2001-05-15 Budget hearingBEVERLY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
BEVERLY, MASSACHUSETTS
Mav 15. 2001
· A Public Hearing on the School Budget was held on Tuesday, May 15, 2001 at the
Briscoe Middle School Auditorium, Beverly, MA.
Members Present:
Ms. Bell, Ms. Brusil, Mr. Cahill, Mr. McHugh,
Ms. Norris, Mayor Scanlon
Members Absent:
Ms. Coburn
Also Present:
Mr. William Lupini, Suberintendent of Schools
Dr. Judy DeLucia, Assistant Superintendent
Ms. Judy Miller, Director of Technology
Ms. Judy Mulligan, Business Manager
Ms. Judith Cronin & Mr. Mike Tallo, Citizen Advisors
to the Finance & Facilities Subcommittee
President Cahill called the meeting to order at 7:10 PM. He stated that this Public
Hearing on the School Budget, held in accordance with Massachusetts General Laws,
Chapter 71, Section 38N was hoped to provide information to citizens about the
budget and regarding the budget process.
The Superintendent gave a PowerPoint presentation about the budget. The display,
with Dr. Lupini's explanation, concluded at 7:35 PM.
The following citizens spoke to the Committee about the School Budget:
1. Debbie Debski
2. Toni Musante *
3. Catherine A. (Kate) Davis
4. Marie Andrews
5. Joyce Frisiello
6. Ron Buell
7. Nancy Levin *
8. Bob Stoneham
9. Maureen McDevitt *
10. Lana Balach
11. Shawn Mahoney
12. Karen Gomes
13. Nathan Zoll
14. Para Turner
15. IJsa Sungy
16. Leah Shrim
17. Maureen Troubetaris
18. Mike Cahill
19. Laurie Innis
20. Anne Secker-Walker
21. Lisa McFadden
22. Mary Grant
*Written text/information attached.
The meeting was adjourned at 9:05 PM.
Respectfully submitted,
Janet A. Norris, Secretary
BEVERLY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
BEVERLY, MASSACHUSETTS
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEAKING
ON
PROPOSED FY 2002 SCHOOL DEPARTMENT BUDGET
Date: Tuesday, May 15, 2001
Time: 7:00 PM
Briscoe Middle School Auditorium
PUBLIC HEARING ON PROPOSED FY 2002 BUDGET
According to M.G.L. Chapter 71, Section 38N, and the Beverly Municipal Charter, Article 6,
Section 6.2, a copy of the budget will be available in the Office of the Superintendent of Schools,
20 Colon Street, Beverly,.MA, between the hours of 8:00 AM and 3:30 PM beginning Monday,
May 7, 2001.
A surnnmary of the proposed FY 2002 budget of $37,981,714 is as follows:
FY 2001 Salaries $24,619,304
Contractual increases for current staff 1,639,586
New positions less eliminated positions 161,892
(includes positions added during FY 2001)
FY 2002 Salaries $26,420,782
FY 2001 Operating Expense $9,956,752
Decrease in instructional supplies (125,000)
Decrease in staff development (84,800)
Deerease in administrative expenses (35,000)
Decrease in curriculum development (3,180)
Increase in non-instructional services 2,779
Increase in fine arts materials 10,000
Increase in health / physical education materials 50,000
Increase in instructional equipment 50,000
Increase in new curriculum materials 50,003
Increase in instructional technology 286,470
Increase in cost of utilities 225,500
Increase in employee benefit costs 850,000
Increase in Special Education Transportation
and Tuition Out 327.408
FY2002 Operating Expense $11,560,932
The significant increase in contractual costs is due to the negotiation of new contracts with union
and non-union personneI. The large increase in health insurance is due to rising rates. The
increase in Special Education reflects rising tuition and transportation costs. The increase in
instructional technology is to begin implementation of the district technology plan, The increase
in utility costs reflects current pricing of oil, gas and eleclxlcity. Other increases are due to
inflationary costs.
