School district’s propsed budget grows by $52,179
for work at middle school, added teachers
By:Laura Toto
The Board of Education increased spending and the tax rate in the proposed school budget Monday after a lengthy discussion on the need for more teachers to staff the English as a Second Language program at the Auten Road Elementary School.
|
Budget snapshot •Total budget: $74,734,013 •Projected tax rate: $1.851 •Added tax: $89.06* •Tax bill: $4,627* *Based on property assessed at $250,000. |
The revised budget plan increases spending by $52,179 and would set the tax rate at $1.851 per $100 of assessed valuation a tax increase of 1.96 percent.
For a home assessed at $250,000, the additional tax impact would be $89.06, raising the total school tax bill to $4,627 for a home assessed at the township average.
Some new spending items added to the budget include money for the removal of carpeting in the middle school and the purchase of testing materials. Superintendent Robert Gulick said the carpeting was being removed after research showed few schools today are being constructed with carpeting because it collects dust and mold after prolonged use. He said the carpet will be replaced with vinyl tile at the middle school.
The board also decided to work within the total budget proposal of $74,734,013 to add a full-time teacher for the English as a Second Language (ESL) program. The superintendent’s original budget proposal had included funding for only a part-time ESL teacher.
Board member Joan Sheridan asked if the board was prepared to handle the possibility of adding only a part-time ESL teacher when it was uncertain if the need would be greater.
"If at any point in the year, if it appears we do not have enough ESL staff, I will come back to this board and ask for additional personnel," Dr. Gulick said.
Currently the district has five ESL teachers, one of which is at Auten Road School.
But parent Lisa Leon said there are special needs in Auten Road School.
She noted that ESL was a "pullout program," where students leave the classroom for half an hour to work with an ESL teacher.
"We need support for our teachers in the classroom," she said. "I think they need constant reinforcement and support."
Ms. Leon recommended the board shift budget items around to free up additional funding for ESL support at Auten.
Ms. Sheridan asked if aides could be brought into the classrooms to help.
"Yes, we can do that," Dr. Gulick said. "The issue is money."
In the end, the board provided $25,000 to make the ESL position full time by moving money around within the $74,734,031 budget.
The board also discussed the special question that will be on the April 17 ballot asking voters to approve a refinancing plan for construction that was done in the late 1980s.
The board hopes to reduce expenses by paying off bonds issued to build Amsterdam Elementary School as well as the additions onto the middle school, Triangle Elementary School, and Sunnymead Elementary School, which carry a higher interest rate than currently available.
In the past, the board did not need public approval to refinance, but with a new facilities funding law, voter approval is required. Dr. Gulick said refinancing could save as much as $400,000.