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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1976-01-31-SC-min CAR ! ;.; F.''A' UBRAR' 02173 Page 24 January 31, 1976 A budget meeting was conducted on Saturday, January 31, 1976 at the School Administration Building. The meeting was called to order at 9:15 a.m. The following were in attendance: Mesdames Swanson and Berch- told, Messrs, Brown, Rotberg, Wadsworth. Also present were Messrs. Spi- ris, Maclnnes, Monderer, Barnes and Miss Quinn. The discussion of the Personal Services Budget began with Mr. PERSONAL SERVICES Spiris presenting his request to finish this budget by reviewing para- BUDGET professional and high school guidance. Mrs. Swanson said she felt that there were more than two items within the Personal Services Budget that the School Committee would like to discuss. Even though there had been tentative approval of items she stated the School Committee would re- view additional items within the Personal Services Budget. She doubted that a final decision on the entire budget would be made by February 9, 1976. The publication, Our Schools, was discussed briefly. It was agreed to use the term "tentative" on the School Budget publication which would be mailed to the public prior to town meeting. Mr. Spiris reviewed the topic of para-professionals. He said they PARA- would give classroom teachers additional assistance, and would help with PROFESSIONALS special needs students. He stated that in this way more help could be obtained for less dollars. He said a role description would be developed and presented to the LEA-School Committee during negotiation sessions. Mrs. Swanson replied saying she had difficulty accepting the addition of para-professionals. She felt the School Committee had attempted to help classroom teachers by reducing pupil-teacher ratios, large classes, etc. She stated that one of the important priorities would be for flexi- bility in movement of students within the school system rather than an increase in additional staff. Mr. Brown agreed. He said he wished he could agree with the concept as presented in the budget, but found it most difficult. He felt that realignment from within would be one of the priorities. Mrs. Berchtold said she could not support the idea either. She felt that Lexington was very well off when it came to sup- portive staff. It was VOTED: to take the item ($43,500) para-professionals out of the Personal Services -udget. (Berchtold, Brown, Swanson, Wadsworth, YES, Rotberg absent when vote taken) Mr. Spiris commented on the second item, secretarial help for coun- selors. He said the net difference was only $5400, and all reports stressed that the guidance could be strengthened by the addition of such help. It was the consensus of the committee to keep this item in the budget pending further review. Mrs. Swanson announced the School Committee had received a finding SABBATICALS regarding the sabbatical grievance from the arbitration board. The board stated that the School Committee's vote to put a moratorium for sabbaticals for one year was discretionary. The committee asked Mr. Spiris to check with Alan Miller to see if the School Committee was required to vote sabbaticals as a total or if alternatives could be considered. Page 25 January 31, 1976 Mr. Brown suggested that a single line item budget could be used PROFESSIONAL for the area of professional development. This professional develop- DEVELOPMENT ment account would include a certain monetary figure which would in- clude summer workshops, leadership, sabbaticals, etc. Mr. Spiris re- plied that it was a good idea but he felt that the timing was not good due to the contractual problems. He said staff would be applying under one contract, and if new rules and regulations were going to be in- cluded in another contract, the inconsistency would present problems. He suggested that this be reconsidered in the future. Mr. Spiris reviewed the financial status of the proposed budget. He said that the recommended increase in the Personal Services Budget was $222,000 or 1.8. increase. The School Committee 's additional re- ductions of $92,900 brought the increase to $129,151 or 1.1. increase. He noted that the $129,151 contained one major item of $78,000 for sabbaticals. Mr. Spiris presented the Expense Budget to the School Committee EXPENSE BUDGET and suggested a page by page review. He said it reflected the school department 's priorities, however, there were other requests that were not granted. An example used was a request for band uniforms. The request for five band uniforms was not approved which meant that five youngsters would not be able to march in the band next year. He felt that the School Committee might wish to put some items back in, de- pending upon their priorities. A complete list of the requests were presented to the School Committee. Mrs. Berchtold and Mrs. Swanson questioned the requests for the large number of filing cabinets again this year. Mrs. Berchtold said this reinforced her idea that a central inventory was needed. It was difficult to make decisions on such re- quests not knowing the amount or where items were. Mr. Maclnnes said the files were mainly for classroom teachers and not just for clerical aides. A page by page review of the expense budget began. Dr. Rotberg questioned the