Vernon Education Budget Trimmed by More than $600,000

Cuts to the 2013-14 school system budget totaling $693,949 were hammered out in a budgetary steering committee meeting on Wednesday. 

The board of Education is getting its line items in order in case the Town Council's $82.5 million budget is endorsed by voters next month. The board must get to $50.1 million, a number that represents a decree from Mayor George Apel to trim the request submitted to him by $1.5 million, a move upheld in a split council vote.
 
Two accounts not touched were the $381,066 earmarked for all-day kindergarten and $36,700 for 10 smartboards, Board of Education Chairman Dean Houle said. 

Still, Houle said on Wednesday, "We did not finish our job tonight."

The school board will now take additional budget action after the regular April 22 meeting, he said. 

Houle said the cuts adopted on Wednesday included: 

• Three current teaching positions - all valued at $69,000 - one for the grade 3 to 4 range at Center Road School, a high school social studies teacher and a special education teacher at Skinner Road School. 
• $125,000 from a non-public tuition account. 
• $17,909 from a tutoring position that is not being filled.
• $30,000 from science kits that were to be acquired systemwide.
• 12,000 earmarked for math and science supplies.  
• Extended-day transportation valued at $25,000. 
• Three coaches at RHS totaling $7,755 - assistant track and field, dance and assistant cheerleading. 
• Pottery supplies at RHS valued at $5,200.
• $20,000 for central office supplies.
• Office reorganization net savings of $27,000. 
• A $69,000 alternative learning teaching position at the high school. 
• A $10,000 reduction in the Nova-Net online learning license fees after a renegotiation.
• Three existing g teacher coaching positions valued at $207,000. That is not alliance district money, Houle said.

The board added a Grade 2 teacher at Maple Street School, a position valued at $69,000, to prevent two classes of 25 students, Houle said. 

The April 23 Annual Town Budget Meeting is on tap for 7 p.m. at Rockville High School. 

The May 7 referendum is scheduled for Center 375, 375 Hartford Turnpike.