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The Board trimmed more than $100,000 from the proposed budget since it began the process in February.
Members of the Board of Education unanimously deemed the budget acceptable at the Board's last meeting, but a formal vote won’t be held until Tuesday, April 22. If the board votes to pass the budget – which is expected – there will be a public hearing on May 8, followed by the school budget vote on May 20.
This year’s budget focused on several key points, which included managing expected enrollment increases and addressing changes to curriculum that need to be addressed due to the new state Common Core Learning Standards.
In an effort to comply with the new learning standards, there will be rotating electives at the high school to limit the number of under-enrolled classes, and fifth-graders will spend more time developing science and technological skills.
To accommodate the enrollment increases, and to control class sizes, the district intends to add an extra second-grade section, bringing class size down to 21 students per class. A kindergarten teacher has also been added, as confirmed registrations (101) have exceeded the projected number of students (95).
The district, like many municipalities and schools across the county, continues to be handcuffed by escalating state mandates. In total, more than 75 percent of the budget is dedicated to salaries and benefits, according to Superintendent of Schools David Quattrone.
“Salaries, benefits and contracted services alone account for the full increase in expenditures,” he said at the last meeting. “Mandated employer contributions to pensions remain a key driver.”
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