Case said his job is to present a budget that is as “fiscally responsible as possible considering these tough economic times.” 

A few members of the public came to the budget presentation Thursday night. 

Also in attendance was Board of Finance member Ike Eickenhorst, who asked Case if there was an effort to gain concessions from unions.

Case would not comment on specifics but did say “yes” when Eickenhorst asked if administrators were trying to get some concessions.

Those who want to learn more about the budget presentation have several chances to do so. 

On Monday, Feb. 28, at 7:30 a.m., there will be a budget presentation at Canton Intermediate School.

Tuesday, March 1, there will be two budget presentations: at 10 a.m. at the Community Center, Room 5, and at 2 p.m. at Cherry Brook School.

Also March 1, at 7 p.m., the Board of Education will hold a public hearing on the budget at the community center, room F.

On Tuesday, March 8 at  7 p.m., the  Board of Education will hold a meeting in the community center to adopt the budget before passing it on to the Board of Finance.

The Board of Education’s finance committee will meet several times before then to discuss the plan and will make a recommendation to the full board. 

Board of Education Chairwoman Beth Kandrysawtz praised Case, but said the board will look for areas of additional savings. 

She said to Case, “You’ve done a great job ... being as fiscally conservative as you can while still moving the district forward.” 


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here