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School Committee and Finance Committee – January 14th Budget Workshop

Dr. Ellin Booras describing plans for SHS for 2015-2106

During the month of January, the School Committee is meeting every week. The first two weeks – January 7 and January 14, 2015 – are Budget Workshops. The purpose of the workshops is for the Superintendent and his Administrative Team to present their recommended budget to the School Committee.  This year, the Finance Committee* has been invited to attend the Budget Workshops and to ask questions throughout the presentation to support their understanding of the budget. 

In Sandwich, we are very lucky to have Sandwich Community Television broadcast and archive the video of many of our public Boards and Committees.  The meetings are long and complex, and a variety of important topics are discussed.  We are including both a link to the video and a guide to the first Budget Workshop meeting.  The guide is an outline of the topics discussed and indicates the specific place in the video when the discussion takes place.

Click here for the SCT Video of the January 14, 2015 Budget Workshop.  The Budget Workshops are not broadcast live because they are being held in the SHS Library; instead they are taped for rebroadcast.  The January 7, 2015 meeting, with a guide to different parts of the meeting was previously published on Sandwich Learns Together here.

@ start  – SC Chair Travis Andrade opened the meeting

 

@1:13 –  Mr. Parini, Chair of Finance Committee, opened with a statement

@6:20 – Dr. Canfield’s, Superintendent of Schools, shared his thoughts as an opening statement

  • Announcement that additional cuts were made following last meeting. The revised budget now matched the amount requested by the School Committee.
  • Closed a $380,000 gap while keeping commitment to fund what we value

 The revised budget and a summary of FTE (Full Time Employee) changes can be downloaded here: Final_Draft_FY16_Budget

@10:18  – Response to Mr. Parini’s Questions regarding the number of FTE’s in the SPS.

@12:24  – Michelle Austin started the discussion of expenditures

@16:16 –  Explanation of the Summary Page

@17:13 – On the Teaching and Learning page,

  • note cuts to tech supplies and
  • an explanation of the Textbook Adoption Line
  • explanation of the Professional Development line

@20:14 – Dr. Canfield explained his philosophy regarding Site-Based Budgeting. 

The goal is to reinforce the connection between the Building Administrator’s responsibility for programs and the budget.

@22:00 – Questions and answers about NEASC

@24:00 – Discussion about technology equipment

@39:00 – Oak Ridge School Expenses – Trish Hill, Principal

  • discussion about the Library program
  • discussion of music expenses at Oak Ridge
  • discussion of Social Studies and Science
  • Q&A about Graduate School Tuitions for teachers

@54:10 – Forestdale School – Marc Smith, Principal

  • Discussion regarding plans for Professional Development
  • Discussion regarding Office Supplies

@64:07 – STEM Academy Expenses – Gil Newton, Director

  • Discussion about Professional Development

@69:00 – Sandwich High School – Dr. Ellin Booras, Principal

  • Discussion about continuing implementation of Project Based Learning and Project Lead the Way
  • Discussion about the addition of new courses and the elimination of other courses at SHS
  • Discussion about Textbook Adoptions for new Advanced Placement Classes

@78:36 – Athletic Budget – Neil Murphy, Athletic Administrator

  • Decrease in expenses for STEM Athletic Equipment
  • Increase in SHS Athletic Expenses
  • Coaching expenses
  • Questions regarding Gate Receipts

@90:35 –  Special Education/ Student Services – Matt Bridges, Director of Student Services

               Explained reductions and increases

  • Contracted Services
  • Legal Fees
  • Independent Evaluations
Michelle Austin and Alan Hall explaining the Facilities and Maintenance Budget Photo from the SCT video

Michelle Austin and Alan Hall explaining the Facilities and Maintenance Budget
Photo from the SCT video

 

@100:30 – Custodial/Maintenance of Buildings and Grounds – Alan Hall, Director of Facilities

  • Maintenance of Current Facilities
  • Development of Facilities Capital Plan
  • Discussion of Facilities Use Revenue – can only be used on facilities across the district
  • Wing School Property Management – this topic is revisited throughout the rest of the meeting
  • Questions and Answers regarding the funds in the School for Early Learning Revolving Account – those funds will help pay for the move of SEL to Forestdale
  • Discussion about Cell Tower revenue – it is earmarked for SHS fields

@130:00 – Questions about custodial/maintenance at Wing in consideration of its closing

  • Further discussion about opportunities to rent out facilities
  • Maintenance of new fields was discussed

@138:58 – Dr. Canfield referenced the MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) with the town regarding maintenance of Wing School so it does not fall into disrepair

  • Alan Hall passed out projected expenses at Wing when it is no longer a school
  • Further discussion about MOU and maintenance of Wing

@161:29 – Utilities – Alan Hall

@164:00 – Discussion about Pool

                   – Continued discussion about Wing

@172:46 – Transportation – Michelle Austin

@175:19 – Mr. Parini Wrap-Up

@176:00 – School Committee Business

 Note: January 21st will be a School Committee Business Meeting and will include the “Budget Hearing,” which is an opportunity for the public to comment on the budget. The School Committee will consider the Budget Workshop conversations and the Public Hearing and will vote in the Budget on January 28, 2015. At that time, the budget is no longer the “Superintendent’s Budget,” but is now the “School Committee’s Budget” to submit to the Board of Selectmen.