47°
NORWALK, Conn. The following is the text of an email sent by Superintendent Susan Marks on Tuesday evening to members of Norwalk's Board of Education:
Based on the input received from the community at numerous meetings and our public hearing, as well as from board members, principals and other staff, the following is a list of what I will be recommending to the Board as add-backs to the operating budget.
This plan is based on approximately $1.4 million in additional available funding. That number is based on discussions that we have had with city finance officials regarding the $466,000 that has already been released to use and an approximate additional $433,000 which they are recommending for consideration to the BET. This roughly $900,000 will be added to $500,000 of unexpended funds from the 2011-2012 budget (largely saved by our freezes and cost savings measures) that they are recommending be returned to us from the City's general fund (our unexpended funds automatically reverted to the general fund at the end of the last fiscal year).
Recommended add-backs, net cost
- Three elementary teachers, $204,000
- Three elementary assistant principals, $391,590
- Six intervention aides, $128,668
- Middle school teams, $153,341
- Four middle school security, $168,908
- Six library aides at 27.5 hours, $244,025
- One shop teacher at Norwalk High School, $68,000
- Half a planetarium teacher, Roton Middle School, $45,500
If we should receive additional revenues above the $1.4 million estimated by the city's finance staff, I would recommend adding elementary APs and elementary teachers to the extent such additional funding permits.
The plan for the elementary APs and intervention aides would be as follows (the allocation is based on the student enrollment). The enrollment figures are based on the Genesis student system report from Tuesday. My recommendation regarding the responsibilities of the APs would be to support the literacy programs and teacher supervision as their primary responsibilities.
- Jefferson Elementary School (enrollment 583): half an assistant principal, one intervention aide
- Kendall Elementary School (enrollment 515): half an assistant principal, one intervention aide
- Brookside Elementary School (enrollment 479): half an assistant principal, one intervention aide
- Marvin Elementary School (enrollment 473): half an assistant principal, one intervention aide
- Cranbury Elementary School (enrollment 470): half an assistant principal
- Rowayton Elementary School (enrollment 456): half an assistant principal
- Silvermine Elementary School (enrollment 453): half an assistant principal
- Naramake Elementary School (enrollment 450): half an assistant principal
- Fox Run Elementary School (enrollment 447): half an assistant principal
- Tracey Elementary School (enrollment 392): half an assistant principal
- Columbus Elementary School (enrollment 316): one intervention aide
- Wolfpit Elementary School (enrollment 308): one intervention aide
In terms of the library aides, each library aide would be allocated to two schools; library services would be reduced under this plan, but all libraries would remain open.
Although this plan remains painful, it maintains academic programs in our schools, closes no schools, keeps our libraries open, and preserves middle school teams, among other things. Given the severity of our budget constraints, I believe this is a considerable achievement.
Correction made, 2:20 p.m.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Norwalk and receive free news updates.
