"What was a 'conservative' budget then is now 'overly ambitious' "

By Joyce Kelly/Daily News staff

GHS

Posted Jan 28, 2009 @ 12:18 AM

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FRANKLIN —

Once again, the School Department is looking at serious cuts thanks to both the recession and rising costs of mandatory services.

Administrators last night told the School Committee that just to maintain the same level of school services, teachers and staff next year, the district would need about $3.5 million more than its current budget.

Superintendent Wayne Ogden was quick to state the School Department does not expect to get that much, but, he explained, he wanted to propose a level-service budget for the community.

Read the full article in the Milford Daily News here

Creativity should be a priority

TED always has interesting and thought provoking talks. This one is entertaining as well as thought provoking.

Enjoy!

Live reporting - meeting closes

Jazz night (mentioned earlier) is only time to see the middle and high school jazz bands perform together. The Remington cafeteria is set up like a night club for this event.

Franklin Education Foundation - Trivia Bee coming up Thursday, March 19th

Live reporting - Superintendent

5. Information Matters
Superintendent’s Report

• Make Up Day – School Calendar Change (covered earlier)
  
• Neglect and Abuse
• Special Education Educational Assistant (covered earlier)
  
• Peanut Butter (covered earlier)
  

Ms Chris Neill - worked in the Freshman Collaborative as the Spec Ed teacher; had held principal positions at a couple of schools. This is a great selection on Peter's part.


School Committee Sub-Committee Reports - none


School Committee Liaison Reports
Cafasso - Building Committee did accept and appreciated the School Committee recommendations on priorities

Live reporting - Action items

4. Action Items

1. I recommend the approval of budget transfers as detailed on the attached list. Approved 7-0
   
2. I recommend acceptance of the donation of $2,500.00 from the Helen Keller PCC for a field trip and buses to the Museum of Fine Arts for Keller’s 4th grade students. Approved 7-0
3. I recommend approval of the field trip to Roger Williams Zoo in Providence, RI for Keller’s 5th graders on May 1, 2009. Approved 7-0
4. I recommend the hiring an Educational Assistant for the ALP that has not been budgeted for. Approved 7-0
5. I recommend acceptance of a check for $350.00 from B & B Framers and B.F. Kushner of Franklin for mat boards for art for the Jefferson Elementary School. Approved 7-0
6. I recommend approval of the FHS Cheerleading field trip to Atlantic City, NJ for a competition from 2/13 – 2/15/09 as detailed. Approved 7-0
7. I recommend signing and ratifying the contract between Maureen Sabolinski and the Franklin School Committee for the position of Superintendent of Schools. Approved 7-0

Live reporting - Discussion only items

3. Discussion Only Items

• Make Up Day for HMMS/Oak/ECDC Complex

Ogden did request an exemption from the DOE, it was denied

Two possible solutions

• half day on Good Friday
• appending another day at the end of the year

More data is being gathered before making this decision but because it is a calendar decision, you will need to make it.

• Peanut Butter in our Schools

All the peanut food products were removed to be safe.

• First Reading of Policy KCDB - School Based Advertising Content

Motion to move the KCDB policy to a second reading - Approved 7-0

Live reporting - FY 2010 Budget

Approach to provide the same level of services as this year.
$3.8 million or 6.9% increase would be required

What the state budget does will drive what our numbers come out as

Budget will be posted to the School's website tomorrow for a more detail review

a "level service" budget
the individual schools got the same allocation as last year. The individual schools may have chosen to distribute within differently.

Dollars allocated on a per pupil basis, will account for the major differences in the overviews for each line item

Teacher reimbursements to individual teachers and hence to the schools were centralized.

Increases for health benefits are projected to be about 10-15%

Armenio - This budget year will not be pleasant, not that any of the recent ones were too pleasant. This assumes School Choice would be continued at the same level as this year?

Ogden - Yes

Armenio - So if the reductions are such that people choose to bring the students back to their home district, that would be revenue we would loose.

Cafasso - On the transportation, can you give us a little more what is behind that?

Goodman - We are expecting an increase, there is an offset for the pay-to-ride, but there is also an increase in special ed out of district transportation.

Slight - What is included in the cost per pupil?

Ogden - the material and expenses associated with each level of the schools

Ogden - Chapter 70 formula possibly to be re-done for the FY 2011 year.

Rohrbach - some relief in spec ed transportation cost would be appropriate

Ogden - Rep Deleo did not think that was possible this year

Roy - Per Nutting, he is expecting Franklin to be short approx 4.5 to $5 million for FY 2010.
We have to be cautious, none of the reductions already made will not be considered for being back next year. It is more likely to see further cuts.

Ogden - what we may get is more like a level funded budget