$27 Million School Budget Proposed for 2013

The Wakefield School Department has requested a $27.9 million budget for fiscal year 2013, a $1.3 million increase from last year, according to a budget presentation at Tuesday night's School Committee meeting.

The 4.88 percent increase from last year is mainly due to the expiration of federal stimulus funds and contractual salary increases, while also maintaining current educational programs and class sizes said Michael Connolly, business administrator for the Wakefield School Department.

Where the money goes
The largest chunk of the budget, 83 percent, goes towards faculty and staff salaries, Connolly said.

"One of the major budget drivers for this budget is personnel, but many of their contracts are in their third and final year of contractual obligations," he said.

Out of the 83 percent, 58 percent will go towards regular education, and 25 percent will go towards special education. For the remaining 17 percent, 4 percent will go towards administration, 11 percent will go to operations, and 2 percent will be spent on athletics and extra-curricular activities.

What equals five full-time positions will be added for the 2013 budget year. Due to a slight uptick in enrollment at the elementary school level, one additional elementary school teacher will be added. Two part-time art teachers have been added - one at the middle school due to scheduling constraints, and one at the high school to meet student demand. Other personnel additions include a part-time science lab aide, a part-time Italian teacher, a half-day kindergarten aide, two special education paraprofessionals, a part-time high school math teacher, a nurse at the middle school. A girls volleyball coach and an indoor track assistant coach were also added.

Administrators noted their budget priorities included maintaining educational programs, keeping class sizes at 18-22 students, especially in kindergarten through 2nd grade, supporting technology education, maintaining school facilities, providing extra-curricular activities to meet student interest, and replacing supplies like textbooks.

Cost savings measures
Even though Wakefield Schools is requesting an increase in its budget, Connolly presented a long list of ways the School Department attempted to cut costs within their operating budget.

These cost-cutting measures include a copier and printer consolidation project to replace aging dell printers, the regionalization of the special education transportation contract, the addition of a special education bus, an automated subsitute assignment system, rental income from classrooms used by Lesley University, a new trash and recycling contract, and savings on postage by using electronic communication methods.

Next Steps
The School Committee must still vote on the $27 milion budget, and it must still be approved by the Board of Selectmen. The proposed 2013 budget falls within the town's guidelines.

A copy of the proposed budget will be available for review by the public in the Office of the Superintendent of Schools, 60 Farm Street, Wakefield, Massachusetts from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. The budget is also available here online.