by Lynn K. McMullin
On Monday, May 11th, at the Town Budget Meeting the town voters passed the proposed town budget; 106 voted in support, 13 opposed. The mill rate was set at 25.64
The school budget passed with a 1.19% increase, as follows: (decreases in the budget are in red and in parentheses.)
Salaries $273,055
Employee Benefits $227,917
Out-of-District Tuition $107,908
Other Operational ($ 33,494)
Dues and Fees $ 2,133
Capital Improvement Projects $ 70,262
Equipment and Furniture ($ 24,750)Heat Energy ($ 61,203)Supplies ($ 10,094)Technology ($ 93,946)
Board of Finance additional Reduction to Budget ($195,000)
2008-2009 Approved Budget $22,021,023
Total Operating Budget Increase 1.19% $ 262,788
Total Budget $22,283,811
This proposed budget:
Ø Reflects an additional decrease of $195,000 as directed by the Board of Finance. Specific line-item reductions will be determined by the Board of Education.
Ø Reflects services to 1,811 students, an increase of 46 students from the district’s actual enrollment in 2008-2009.
Ø Maintains appropriate class sizes in Grades K-8. All projected class sizes, K-12, for 2009-2010 are within the established guidelines as set by the Board of Education.
Ø Includes the implementation of a Participation Fee for athletics to fund the cost of the athletic trainer and other associated athletic costs.
Ø Does not fund the replacement of computers, laser printers, and other hardware to replace aging equipment per our district’s technology plan or fund any new technology.
Ø Provides services for 18 students placed out of the district. These tuition and transportation costs represent a 25.54% increase over this year’s budget.
Ø Includes funding for an additional Grade 2 Teacher at Cherry Brook Primary School to meet growing enrollment needs.
Ø Reflects a .5 reduction in the ACT Program at Canton Intermediate School.
Ø Reflects the decrease of 7 special education paraprofessionals at Canton Intermediate School and 3 special education paraprofessionals at Canton Middle School based upon the projected needs of the students and a different model for delivering support services.
Ø Reflects the reduction of a .5 Special Education Teacher at Cherry Brook Primary School based upon student needs.
Ø Reflects the equivalent of a decrease of 1.0 FTE position in the maintenance/custodial areas.
Ø Reflects the decrease of the Director of Physical Plant position from .7 to .5 FTE.
Feel free to ask questions or comment on the school budget. Your input is valued.
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Hello,
ReplyDeleteWhat services specifically will be reduced in the ACT program at CIS? With limited resources will priority for services be given to "identified" children as per the state requirement?
The ACT program at Canton Intermediate School is overseen by an Enrichment Council made up of the ACT teacher, 5 classroom teachers, and the principal, Dr. Jordan Grossman. While the Council members have been in conversations about how the ACT program might work differently next year, they have not made any firm decisions yet. The final look of "the new ACT program" will depend upon the principal's on-going conversations with this council, the training and experiences of the new ACT teacher hired for the half-time position, and the number of identified students in the program (which won't be determined for a few weeks yet).
ReplyDeleteThe current program has these basic components:
1. Independent Study Projects
2. Enrichment in both Language Arts and Mathematics
3. Clubs and activities, such as Scrabble Club and Invention Convention
4. Pull-out activities for identified students
5. The annual ACT Fair
In a conversation with Dr. Grossman, he tells me that the Council and he are doing everything they can to preserve most of the elements of the program in some modified way, despite the 1/2 time reduction. He also assures me that the identified talented and gifted students will be serviced through the program.
If you would like more specific information, please give us about three weeks or so to work on this question (which we didn't finalize previously not knowing whether the program would survive the budget process at all). Then give Dr. Grossman a call at CIS and he will be happy to share more information with you at that time.
Just as a note: The State does require Canton to "identify" its talented and gifted children, but there is no state requirement for services.
Is there any update on what services will be provided as part of the ACT program at CIS this year? Do we know yet how students will be identified and what programs will remain? If others have been cut is there an opportunity for parents to help maintain any of them?
ReplyDeleteYour question is an important one, and to answer, I contacted the new ACT teacher, herself, Mrs. Jennifer Stevens. Here is what Ms. Stevens responded:
ReplyDeleteMy first day was great. It was so much fun to see new faces! For the blog readers, I would like to describe the services that I will provide at CIS.
First, for school-wide enrichment, I am welcoming each student into my classroom to utilize my "Smarty Pants" bulletin board. It is a constantly changing bulletin board filled with brainteasers, puzzles, games, etc. Its purpose is to challenge any student who wishes to take the challenge, and therefore I will be introducing the bulletin board to each classroom this month! My goal is to make the ACT classroom open to everyone, not only the talented & gifted students!
I am also going into each math class for 20-30 minutes a week. I plan to teach a whole class enrichment lesson and work in small flexible groups, etc. My lesson plan and instruction will change depending on the needs of the class and the unit they are studying.
I will also meet with the identified 5th and 6th grade talented and gifted students twice a week. This year we are going to be part of the Stock Market game; the 6th graders will be working with seniors at the Senior Center; and each student will also be completing an independent study project.
Beginning next week, I will be inviting all 5th and 6th graders to complete a year long independent study project. They must be willing to commit to this project and have a teacher and parent attest that they are capable of meeting this commitment. I will meet with small groups of students once a week to teach workshops on how to succeed with each step of the independent study project. Students will also meet with me individually to discuss their progress.
Lisa Deltano and I are also hoping that 4th graders will participate in I.C.E.R. this winter. [For more about ICER see the district news archives, 2-23-09]. This will be a great optional enrichment opportunity, if they wish to take it on.
To answer the seciond part of the question, students are identified for talented and gifted at the end of the school year. The criteria we follow are: CMT results, OLSAT results, DRP, and teacher recommendation. Of course, if we see that a student would benefit from this program and fits the criteria we could place them into the program during the school year rather than wait until the end of the school year.
Finally, we have been lucky to have have been able to maintain most enrichment programs. Our Language Arts Consultant, Rebecca Mikus, is working with 6th grade teachers to be sure writing is enriched. Due to my 1/2 time schedule, however, I am not at school during most recess times and after school. So it is the clubs that have been effected the most. Reinstating those clubs may be a great opportunity for parents to get involved. If interested in this type of venture, please call Dr. Grossman, the CIS principal.
If you, or any parent, have additional questions, I will do my best to help you in any way I can!
Ms. Jennifer Stevens, ACT Teacher