Dear ORCSD Board Members and Mr. Colter:
I watched the January 6, 2010 School Board meeting and was happy to see a more open dialogue among Board Members and Administrators. Constructive debate certainly improves transparency and helps educate the community about our District.
Nevertheless, I do feel the Board and Administration could be more aggressive in paring down the 2010-2011 budget. Below are areas the Board and Administration should consider for further FY2010-2011budgetary reductions:
* Implement temporary administrative pay-cuts for FY2010-2011 – Ask our administrators (e.g., superintendent, principals, assistant principals, and business administrator) to make a magnanimous gesture and take a pay cut (perhaps 2%.) The District could then preserve staff employment and maintain school programs.
*Eliminate the two Directors of Instruction positions – Re-instate the two direcdtors in their previous roles, and, then, eliminate any staff redundancies. These overhead roles are truly District luxuries in tough economic times.
* Place the digital portfolio program on a hiatus or limit the program scope – The digital portfolio program may have merit, but is a “nice to have” during tough budgetary times. An examination of the program cost components (e.g., digital storage costs, computer processing/memory, additional staff training, etc.) and a thorough cost-benefit analysis should be conducted in 2010. Then, for 2011-2012, the program may be considered for reinstatement.
* Purchase computer and software for select classes only – Do not purchase computers in FY2010-2011 unless there is a very specific and justified need (i.e., to support AutoCAD software applications in the ORHS). Do not fund across-the-board purchasing of computers and new software at this time.
I hope the Board and Administration will explore these suggestions. Of course, there are other areas to consider, but these, I believe, may not have been considered to date.
Thank you for serving our District.
Sincerely,
Megan Turnbull
Megan,
ReplyDeleteGreat comments. I remember last year walking in to the ORHS library to see a handful of brand new computers. After the student uproar over rumors of budget cuts, it was a slap in the face to those students who follow school board happenings (i.e. those of us with no hopes of getting laid until we're 30).
The Pickle Boy
theoneandonlypickleboy@gmail.com
Thanks PB. In tough times the number one priority should be maintaining staff (and academic programs) directly impacting our students. I do favor leveraging technology to enhance learning, but, again, tough times call for more scrutiny.
ReplyDeleteRegarding the salary reductions, the Boston School District implemented wage freezes and recommended a 3% salary reduction for administration. See an excerpt from a February, 2009 press release:
"At last night’s meeting, members of the Boston High School Headmasters Association (high school principals) affirmed their willingness to accept the one-year wage freeze, and said they would consider a 3% salary reduction for most of their members, and challenged other BPS employees to accept the wage freeze in order to preserve jobs for effective new teachers."
http://www.bostonpublicschools.org/node/3318
The Boston Schools targeted a 30% cost reduction in central office administration costs to mitigate cuts affecting classroom teaching for the BPS past year's budget.
Below is a follow up e-mail I sent to the Board on Sunday, Jan. 10:
ReplyDeleteDear ORCSD Board Members,
Recently I sent letter to the Board suggesting areas for additional cuts. I do not envy the position of the Board and appreciate the level of stress the budget process must place upon each of you individually. Additionally, I want to state, emphatically, that my suggestions are NOT personal attacks on individuals serving our District. I hold a great deal of admiration for those who follow the path of public service, especially in public education. I also realize that in order to maintain strong talent, talent must be rewarded monetarily.
Nevertheless, I want to bring to your attention that there is precedence for pay cuts during tough economic times. Please see the link to a February, 2009 Boston Public Schools press release where the Superintendent Carol Johnson offered the following:
"Members of Dr. Johnson’s executive cabinet received no pay increase this year, and she announced that all managerial employees in the school district would receive no pay increase next year given the financial situation, with an estimated savings of nearly $1 million. At last night’s meeting, members of the Boston High School Headmasters Association (high school principals) affirmed their willingness to accept the one-year wage freeze, and said they would consider a 3% salary reduction for most of their members, and challenged other BPS employees to accept the wage freeze in order to preserve jobs for effective new teachers." Source: http://www.bostonpublicschools.org/node/3318
Granted, as a small District, the impact of implementing administrative salary reductions may not be as impressive to the overall bottom line. However, such reductions could be enough to help preserve current staff employment, maybe save a custodial position, keep a vital paraprofessional fully employed, or support an extra-curricular program.
Finally, I urge you to vote against adding any more overhead administration and blanket technology spending; these areas are big ticket items we cannot afford right now.
Thank you for taking the time to read my suggestions and for serving our District.
I appreciate the efforts of Ms. Turbill but they are WOEFULLY misinformed.
ReplyDeleteShe states that the digital portfolio is a luxury that we cannot afford (she actually states "is a “nice to have”). If she was actually educated and informed on the issue, she would know that this is a REQUIREMENT under state law -- we cannot say no to this!! The state department of education has directed all students, starting with the freshmen in 2006, to have a digital portfolio. It is up to the individual districts to pay for the incidentals such as computers, programs, digital storage -- all items that cost a significant amount of money.
If you want the Oyster River schools to continue their superiority in the state of New Hampshire, it comes at a price. Along with this price comes high property values which only benefit us, the residents of this district.
It is comments like Ms. Turbill's that have the community in an uproar -- unnecessarily -- becuase of the budget implications.
Perhaps all of you need to focus your funding complaints to our representatives in Concord and ask them to fix the problem with education funding in our state once and for all.
I will investigate the above-cited claim. If I was in error, I apologize.
ReplyDeleteFirst off, I admit I was not aware of the state requirement and apologize. I am not trying to "stir the pot" unnecessarily.
ReplyDeleteI just called the NH Department of Education and spoke to Marie Morgan with the Commissioner's Office. She pointed me to ED306.42 which describes Digital Portfolios.
However, the requirement is up to fairly broad interpretation. Each district can design its own rubric and determine the program's implementation including media, storage, etc.
Of course I want OR schools to be superior. Would not some other program iniatives (e.g., foreign language early on, more robust music / art offerings, advanced classes, etc.) help continue a tradition of excellence?
With this, I still recommend we closely examine how ORCSD is implementing the digital portfolio program and see how we can do so effectively and in a cost-effective manner. I feel that we do not have a handle on how much we are spending in this area.