Milford BOE Reduces Budget By $60K; Contentious Debate Breaks Out

The Board of Education approved budget for fiscal 2015-16 is $91.11 million, which represents a $60,000 reduction from what Superintendent of Schools Elizabeth Feser proposed.

Feser’s original budget request was $91.17 million or a 2.19 percent increase. The school board approved budget represents a 2.13 percent increase.

“The Board of Education voted to eliminate four new elementary school Media Aides at a cost of $100,000 and in the same motion, added $40,000 back in to fund the existing 4 part-time Media Aides so it was a net reduction of $60,000,” said James L. Richetelli Jr., who is the schools chief operations officer.

So then why did the school board budget deliberation vote take two hours if only $60,000 was reduced?

Contentious debate

The Republican members of the school board wanted to cut more items in the budget beyond the proposed full time Media Aide positions.

At one point the GOP proposed cutting $20,000 requested for additional IT support to move computers and tech equipment this summer in anticipation of the district returning to a K-5 school system.

Republicans thought volunteer high schools students could move the computers, reports Milford Mirror Editor Jill Dion.

At one point Superintendent of Schools Elizabeth Feser responded by saying “Where is the logic?,” while adding “Do you have no trust in us?”

Assistant Superintendent of Schools Michael Cummings said he needs professionals to move the computers and ensure the work will be done before the start of the school year, Dion reports.

Other proposals to cut

Republicans proposed cutting four new school teacher leader positions Feser requested saving $280,000 but that was rejected by the board’s majority, Dion reports. Republicans also wanted to save $120,000 by eliminating two academic support specialist positions. Again that request was rejected.

Read Jill Dion’s full story in the Milford Mirror here.

Key elements of the budget

Feser said in order to return to a K-5 elementary school configuration in time for the fall of 2015, establish preschool classrooms in at least three of the elementary schools and redistrict the schools it will cost an additional $1.97 million. The Board of Education approved adopting all three measures back in October.

Milford school officials say the majority of the funds needed for the reconfiguration are covered within the existing budget because of declining enrollment and monies already set aside.

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Feser and Schools Chief Operations Officer James L. Richetelli Jr. carefully explained that a significant portion of the almost $2 million costs needed to restore the K-5 elementary school reconfiguration are for one-time expenditures that will not affect future budgets.

“It needs to be recognized, however, that reconfiguration to PreK-5 schools is a massive undertaking, and has both one-time and long term costs,” Feser said.

Feser said going back to a K-5 system is not that simple, and a lot has changed over the past six years.

“For example, today there are new language arts and math curricular, computer labs, a much more robust music program, much richer classroom libraries and media centers, and expanded special education programs,” Feser said.

A breakdown of the costs:

In order to return to a K-5 school system, Milford needs to hire 16 regular classroom teachers and 3.5 specialist positions costing $1.17 million.

“The additional staffing is needed as every grade level will now be housed in eight schools rather than four, and there is a loss of economy of scale,” Feser explained. “However, as you will see in the “Savings” section .... more than two-thirds of these teaching positions are offset through reductions in staffing at other levels of the organization due to declining enrollment.”

Feser is also seeking to add four school assistant/teacher leader positions costing $280,000 combined. The position helps principals in several managerials areas, Feser said, while also assisting with some instructional leadership, professional development and more.

She said the position is a teaching position and not an administrative one.

Feser is also seeking to add four full time media aides costing $60,000. Currently, there are part-time media aides in the K-2 schools. The plan would be to replace the part-time positions with full time positions.

The media aides would support classroom teachers in integrating technology in their teaching, provide technical support and serve as liaisons with the Instructional Technology department.

Other costs

Feser said $75,000 will be needed for overtime this summer. The extra funds will cover custodial, maintenance, and school building secretarial overtime costs.

Another $40,000 is requested for IT temporary help to move computers, SmartBoards, and other technology and to set it all up. The district plans to hire a six-month secretary to do central registration of PK-5 children.

All registration of new students will occur at Parsons from late spring through September.

The district expects to spend $300,000 on moving costs this summer, and $250,000 was already set aside previously, leaving $50,000 to be funded for the move.

