You Asked: Where do Things Stand With School Budget Cuts?

1) Newsbit: Where do things stand with school budget cuts?

We asked School Committee member Rick Kraft for a summary.

Not all cuts proposed earlier in the year remain in play but some do. A notable exception: class sizes.

District officials restored elementary school class sizes when the town apportioned an additional $100,000-plus, he said. 

In addition, a high school task management position was preserved.

If more funding becomes available the district will restore additional items.

Before the district received the additional town funding — the money to restore class sizes and a task management position — it had to reduce spending by $1,012,399 to operate with a level-funded budget for the next school year.

That's the same amount of money as this year: $24,305,000.

Here is the list of proposed budget cuts before class sizes were restored and the taskmanagement position was restored.

Proposed Reduced School Spending (From School web site)

• Eliminate most wireless phones in district with $10,000 annual savings and $30,000 less investment in 13 walkie talkies
• Larger elementary class size or multi‐age * $100,502 Do not replace two retiring teachers
• Eliminate 2 HS Task Management positions $55,500 Two RIF less unemployment
• Transfer teacher to new 5th grade position $57,505 Make adjustments in schedules due to small current 5th grade
• Eliminate SPED teacher position at Hadley $30,251 Change self contained program to inclusion model
• Eliminate new SPED inclusion teacher at Stanley $37,802 Hire two ABA tutors
• Reduce 2 FTEs at HS/department heads to teach full schedule $97,760 Used two full time salaries less unemployment to calculate adjustment
• Reduce MS door monitor positions $17,856 After we move the MS main office, positions will no longer be necessary
• Eliminate HS librarian position $57,674 Rif less unemployment
• Eliminate MS librarian position $29,040 Move to 1.0 FTE reading and hire a .5 FTE reading
• Reduce OOD pending $118,509 Risk ‐ hoping all projected OOD placements do not happen
• Pre‐paid tuition carry forward $350,000 Risk ‐ hoping these funds are still available at end of FY13
• Salary differential $50,000 Teachers retiring or not moving up the pay scale as predicted

Total of budget adjustments $1,012,399

2) Town and School Watch: 

The School Committee will elect a chairman and vice chairman, introduce new members Carin Marshall and Amy O'Connor and assign members to the negotiations subcommittee when they meet on Wednesday at 7.

3) Swampscott Sports:

Swampscott High sports action today at home: the boys tennis team hosts the O'Bryant School at 4 at the middle school courts and the baseball team hosts Revere at 6:30 p.m.

4) Weather Watch: 

Mostly sunny, with a high near 57. 

5) Town Meeting Watch: 

The warrant will be addressed at Town Meeting, May 6, 7:15 p.m. in the high school auditorium.