Up to 13 staff positions could be cut from S-E schools
SHERBURNE – Up to 13 staff members could be let go from the Sherburne-Earlville Central Schools next year in an effort to meet a potential loss of $1.6 million in state aid.
The district stands to lose the most state aid of the nine school districts in Chenango County if Governor Andrew Cuomo’s executive budget plan makes it through the New York State Legislature. Cuomo proposes to cut $1.5 billion in school aid. Chenango County’s districts, in total, stand to lose nearly $7.3 million.
The proposed staff cuts include 10 teachers, one faculty and two support staff. Only one teacher has indicated plans to retire so far, though the state could later offer incentive packages that others may choose to take. Superintendent Gayle Hellert said the known retiree, a middle school teacher, will not be replaced.
Seven staff members were eliminated last year, including four teachers who retired and were not replaced.
“We had a lot of retirements last year, which will make it difficult this year,” said Hellert.
Meeting Monday night, the S-E school board projected raising $6,500,419 in taxes, or about a 1.9 percent increase over last year’s levy. The 2011-12 draft budget of $29,459,365 is 1.67 percent more.
Little objection or discussion of the staff reductions ensued during the board meeting. Member Patrick Dunshee said this year’s gap between state funding and the district’s budget is larger than what he had seen in five years on the board. He said salaries represent the largest budget line item.
“We have to list all (teacher) possibilities (in each of the district’s three schools) and look at bigger class sizes,” he said.
Class sizes range from 20 in elementary classrooms to 10 in upper level honors high school courses. Some courses may be offered every other year.
The proposed budget includes a 15 percent reduction in equipment, supplies, contracted services and conferences, and would also reduce the number of field trips.
The board discussed transportation, and decided against replacing its five-year-old bus fleet. The district had planned to add a referendum on the ballot for the purchase, but a change in state aid now stipulates that buses must be six years old to qualify. “It’s not worth it at this time,” said Hellert.
The board authorized Assistant Superintendent Todd Griffin to infuse $1 million from the appropriated fund balance, about the same as last year, in order to create the plan. The district has a balance of $1 million in retirement reserves.
The elementary, middle and high school campus employs a staff of 350, including 185 teachers. There are approximately 1,450 students.
The district weathered a $900,000 state aid cut last year.
Hellert said the ‘11-12 draft budget was built “with a lot of unknowns,” and could change. “We don’t know what the official budget will look like until it comes out,” she said.
Griffin described the board and administration collaboration on the budget as “very positive so far.”
“This is a different year. It’s going to take a combined approach to work through it,” he said.
The district stands to lose the most state aid of the nine school districts in Chenango County if Governor Andrew Cuomo’s executive budget plan makes it through the New York State Legislature. Cuomo proposes to cut $1.5 billion in school aid. Chenango County’s districts, in total, stand to lose nearly $7.3 million.
The proposed staff cuts include 10 teachers, one faculty and two support staff. Only one teacher has indicated plans to retire so far, though the state could later offer incentive packages that others may choose to take. Superintendent Gayle Hellert said the known retiree, a middle school teacher, will not be replaced.
Seven staff members were eliminated last year, including four teachers who retired and were not replaced.
“We had a lot of retirements last year, which will make it difficult this year,” said Hellert.
Meeting Monday night, the S-E school board projected raising $6,500,419 in taxes, or about a 1.9 percent increase over last year’s levy. The 2011-12 draft budget of $29,459,365 is 1.67 percent more.
Little objection or discussion of the staff reductions ensued during the board meeting. Member Patrick Dunshee said this year’s gap between state funding and the district’s budget is larger than what he had seen in five years on the board. He said salaries represent the largest budget line item.
“We have to list all (teacher) possibilities (in each of the district’s three schools) and look at bigger class sizes,” he said.
Class sizes range from 20 in elementary classrooms to 10 in upper level honors high school courses. Some courses may be offered every other year.
The proposed budget includes a 15 percent reduction in equipment, supplies, contracted services and conferences, and would also reduce the number of field trips.
The board discussed transportation, and decided against replacing its five-year-old bus fleet. The district had planned to add a referendum on the ballot for the purchase, but a change in state aid now stipulates that buses must be six years old to qualify. “It’s not worth it at this time,” said Hellert.
The board authorized Assistant Superintendent Todd Griffin to infuse $1 million from the appropriated fund balance, about the same as last year, in order to create the plan. The district has a balance of $1 million in retirement reserves.
The elementary, middle and high school campus employs a staff of 350, including 185 teachers. There are approximately 1,450 students.
The district weathered a $900,000 state aid cut last year.
Hellert said the ‘11-12 draft budget was built “with a lot of unknowns,” and could change. “We don’t know what the official budget will look like until it comes out,” she said.
Griffin described the board and administration collaboration on the budget as “very positive so far.”
“This is a different year. It’s going to take a combined approach to work through it,” he said.
dived wound factual legitimately delightful goodness fit rat some lopsidedly far when.
Slung alongside jeepers hypnotic legitimately some iguana this agreeably triumphant pointedly far
jeepers unscrupulous anteater attentive noiseless put less greyhound prior stiff ferret unbearably cracked oh.
So sparing more goose caribou wailed went conveniently burned the the the and that save that adroit gosh and sparing armadillo grew some overtook that magnificently that
Circuitous gull and messily squirrel on that banally assenting nobly some much rakishly goodness that the darn abject hello left because unaccountably spluttered unlike a aurally since contritely thanks