By JUDY RATTNER
"We're going to have to figure out how to run a school district differently. We're not going to be the same coming out of this."
With those opening words, at the first of four budget work sessions, Johnson turned to Assistant Superintendent for Business Robert Bartels, who outlined several suggestions for cutting approximately $2 million from the school district's proposed 2009-10 budget. Speaking to a crowd of close to 600 parents, residents, faculty and administrators who braved snow and icy roads Tuesday night to pack the auditorium of South Side High School, Bartels painted a grim scenario. Facing a possible $1.2 million reduction in state aid, the district plans to trim the proposed budget to limit next year's spending increase to only $1.7 million, thereby keeping the tax levy increase close to 4 percent. The district's goal is a $90 million spending plan, 1.9 percent more than the current budget of $88.3 million.
"I have a commitment to quality education, and I have to maintain the same level that Rockville Centre residents have become accustomed to living with during the years of this administration," said Johnson. "But the message was very clear: Our marching orders from the board involved seeing what the various cost savings options are."
Johnson, Bartels and school board President Mark Masin repeatedly told the audience that no decisions have been made, and that they were seeking the community's input. "This is truly a time when we need to think together," said Johnson.
One option that generated the most emotional and consistently negative response from the audience members who lined up to speak after the presentation, was the "redistricting" of Rockville Centre's five elementary schools, which, according to Bartels, would save the district between $1.6 and $1.9 million.
Under the plan, Watson Elementary School would cease to be a regular school and would be converted into a revenue-producing community center, possibly for child care, special education or regular pre-school.
Under a redistricting "Plan A," Riverside Elementary School would be turned into a kindergarten center. Covert, Hewitt and Wilson elementary schools would become grade 1-through-5 buildings, and there would be no increase in class size - classes would be capped at 25 students.
Plans B and C are variations on the theme, with Hewitt housing either kindergarten and first grade or fourth and fifth grades. Riverside, Wilson and Covert would house four grades, either kindergarten through third grade or second through fifth grade.
Johnson said that Watson was singled out because it has only one floor, which can easily be subdivided, and it is in a central location and along bus routes. "It's an easy place for people to get to," he said, "and it would serve the community best."
Redistricting would involve administrative, secretarial and teaching staff reductions. Only custodial positions would remain unchanged, "Because the building is not being closed, we are [just] changing its use," Johnson said. Bartels said that all current programs and services would remain in place, and start times at the schools would be adjusted and staggered to accommodate families with children in more than one school.
Seemingly stunned Watson parents, whose sentiments were echoed by sympathetic parents from other schools, said they were upset about losing their beloved neighborhood school and having their children bused to schools in other parts of the district. They expressed concerns about the emotional and psychological impact of forcing their children to leave their friends and subjecting them to what they feared would be larger classes and overcrowded conditions. "The bottom line," said one parent, "is that some things are not really an option."
Said others: "There's got to be a better solution than you have here." "There isn't anybody who wants to see a building closed, so we should put that idea to rest." "Other things have got to go before the kids."
As she left the meeting, Watson Principal Joan Waldman said she was unable to comment because she was feeling too emotional at the moment.
In a written statement, Watson PTA co-presidents Liz Dion and Margaret McGuire said, "As you can imagine, we are extremely disappointed with Dr. Johnson's proposal to the board. We believe the closing of Watson Elementary School will affect all members of our community. We are deeply concerned, and are calling an emergency meeting of the Watson PTA to develop a plan of action. We are hopeful that the Board of Education will continue to explore other options beyond closing our school."
A number of residents questioned whether savings could be found in other areas of the budget, with several suggesting that everyone should "share the pain." Recommendations included pay cuts and calling on the district to renegotiate contracts with its unions.
The other cost-saving option that was presented by the administration would be to take a "scalpel" to the budget. Elementary classes could be allowed to grow to a maximum of 28 students, with a teaching assistant in those with more than 25, and a number of programs and services in both primary and secondary schools would be eliminated. Potential cuts would include one teaching assistant in each elementary school building, the elementary foreign language program, math support and third grade strings, a music program.
In both the middle and high schools, class sizes could increase and staff could be reduced. District officials would also consider reductions beyond the school day, including the sixth-grade Ashokan trip, Project Jason, elementary intramural sports and the second middle school lacrosse and soccer teams. And they would look for ways to change and charge for district-wide programs and services that have been underwritten by the district, and to streamline related services, such as transportation, to the most basic levels mandated by the state.
Neither the redistricting nor the budget-paring option, Johnson said, would affect the overall quality of the core curriculum. And he said the savings from either plan would have to be significant and ongoing - greater than $1 million. He made it clear that the school board has the authority to adopt either plan, but Masin emphasized that the situation is "fluid," and that the board needs to hear from the community. "It will be important for the public to realize what a reduction of $2 million or more means to them and their children in terms of the education they will receive," Masin said.
Not everyone left the meeting disheartened. School board Trustee Stephen Kriss said, "I was very pleased with the turnout. Many members of the community were here to voice their opinions about what was presented. I took copious notes. Some great ideas came out of the audience tonight. It was much better than the usual 10 people."
PTA Council co-presidents Trina Goldstein and Andrea Maher issued a statement that said, "The turnout was exactly what was needed and with the weather conditions as bad as they were, it goes to show that this community is deeply involved and aware of the district's budget issues. We hope that this meeting went a long way in explaining the options and decisions that need to be made for this year's budget. There is more work to be done, and the community needs to continue to come to these meeting to hear and be heard."
Masin and Johnson stressed that they, too, want community members to continue to attend and participate in upcoming school board meetings. A budget work session is scheduled for Tuesday at 7 p.m. in the South Side High School auditorium, and there is a regular Board of Education meeting Feb. 24 at 8:30 p.m., also in the high school auditorium. Details of the proposed budget plans are posted on the school's Web site. To view them, go to rvcschools.org and follow the appropriate links.
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