School Board Talks Budget

The Salem School Board held a lenghty discussion Tuesday night regarding the proposed 2012-2013 school district budget as they prepare for a presentation to the Budget Committee in December.

from SAU 57 Superintendent Michael Delahanty. Tuesday night, the board got into specifics on numerous topics.

There was a discussion about the need for to maintain a staff of seven guidance counselors. Delahanty said two counselors work in the freshman program and they are involved in some teaching as well as their counseling duties.

"The students themselves are benefitting from this program," Delahanty said.

If the remaining five counselors were to drop to four the case load would be 275 students per counselor, with 87 being seniors, who usually require more attention as they transition out of high school.

School Board member Bernie Campbell said he wasn't sold on the need for that many counselors. He said the state guideline is 300 students per counselor.

"It's too compartmentalized," Campbell said.

Delahanty said counselors oversee plans for students with disabilities, which some districts do not require of their counselors.

"Do we gain something by reducing a counselor? I think we do not," Delahanty said. "Can we provide the same level of service? I believe we do not."

"I support spending money for the students and I've been an advocate for that for years and years," Campbell said. "On the other hand given what's in the environment and what we'll be asked to do, this is one area where I've raised the question now for a couple years and I think we're there."

An issue discussed was the declining enrollment at . Delahanty said the team structure at the school could be altered for grade 6 that might change the ratio of students per teacher from 21 to 22 to around 25.

"I'm advocating for the existing structure," Delahanty said.

Elswhere, Delahanty said district staff came up with a $110,123 total cost for a new finance director position proposed in the budget. In addition IT furniture, testing supplies and other areas had been reduced in the budget from what was originally presented.

Delahanty said budgets will again be discussed at next Tuesday night's planning meeting at which time he hopes some "reasonably final decisions" will be made.

The board can take actions the next meeting thereafter on Nov. 22 before a December presentation to the Budget Committee.