New Fairfield Public School District

Budget

Executive Summary

Superintendent of Schools’ Proposed Budget, 2012-2013

The development of the budget begins early in October: the zero-based budgeting process is explained to all administrators. At this initial meeting we discuss the fiscal plan to meet our district goal, seeking to be fiscally responsible while striving to meet the goal and realize the many components of the strategic plan. Working with staff, administrators then begin to compile their needs. Requisitions are submitted to the principals and department leaders who carefully scrutinize each one, seeking the best prices for items that are truly needed. Individual building and department budget needs are shared with PTO members before budget books are submitted to me. A meeting with me, the business manager, and the assistant superintendent is then held to review each request. This process has led to building budgets that have not increased for the past six years. It is the top priority of the administrative team to be dedicated to providing the most appropriate education for all students. This budget reflects that dedication.

Defining the most appropriate education for our students requires prioritization: the district goal, the strategic plan, the capital improvement plan, and promoting the development of students who are safe, healthy, challenged, engaged, and supported are all considered. The student development characteristics included constitute consideration of the whole child, and also respond to our district goal, incorporating technology and using data to drive and personalize instruction, ensuring continuous improvement for all students.

One technology innovation begun on January 3, 2012, is the One-to-One (1:1) Computing Innovation in grade 6. Preparation for this innovation began years ago with the district goal implementing SRBI (Scientifically Research-Based Instruction) and with the introduction of SMART (Specific Measurable Achievable Realistic Timely) goals, Infinite Campus, Discovery Streaming, and interactive whiteboards in the classrooms: staff began using data to make instructional decisions and using technology to deliver curriculum and inform parents of student progress. As part of 1:1 computing we are asking families to consider the BYOD option—Bring Your Own Device—to assist in funding this innovation. With this option the district does not have to purchase a computer for every student. The goal of the innovation is to continue to introduce the program to a new 6^th grade class each year until all students grades 6-12 have access to a device for individual use at school and at home. For the 2013 fiscal year we have included $7,500 in technology hardware to purchase 30 netbooks for this innovation. In spring I plan to renegotiate our printer lease, reducing the number of printers and using the anticipated cost savings to purchase any additional laptops needed.

The building project at Meeting House Hill School is progressing as scheduled. Students and staff now fully occupy the renovated cafetorium as well as the third and fifth grade classrooms. The entire project is scheduled to be completed in January 2013. Meanwhile, the renovated rooms of the high school science wing continue to be enjoyed and used exactly as intended—to provide the best science education in the most up-to-date and technologically advanced classrooms possible. We are very proud of the renovation work completed to date and are extremely thankful for the community’s support for this work. Debt service for this renovation work again is included in our budget, increasing the payment needed by $68,962. As no additional bonded indebtedness is planned, debt service payment will not increase beginning with the 2014 fiscal year. Conversely, the debt service maturity schedule calls for an overall decrease in the Board of Education payment amount.

In this budget I am recommending a reorganization of staffing in the following areas: paraprofessionals and teachers, technology, and athletics. Due to a greater number of students enrolling in kindergarten than was predicted last year by NESDEC, we made adjustments to staffing placements to stay within the budget. The larger kindergarten class size is again predicted for the 2013 fiscal year. In New Fairfield our class size in the primary grades has traditionally been fewer than 20. To meet the increased expectations associated with the recently adopted Common Core State Standards, class sizes need to remain at that size. Differentiating instruction, documenting results, and entering data in the student-data management system for the standards-based report card to produce students who can read, write, and meet the numeracy standards, require a manageable class size. Therefore, I am recommending the addition of two elementary school teachers—one in kindergarten and one in first grade.

Based on the decrease in student enrollment, I am also making the following recommendations: the reduction of a grade 5 paraprofessional, the reduction of a .5 physical education teacher and a .4 art teacher at Meeting House Hill School, the reduction of a middle school safety web teacher and paraprofessional, the .5 reduction of a middle school social worker, and the .5 reduction of a middle school psychologist. Other changes based on enrollment include the reduction of a middle school French teacher by .2, and the addition of .2 to the high school Latin teacher (bringing this position to 1.0.)

I am also recommending the reorganization of the technology team and the addition of a staff member. Managing the day-to-day operations of the district with two technicians and one coordinator who also has to manage the town’s needs has become increasingly difficult as we continue to add hardware every year. To date the team is managing 1800 computers, 200 projectors, 160 interactive whiteboards, 80 document cameras, 15 servers, 40 switches, 81 wireless access points and 3 controllers, 298 telephones and the conversion to Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), and an average of 200 helpdesk tickets per month. Keeping the technology functioning as expected and assisting staff in operating the technology in classrooms requires additional staff.

Once again this year we have included the reorganization of athletics. We had hoped to implement this change for the 2012 fiscal year, but it did not withstand the budget process. The reorganization would eliminate the position of athletic coordinator and return to a full-time athletic director who would also be the K-12 health and physical education coordinator. This reorganization allows us to manage the nearly one million dollar investment of the Carol M. White Physical Education Program (PEP) grant in the New Fairfield Public Schools. Our health and physical education programs flourished during the past three years of the grant and this reorganized position will assist us not only in maintaining all of the advancements, but in continuing to improve. The reorganization also provides more time for the athletic director to manage and supervise the sports programs at the high school.

Building administrators will continue to cover in-school suspension (ISS). State statute requires limiting out-of-school suspension and using in-school suspension unless the infraction poses a serious threat to the educational environment. For the past two years we have asked for a paraprofessional to split the responsibility of covering ISS at the middle school and high school. We are not asking for this position this year as we are mindful of the financial impact of adding staff.

Our Federal Education Jobs Fund entitlement totaled $261,908. These funds were applied to the payroll budget for the 2012 fiscal year. They will not be offered for the 2013 fiscal year; therefore, we must add these dollars to the budget, resulting in a 1.14% increase to the salary budget.

The attrition amount remains at $40,000. This number is predicated on the assumption that existing staff will leave the district, an assumption we cannot confirm. Therefore, this dollar amount, which represents a reduction in our payroll account, seems appropriate.

Costs for special education outplacement have increased, resulting in an increase of 12.94% to meet mandated needs. We are awaiting a Special Education Opportunities Review to be conducted by the District Management Council (DMC). The purpose of the review is a systematic evaluation of our programs and offerings. Special education services, programs, procedures, staffing, and costs will be analyzed, resulting in DMC providing three to five high impact opportunities and projected benefits. The aim of this review is to increase achievement while lowering costs.

I am very proud of our past accomplishments and look forward to all we have yet to achieve. This budget reflects our dedication to providing the most appropriate education for all students while also being fiscally responsible. The staff and administrators evaluated their individual budgets and worked collaboratively with me to create and refine a budget that will enable us to continue the system changes we have begun in incorporating technology and using data to improve teaching and learning.

Respectfully submitted,

Dr. Alicia M. Roy
Superintendent of Schools

Board of Finance's Reccommended Budget 2012 - 2013

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B.O.E.'s PowerPoint for Reccommended Budget 2012 - 2013 March 2012