Herricks Superintendent of Schools John Bierwirth unveiled $3.1 million in recommended budget cuts at last Thursday night’s Board of Education meeting, including the elimination of 17 teaching positions and the district’s program for gifted children, and cuts in school music and athletic programs.
Bierwirth said the cuts are intended to keep the district’s 2013-14 school budget within the state-mandated tax cap. Of the proposed cuts, $2.1 would come from teachers’ salaries and benefits.
“This is the third year we’re faced with serious cuts,” Bierwirth said. “None of the recommendations we are making are recommendations we want to make.”
The teaching positions district administrators recommended for elimination include nine teaching positions in Herricks High School and Middle School and eight positions in the district’s three elementary schools. The eight elementary school positions to be eliminated would include three special education teachers and two Gemini program teachers, which would mean the end of the program, Bierwirth said.
The cuts in teaching position would follow the elimination of 49 teaching positions in the past two years.
As part of the districts cost-cutting efforts, Bierwirth also called for a reorganization of the music staff for grades K through 12, the elimination of 1.9 staff music positions, reduced general music classes in the middle school and combining grade seven and eight choruses into two sections each for a projected savings of $162,500.
Remaining intramural athletic teams would be eliminated in grades K through 12 and most assistant coaches for high school and middle school teams would be cut for a savings of $152,977. Other recommendations include a net reduction of 5 percent in clubs and activities for a projected savings of $20,698, suspension of a Boston trip for Herricks sixth graders for a savings of $25,500, elimination of one student high school drama production projected to save $13,886.
The continuing need to reduce costs to maintain programs and staff at current levels is necessitated by the state-mandated tax cap, administrators said. The projected costs, they noted, were still subject to some changes.
Helen Costigan, assistant superintendent for business, presented two sets of figures projecting district tax levy limitations based on teacher retirement system increases of 15.5 percent or 16.5 percent – the low and high percentage increases for the 2013-14 budget.
If the teachers retirement fund increase is 15.5 percent, the district would be limited to a 2.87 percent tax levy increase to $95.18 million in 2013-14. A 16.5 percent increase would permit a 3.43 percent tax levy increase to $95.69 million .
The current district budget is $101.27 million, a 2.29 percent increase over the prior year’s $98.99 million budget. The current tax levy is $89,429,579, representing a 2.88 percent year-to-year increase.
Costigan said the school district is also anticipating $250,000 more in state aid than it received last year, which would bring the state’s contribution to $8 million.
“I don’t think it’s going to get worse,” she said.
District administrators also recommended instituting a two-year rotation of some high school courses rather than eliminating them entirely. The rotation would be based on students’ selections of electives for the 2013-14 year. Rotating courses would be identified in the 2014-15 high school course catalog to enable students to plan their schedules accordingly, Bierwirth said.
“We want to maintain the richness of our course offerings,” Bierwirth said.
Herricks Assistant Superintendent for Instruction Deirdre Hayes said the administration is considering setting a minimum course enrollment of 25 students. She said combining courses is also being considered in cases where enrollment in related courses doesn’t meet the minimum enrollment standard.
Hayes also said minimum-class sizes standards set in the past by the district have been eliminated and would not be restored. She added that final enrollment numbers would determine the actual class sizes in the next school year.
One district resident suggested making some high school courses lecture classes, a suggestion made by high school students to board members at a Jan. 10 meeting. Another resident suggested starting online classes for some courses. Hayes said the school district would need to seek approval from the state education department to offer specific courses online.
Several residents expressed concern over the prospective loss of the Gemini program. One resident suggested making the enriched elementary school program part of the Saturday recreation program.
Another resident suggested maintaining intramural sports on a “pay-for-play” basis. Bierwirth said that was possible if the school district could find an outside organization willing to run it.
Residents were generally dismayed at the prospect of a third year of program and staff reductions.
“We have to reframe our thinking so we can get through this storm that’s going to happen for a few more years,” said district resident Craig Gootman. “Whatever we can do to minimize the loss of classroom teachers is something we should do.”
“We have to keep fighting the good fight with Albany and all they keep doing is adding mandates,” said board President Christine Turner.
She cited the new Annual Professional Performance Review requirement, which will cost the school district an estimated $250,000 next year.
Board Vice President Jim Gounaris said the cost of the performance review requirement equaled the anticipated increase in state aid.
Gounaris noted the school district also needs to earmark $350,000 to cover the cost of property tax appeals, which will likely prompt a shortfall in tax revenue the district must make up.
Bierwirth said the school board should consider issuing a bond in 2014 to cover costs for additional laptop computers that will be needed for elementary school students to take new standardized tests in the 2014-15 school year. Bierwirth said “paranoia” over potential cheating will likely force the school district to administer the tests simultaneously with other school districts in a 26-state consortium.
Reacting to district residents’ frustrations, board Trustee Sanjay Jain said residents statewide need to change the decision-making process in Albany, and said he doesn’t have a solution.
“Life isn’t fair. The government isn’t fair. It’s very frustrating,” Jain said.
In other developments:
• The board voted to accept a gift of two $1,000 college scholarships from the Herricks Community Fund for high school seniors in the class of 2013.
• The board accepted a gift of $604 from the Herricks Athletic Boosters for the purchase of a HydroBoost Water Cooler and bottle filler for the middle school.
