By Andrew Hackmack
After hearing the administration's proposal, the board trimmed about $400,000 in spending, reducing the budget increase by a little more than a percentage point.
Superintendent of Schools Dr. Elizabeth Lison presented the board with a first draft of the budget at a meeting on Feb. 13. Her $40.8 million recommendation was a 6.4 percent increase over the current year's budget. The board eliminated some items and brought the tentative budget down to $40.4 million, a 5.26 percent increase.
More than half of that reduction was made by eliminating the administration's proposal to add two assistant principals. Each position would have been split between two buildings and assisted the building principals in managing student data. "It's important that our principals spend more time in the classrooms, coaching our teachers," Lison said.
The removal of the assistant principal positions reduced the proposed spending plan by $220,000. However, board members still acknowledged the increasing amount of paperwork building administrators must deal with. "They will study ways to provide more support to the principals," Assistant Superintendent for Business Meredith Brosnan said. "Because of all the mandates, there are a lot more pressures on principals."
The board did support all of Lison's other proposed staffing additions. She recommended adding a fourth math specialist so there would be a full-time person at each building. Lison also asked to increase a part-time speech teacher to full-time and for the creation of two library aide positions.
Because enrollment is expected to increase by less than a dozen students next year, Lison said there is no need to increase the number of regular classroom teachers.
The superintendent is asking to replace 100 older computers throughout the district. "The life of a desktop in a classroom is about three to four years," she said, adding that these computers are used constantly during the school day.
Other proposed technology enhancements include the purchase of more wireless laptop presentation carts and SmartBoards. Lison also recommended about $547,000 in capital projects. Included in that is the first phase of roof replacements at Howell Road and Willow Road schools. In addition, new arch windows would be installed in the Wheeler Avenue auditorium. Board of Education President Bill Stris estimated that those windows were removed back in the 1950s.
The proposed increase in the tax levy - the total amount to be raised by taxes - is at 3.99 percent. That translates to an estimated $122 increase in each homeowner's tax bill.
Under the governor's proposed budget, District 13 is slated to receive a $400,000 increase in state aid to $9.3 million. Additionally, Lison is recommending that $1.175 million of surplus funds be applied to next year's budget. That would leave the district with a fund balance of slightly more than $1.6 million.
The board of education still has about two months to make changes before adopting its proposed budget that will be voted on by taxpayers May 20.
Comments about this story? AHackmack@ liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 265
