Despite some community members urging the Scotia-Glenville Board of Education to exceed the state mandated tax cap, the approved $47.8 million 2012-13 budget remains under the limit.
The Board of Education unanimously adopted a 2012-13 budget with a 2.93 percent tax levy increase on Monday, April 2, which included three phases of cuts totaling about $2.3 million.
If assessments and state equalization rates remain unchanged, the typical homeowner with an assessment of $160,000 would see a $95 tax increase. Spending would increase by 1.59 percent, or around $748,000, next school year under the adopted budget.
Robert Hanlon, spokesman for the district, said it is impossible for the district to offer the same programming and opportunities for students next school year. If the district did a rollover budget, Hanlon said taxes would have reached an “unacceptable” 12 percent increase.
“It won’t be a whole lot different, but it won’t be the same thing,” Hanlon said. “There is no way we can do the same with less. … There will be things that won’t be offered next year.”
The adopted budget eliminates 40.3 full-time equivalent staff positions, which include teaching and non-teaching positions, teaching assistants, aides and monitors. Four positions are being eliminated through retirements. There are about 500 staff members, so the reductions represent around 8 percent of the district’s staff, according to the district.
The adopted state budget increased district aid by $150,000 from the governor’s proposal. From that boost in state aide, $100,000 is being used to restore one of the two elementary librarian positions that had been proposed for elimination.
Also, around 0.3 of one middle school guidance consular position will be restored, which equals around a day and a half each week. The district’s labor unions are considering concessions that would restore the remaining part of the guidance position and possibly other programs.
Teaching positions slated for elimination include one elementary librarian, one elementary Opportunities and Programming for Advanced Learners (OPAL) position and one second-grade teacher at Sacandaga Elementary School. The floating nurse would also be eliminated, leaving one nurse for each school.
Athletics would be reduced by $115,000, which would mean cuts to equipment and supplies, business office spending and summer grounds helpers.
Program eliminations include driver’s education, field trips, late bus runs, sixth-grade exploratory foreign language program, the 1-2-3 Success program and young scholars.
“All these programs are important to somebody,” Hanlon said. “To cut something that benefits kids is the opposite of what educators want to do.”
Summer school would also be eliminated, except for special education summer school offerings because Hanlon said the district is required to offer it.
During last year’s budget deliberations, the Board of Education restored sixth- to 12th-grade summer school after the entire program was slated for elimination. This year, that reduction was included.
“What we are hoping is that kids will go to other schools (for summer school), because other schools are keeping it,” Hanlon said.
Driver’s education became too costly for the district to offer, he said, because the district could only charge around $175 per student. The going market price for similar programming is around $300.
“We don’t have the vehicles and the cost to maintain the vehicles would not be worth it,” he said.
Two administrative positions are being eliminated in Superintendent Susan Swartz’s reorganization of office staff. Swartz announced the first round of administration changes on Wednesday, April 4, which will become effective on July 1.
John Geniti, current athletic director and interim principal at Lincoln Elementary School, will become the full-time Lincoln principal next year. Upon assuming his new role, Geniti will give up his athletic director responsibilities.
Mark McCarthy, a high school mathematics teacher and academic head of the math department, will become the full-time principal at Glen-Worden Elementary School. McCarthy will give up his responsibilities as math academic head. Maureen Long has also been serving as Glen-Worden principal this school year, but will return to her position as director of instruction and curriculum.
High school Assistant Principal Robert Cosmer will become middle school principal. Former middle school Principal Shari Keller retired in December.
The proposed budget reduces the number of district administrators to 16. There were 20 administrators at the district two year ago.
The two newest state mandates, including the Dignity for All Students Act and teacher evaluations, will cost the district $89,000 next school year, said Hanlon, and place further stress on the shrinking administrative staff.
“School districts only get their money from two different sources — property taxes or state aid. Schools are going to be dependent on those two sources, but unfortunately those are going to hit people in the pocketbook,” Hanlon said.
The community will vote on the proposed budget along with candidates for two Board of Education seats on Tuesday, May 15, from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. at the high school’s old gymnasium. A formal public hearing on the budget is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Wednesday, May 2, at the middle school cafeteria.
