Despite Defeat, Budget Still Issue For School Board

Nobody wants teachers cut. But nobody's completely sure of how to avoid it.

That seemed to be the conclusion after three mothers and Hopatcong's Board of Education went back and forth for nearly an hour over possible teacher firings and money-saving moves at Monday night's reorganization meeting.

The end seemed to produce a stalemate—school board members insisting they would have to release teachers if the borough council slashes its proposed budget; parents imploring board members to find other ways to save money.

"Did you try to find any way to cut this budget that didn't impact our children's education?" parent Liz Juliano said.

"There's not a heck of a lot left to cut," newly-elected board President Cliff Lundin said.

The district's proposed $35 million budget, which would have raised school taxes $109 on the average Hopatcong home, was defeated by 34 votes last week. It was its eighth straight defeat.

Now it goes to the council for potential cuts. Last year, the council chopped $730,000 from the budget after it had already lost $1.7 million in state aid, resulting in the district dropping 24.5 teachers and a slew of programs.

The mothers—Guliano, Mirsad Kucevic and Donna Luciani—asked a variety of questions during public comment, from why the six teachers given reduction-in-force notices were chosen and if more administration could be eliminated. Board member Joanne Passerini said one administrative position would be lost as Curriculum Supervisor Dr. Joanne Mullane would permenantly vacate her post to take over Tulsa Trail's principal role next year when Joseph Memoli retires, and that the cost-saving move was factored into the proposed budget.

Maranzano also said the chopping-block teachers—Jaime Fialcowitz, Catherine Giugliano, Anne Keenan, Christina Munoz, Gerald Venturino and Wendy Wyman—were given RIFs based on teacher tenure laws, not performance, and because state law says teachers must be notified they could lose their jobs by May 15.

"That's where those names come from," Maranzano said. "And we are absolutely not permitted to vary from what the state law requires."

More teachers could be cut, depending on how much the council trims from the budget. But Lundin said there was a small silver lining for the district.

"If the council comes back ... with a reasonable number, it may not be all six" that get fired, said Lundin, who took over as president for Frank Farruggia Jr. "It may be one or two."

Board member Joan Reilly said she didn't know if the board could find another way to save other than to cut personnel.

"We are at a disadvantage compared to many districts right now because we have been cutting for so many years," she said. "And I am telling you we have been cutting. I don't want to let teachers go. I am not against—I want to look more. I want to look at it. I just don't know if I can come up with anything. I've been on the board a few years. I've come up and I've tried and I've made suggestions and everything else. But I am running out of ideas."

Lundin said he hoped borough residents would look over the proposed budget.

"I want to throw the windows open and let the sun shine in and let the public see our budget," he siad. "It is all public information. And the information that goes to the town council, they can review the town budget, I want that available to the public. And if you know of certain areas we can cut, I want to hear your ideas. We all want to hear your ideas."

Kucevic said the board should consider moving its offices from the administration building and into the high school. Juliano said it should consider cutting courtesy busing, which the district provides for elementary students within 2 miles and secondary and high school students within 2.5 miles, Business Administrator Theresa Sierchio said. Lundin said the board would consider all options.

Superintendent Dr. Charles Maranzano said he emailed Mayor Sylvia Petillo Monday, asking her and the council to consider not making any cuts to the proposed budget.

Editor's note: An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated that Director of Curriculum Jeff Hallenbeck would become Tulsa Trail's next principal.