Some building projects are necessary costing $50,000.

In an effort to ensure equity amongst the grades $92,000 is needed for instructional supplies to support reading/language arts, social studies, physical education and other instructional materials.

Additionally, an additional $28,000 is needed for books to ensure equity among the schools, $42,500 for musical instruments, and $10,000 for furniture.

Lastly, $20,000 is needed for professional development as some teachers will change grade levels and will need training in the curriculum of the new grade.

Staff reductions

In order to reduce the burden on taxpayers, Feser said she looked for savings in her proposal to offset the budget increase through reductions in the existing budget.

“The greatest amount of savings was in staffing primarily stemming from continued enrollment decline,” Feser said. “We are recommending staff reductions totalling $1.174 million.”

Feser is proposing to eliminate 13.4 regular education teaching positions saving $804,000, five special education teachers, $300,000, four part-time media aides, $40,000 and the reclassification of a teacher saving another $30,000.

Feser said despite the staff reductions she is hoping layoffs will be avoided.

In 2004 the schools enrolment was 7,600 pupils and next year’s its forecast to be 6,222 students.

The district is also projecting a $170,555 savings in its transportation account as bus runs and stops continue to be consolidated.

Milford schools are also planning to save an additional $126,107 by energy conservation, and the district is saving $422,154 on computer purchases.

“We were able to purchase many computers in this current budget due to a grant from the state and matching funds from the Board of Education budget, thus are able to reduce this line items for the next school year,” Feser said.

The district also saved $119,750 by realigning its curriculum work.

“I will reiterate that the development of this budget was an arduous task particularly determining the costs of the reconfiguration when individual school enrollment is yet to be determined,” Feser said. “We used every piece of information we had to determine our costs. More importantly, we sought to ensure equity between and among the schools.

Beyond reconfiguration, this budget responds to increased demand for safe school facilities and welcoming building. Moreover, it is a budget that will contribute to the continued growth of Milford Public Schools as measured by the quality of its educational program and student performance,” Feser said.

School security upgrades next year

Feser is continuing to make school security a priority as she is seeking an additional $200,000 in next year’s budget, which would partially be used to hire two more police officers and assign them to the schools.

“Security in all school systems across the state has risen to new heights post Sandy Hook and other tragedies and threats to schools across the nation,” Feser said.

She said a growing number of districts have hired a security coordinator, who would assume oversight and leadership of school security in all 14 schools. The position would be paid $70,000 annually.

“This person would be responsible for providing supervision and direction regarding all security issues throughout the district,” Feser said. “He/she will coordinate with the Milford Police Department, ensure compliance with all state security mandates, oversee all crisis response plans and drills, conduct annual mandated training to every district employee, coordinate the implementation of infrastructure improvements … and plan for future improvements as required by the State School Safety Infrastructure Council.”

Police Chief Keith Mello is in support of the position, the superintendent said.

For example, the person would be present for lockdown drills to provide feedback and ways to improve security.

Middle School Greeters

Feser is seeking $49,500 to hire three greeters, one each for the middle schools. She said the elementary school greeters have helped immensely in making the schools inviting to everyone who enters, but also ensures visitors sign in, and that they are accounted for while in the building.

“Due to the location of the front offices in the middle schools in relation to the front doors, it is very difficult, logistically, for the secretaries to perform effectively the responsibilities of the “Front Door Procedures” that have been adopted by the system,” Feser said.

“The desire is to put a dedicated person at the front door who will provide a presence and a set of eyes to meet/greet each person entering the school,” added Feser.

More Police Officers in Schools

Feser is requesting two additional school resource officers, or cops, costing $37,500 each, which is half the cost of an SRO. The city has been paying half of the police officer’s salary, and Feser said the hope is that 50/50 funding partnership would continue.

Milford currently has four SROs, one each at Jonathan Law and Joseph A. Foran high schools and two SROs for the middle schools and The Academy.

The plan if approved by the Board of Education would be to have one dedicated SRO for each of the three middle schools, and to have one SRO assigned to the eight elementary schools.

“The four SROs currently serving the middle and high schools make an invaluable contribution to the safety of students and to the school climate,” Feser said.