Remarks From Board of Education Chair Deb Grass Are Worth Repeating

The following are the remarks given at the Public Hearing on June 1, 2011, by Board of Education Chair Deb Grass.

The Board of Education recognizes the fact that everyone couldn't make it to the hearing and we felt it was worth sharing.

Good evening.  Here we are in a position we wish that we were not in!!  

The role of the Board of Education is to create the best quality education for our students in a cost-effective way.

The Administration, Superintendent Jack Cross, and Assistant Superintendent Maryann O’Donnell are charged with creating a fiscally responsible budget.  

The Board of Education participates with them throughout the budget process, and ultimately endorses a budget.  Throughout the year, whenever an opportunity is perceived, the Board and Administration look for cost containment, always cognizant of the economic environment we are in.  

Examples of those cost containment efforts include, negotiations--with four separate unions--often started as much as a year in advance of contract renewal. Contract renewal with vendors, such as Transportation, leasing costs, such as copiers, technology equipment and licensing, to identify but a few, are scoured for cost savings, as well as teaming up with other town Departments such as DPW, and the Police for shared services.

Board members are taxpayers too whose Board responsibility is to be on a constant watch for improved educational opportunities at reasonable costs. Education of our students is always the primary goal. 

It is important to understand that there are three pieces of the Education budget, though the referendum just reflects one number. The first part of the three part BOE budget is the Debt Service figure.   This is a set repayment amount based on previous commitments, similar to your home mortgage repayment structure.   Some of these prior citizen approved obligations to bonded monies originated 5 to 10 years ago -- this number is not a choice, it is a given.

The second piece of the BOE budget is our Capital Improvement monies.  These are requests for large ticket items which need repair, replacement etc.  The Capital Improvement requests are reviewed for multiple years, by the Board of Education, in an attempt to responsibly spread out costs with an eye toward utilizing items for a long as possible. The Board of Education is responsible for approximately 400,000 sq feet of buildings, roofs, windows, floors etc.  This Capital request goes through the Town based Capital Improvement Committee, who evaluate those requests from all Town departments, and then pare down the requests to a level they believe is affordable by the Town. Again certainly with attention paid to the economic times.  Then the financial responsibility for the specific Education Capital Improvement Plan is part two of the overall Education Budget. 

The third and largest part of the Education Budget is the “Operating Budget”, which we refer to as our BOE Budget. This money provides the support for the day to day operations of our School District. This year that increase request was for 1.14% , or $344,772.00.  Coincidentally, this was the amount recommended for reduction to the BOE Budget, in the last failed referendum. 

Recently there have been questions by the general public about our Special Education costs.  The reality is that the nearly 6 million dollar price tag is governed by Federal Mandate. Of our overall 2036 student population, we have approximately 268 identified special needs students. It is our legal and moral obligation to meet those special needs and yes, 19.6% of the costs in our budget can be found in this area.  Again these are State and Federally mandated programs.  

Our charge is to provide the best quality education in a cost effective way.  The monies in the Education budget are for the students.  Despite conversations to the contrary, we are a people driven “business,” the daily interaction with our staff, all of them; teachers, administrators, paraprofessionals, secretaries, custodians, coaches, nurses each with differing jobs and responsibilities to our students, are all part of the mix of quality education. It is most certainly not just books and supplies. Those invaluable employees along with appropriate educational tools are what drive education, and we continue to strive to provide that education to the best of our ability.  

Despite reductions for the past two years, better results for our students are constantly being sought and improvements are being realized.

As a final note:  We get it!  We understand that we are a diverse community.  We understand that our fellow residents come from different social circles, with different lives, different jobs and different household economics.  We understand the diversity, and we understand the stress and strain of painful economic times.  However there is something that we all share-- we share a common responsibility as a community to provide a quality education for our youngest community members---our children!!! Thank you.