NORWICH – Based on preliminary budget figures, the Norwich City School district will actually increase its academic offerings to students next year and maintain a less than 3 percent increase in the tax levy. As long as belts are tightened and federal stimulus money comes through, that is.
“That’s the big picture,” explained Superintendent Gerard O’Sullivan, as he and Deputy Superintendent Margaret Boice presented the second half of their budget analysis to the district’s board of education on Tuesday night.
The preliminary budget represents a .86 percent increase over the current year’s budget, but accomplishing that given the current economic climate will mean painful cuts in some areas. Wherever possible those cuts are being made in supplies and expenses so as to keep the impact as far from students as possible.
But there will be some positions lost as well, including those of five teachers and one teaching assistant position due to be vacated through retirements and resignations. Two additional instructional positions, one in high school math and one in special education, will also be cut, as well as that of a school psychologist.
O’Sullivan said he had already been in communication with the president of the Norwich Educators Organization, Dr. Bruce Race, about the proposed cuts.
The superintendent also said he met with Norwich Education Support Staff Association President Trish Pepe about the reduction of three teachers aide positions in the high school.
“We both anticipate no one currently employed at the district will be affected,” O’Sullivan explained, given the normal rate of attrition in those positions.
There will also be some reassignments of staff between buildings, Boice said. “These are the kinds of shifts you see all the time.”
One of the superintendent suggestions is that the high school’s dean of student’s position be retitled as assistant principal. He proposed transferring the building’s existing assistant principal to the middle school. “We’ll have better coverage across the board,” he explained.
Despite the staff changes and reductions, O’Sullivan confirmed that there would be no reduction in programming. “We’re not losing programs,” he said.
In fact, the district plans on bringing on an additional business teacher in the high school. This is a result of increased student demand for business course offerings, the superintendent explained. “We’re looking to grow that program.”
The high school will also be rolling out ten new elective courses in the coming school year. Among the electives is an SAT prep class, a social studies class on the modern Middle East, math in relation to sports and forensics. Which of the new classes will actually be offered will depend on student interest, O’Sullivan said.
The district will also see an expansion of the guided reading and ACES programs, acquisition of more musical instruments and an expansion of rotational course offerings for sixth graders.
The numbers presented by the superintendent and deputy superintendent were based on conservative estimates of state aid, O’Sullivan explained, but are also largely dependent on the more than $800,000 promised to the district in federal moneys. Without that money, it will be back to the drawing board to make even harsher cuts.
“We deeply need the federal stimulus to maintain our existing staff,” O’Sullivan said.
According to Boice, the school board will hear the details of the revenue side of the preliminary budget at their next meeting, scheduled for 6 p.m. on March 31.