inclusion of monies within the accounts 2500t and 2800-4. He said that as a result of the November 24 testing meeting, he felt the School Committee should delete a substantial amount of money in those accounts. He noted that everyone seemed to agree at that meeting that the WISC should be eliminated with a minor amount of money being left in for WISC testing if essential. He suggested a figure of $10,000 be elimi- nated from this account. He asked Dr. Monderer to submit other items that could possibly be deleted from this and other accounts for testing. Mr. Spiris interjected saying his understanding was that he was to make a recommendation to the School Committee after the Testing Committee had met. The Superintendent said the testing committee was preparing a re- port and hopefully by next week he would present it to the committee. They agreed to discuss the testing program next week. Account number 2300-5b was discussed briefly. The School Committee DRIVER EDUCATION requested a report be presented on driver education. Mr. Spiris said this report was now being prepared. Page 26 January 31, 1976 Dr. Rotberg commented on account 2300-5c stating that perhaps a CULINARY-DOMESTIC more appropriate heading for the account would be culinary and domestic ARTS arts. He said he was also concerned with the allocations under this account. He wondered who had control of the allocations and if the allocations took into account increased enrollments at buildings after semester changes, etc. Mr. Maclnnes said that the full allocation was available by school, but did not take into account any enrollment in- creases. Account 2300-5, industrial art supplies was questioned by the com- INDUSTRIAL ARTS mittee. The reason for the large increase in the account was due to the increased enrollment of girls in shop and boys in home economics. Dr. Rotberg said that he wished to go on record as opposed to the TOWEL SERVICE total amount contained in the account 2300-5g, towel service. He felt that the $25,000 being recommended for towel service could be better used to hire two classroom teachers for the Lexington Public Schools. He felt that this would be a quality way to use money rather than to provide towels for students. He felt that students could bring towels as they do in many other communities. The majority of the committee felt that students should not bring towels from home. Dr. Rotberg questioned the program budget concept within the ex- PPBS pense budget. He noticed that under many categories a notation, senior high school program budget, was used and he wondered if Dr. Clune in making up the program budget was doing anything more than just adding up line items. He wanted to know how they were arrived at, and how our anticipated needs were determined. Dr. DiGiammarino responded saying that Dr. Clune and he were working. on a programmed planning budget oper- ation, but it would take more time. He felt a big step had occurred this year in working with department heads and writing up objectives, re- quests, etc. Dr. DiGiammarino said that this was an initial effort. Dr. Rotberg said he recognized this and hopefully the school committee would be aware of this. He emphasized this was not an end result of PPBS sys- tem; the future would hold more solid information in a programatic form. Account number 2300-6a was discussed. Dr. Rotberg asked that an PROJECT LEAP evaluation of Project LEAP be submitted to the School Committee prior to its inclusion in the budget. Mrs. Berchtold agreed that this would be most appropriate and stated that a report had been promised. Mr. Spiris said this report would be forthcoming. The topic of the summer CO-OP was discussed by the School Committee. SUMMER CO-OP Dr. Rotberg questioned whether this should be on the recreation budget rather than the school budget. Mrs. Swanson questioned the legality of putting it on the school budget. Mr. White, a member of the Appropri- ations Committee, said that it was a good question and should be in- vestigated. Dr. Rotberg expressed his disappointment that this had not been done prior to this time, since it was too late now to include any- thing in the warrantor to make a change. He hoped that next year this would be resolved. All members of the School Committee agreed that this matter should be reviewed. Mr. Spiris agreed to follow up on this item. Page 27 January 31, 1976 The final item discussed was account #2300-6b-2, travel allowance TRAVEL ALLOWANCE within the district. The School Committee asked Mr. Maclnnes to give a breakdown of the account and he agreed to do so. Dr. Rotberg moved that account #1200-6 be reduced from $3500 to $1500 and reimburse central office administrators on a mileage basis. It was seconded by Mrs. Berchtold. Mrs. Swanson said that she felt she could not agree with the motion because it had not been piloted first. She would need some proof first before she could vote it out. A vote was called on the motion. (Rotberg, Berchtold, YES, Swanson, Wadsworth, Brown NO) The motion failed. Mr. Spiris presented a principal evaluation plan to the School Com- PRINCIPALS ' mittee. The School Committee agreed to discuss the plan at the next ses- EVALUATION sion. It was VOTED: to adjourn at 12:17 p.m. (Rotberg, Berchtold, Unanimous) Respectfully submitted, Richard H. B9ines Recording Secretary /k Pro Tem