Guilderland school officials and residents played tug-of-war with the district’s budget at a Tuesday, March 24, meeting.
Assistant Superintendent for Business Neil Sanders informally presented the budget, slated for vote at the end of May, alongside a slideshow updating the public on the district’s progress.
Some residents said they were opposed to a proposal to make the social worker position at Altamont Elementary School a part-time job; an opinion echoed by several board members shared their concerns.
`Children are feeling the stress their parents feel,` said former teacher Yvette Terplak said. `We need people specially trained to cope with these problems. There will be so many instances of an unpredictable nature that will arise.`
She said the tough economy weighs on parents, and in turn, on children, and having a full-time social worker can help alleviate some of the pressure on the children. Terplak said she is concerned about what will happen if a student has a `meltdown` while the social worker is not there.
`I believe this position is not a mix-and-match position,` she said.
Residents and school board officials also mulled the possibility of funding the tuition for a third student to go to Tech Valley High School, a hands-on technology school that accepts students from all around the region. The district currently pays the $12,000 tuition for two students to attend.
However, cost-cutting budget proposals include holding off on sending additional students to Tech Valley, as well as giving English teachers a fifth course to teach and cutting the purchase of technology hardware.
Sanders said the district is facing `unknowns at a far greater level than we’ve ever seen before.`
He said projected budget numbers include decreases in personnel, and contractual salary increases that account for $311,000.
District Superintendent John McGuire said the `uniqueness` in developing the budget and the `unknowns` coming from state and federal government have made the process difficult.
`It’s cruel and inhumane what the state of New York is doing,` said board member Denise Eisele.
Fellow board member John P. Dornbush echoed her frustration in the face of government delays that have hindered the budget process.
`We’re doing the best we can here,` said Dornbush. `I just want those out there in the audience to understand what we’re up against here. We’ll continue to struggle with this and fine tune this.`
Eisele said she supports a full -time social worker at Altamont Elementary.
`It’s a good program. It’s a necessary program,` she said.
Other board members said the proposed budget unevenly favors the high school.
`My overall problem with the budget is equality of the levels,` said board member Colleen O’Connell.
She said the middle school is taking the brunt of the cuts, though not losing very many students, while the high school is taking too few cuts. O’Connell cited the science enrichment program as an example of a middle school initiative that should be kept intact.
`Something’s got to give at the middle school,` she said.
She added the high school’s technology budget is `too rich,` and said she wants to see results of Tech Valley before sending another student.
Joe Laurenzo, chief technology specialist for the district, spoke on behalf of the need to continue to provide top-level hardware for students.
He said opposition has been voiced about increasing spending on technology at the expense of personnel, but he pointed out the importance of keeping the hardware up to date.
`It’s not so much equipment [as] it is personnel tools,` Laurenzo said.
He said buying new computers will save on repair costs and pay off in the long run.
Dornbush said he supports the technology spending.
`If you’re not keeping up, you’re falling behind,` he said.
He said he also supports sending a third student to Tech Valley. A tuition decrease means sending three students will cost the same as two.
Barbara Fraterrigo warned that building in too many new programs with stimulus money is a bad idea, since that money will dry up in three years, while the programs will still be in place. That would put too much responsibility on the `backs of taxpayers,` she said.
She said using money for programs that benefits the entire student body, rather than just the advanced students, is a good idea.
Board President Richard Weisz said it is unfortunate that the debate involves discussing figures that comprise such a small percent of the overall budget.
`It’s sad the way the structure is so limited,` he said. `It’s just the nature of the beast.`
He commented on the unfortunate state of the economy.
`This is the year the economy stopped. This is the year people cried out to us like never before,` he said.
The citizens budget advisory committee will meet for the final time on Tuesday, March 31, at Guilderland High School to further discuss the budget. That meeting is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
Check back at www.spotlightnews.com for updates on state and federal aid slated for the school.
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