William H. Lupini
Superintendent
Beverly School Budget FY'2002
I am here to speak in support of Dr. Lupini's proposed school budget for FY'2002. This
is the 10th year that I have had to speak out in support of quality education in the City of
Beverly. My daughter entered the Beverly School System 10 years ago with her
classroom located at Endicott College. I find it hard to believe that parents continue to
need to be concerned about space issues for their kindergarteners and that I now must be
concerned about adequate space at the high school where my daughter entered this year.
I prematurely boasted that this year my children had adequate books and acceptable class
sizes and I could focus on other needs of the schools. The improvements and gains made
during Superintendent Lupini's tenure will be put at serious risk if the budget is not more
adequately funded.
The items that are stressing the school budget are the same as those that have created
shortfalls in the City Hall budget as well, but the difference is that the Mayor has moved
money around to cover the added costs of health insurance and utilities overages on the
city side. I view these costs and building maintenance as general costs that should be
covered overall on a city level by our tax dollars. There should not be a "we and they"
about the budget.
As one of the PTO Presidents at Briscoe, where my son attends 6th grade, I can tell you
how hard parents have worked to fund raise in order to provide additional resources for
needed items at the school. Not just enrichment but capital items such as computers,
educational materials, furnishings and other equipment. Teachers are still spending their
own money for materials needed in their classrooms as well. We pay taxes and this is all
in addition to our taxes.
Although many speak of MCAS and the importance of passing the test, I remain
concerned that my children get a good well-rounded education. I long ago gave up the
idea that my children would benefit from the new buildings that we all fought so hard for,
but I have no intention of allowing our children to again go without adequate books and
classroom materials nor to revert to large class sizes.
Understanding that there are some collective bargaining issues, I urge that health
insurance be re-evaluated by the city including the schools and that options as well as the
practice of self-insuring be reviewed. Other entities, both private and public are
undergoing such reviews as insurance rates covtlnue to rise.
In summary, I remind the School Committee of their responsibility, as stated in the
Charter, to request what is needed, not what they are told they will be given. It is
currently popular in political circles now to say that education is the #1 concern, please
show that it is truly your #1 concern and support Dr. Lupini's school budget for the
benefit and future of our children.
Toni Musante 5/15/01
8 Columbus Avenue
Beverly, MA 01915
Please accept these written comments into the minutes of the Public Hearing on the
school budget for the 2001-2002 school year.
My comments appear in no particular order:
· Bravo on the idea of saving $100,000 in transportation costs by changes to school
start/end times for the 2001-02 school year!
· Perhas the luxury of a full day kindergarten program for a small number of students
earn no longer be afforded. Please consider making this a self sustaining program by
charging tuition or cut this program.
· Staff development- Quite a bit of money is spent to cover the cost of substitutes for
staff development that occurs during the school day. While some of this is
unavoidable, as outside conferences will continue to be a source of some staff
development, school sponsored staff development (curriculum development certainly
is a staff development activity) should be offered outside of the school day (after
school, or during professional development days offered in the school calendar).
· Please evaluate the number of non-tenching positions added during the past 5 years.
While many of these impact students directly, they need to be considered. For
example, there are now 2 assistant superlntendents of curriculum, one elementary
and one secondary. However, at the high school, there are also curriculum lead
teachers. How do their roles overlap, how does the middle school curriculum fit into
this model?
* The city has been generous in the past in covering one time expenditures. Look
through the budget for one time expenditures to ask the city to fund....for example,
the computers for McKeown and Ayers as well as computers for the middle schools.
· What are the school choice out numbers for the past 5 years? Have these numbers
increased? Why? What are we doing to decrease this expenditure?
Thank you.
Sincerely
Nancy Levin
Please reconsider cutting back reading teachers to solve the budget problems.
Background:
· 13 years as classroom teacher in Grades 2,3, and 4.
· 3 years as classroom teacher of Reading and/or English to Grades 9,11, and 12 in
private schools around Boston.
· 1978- 1981 Beverly-3 years at Memorial J.H. teachlng reading to
· Grades 7 and 8 as a clessroom teacher.
· 1982 - 1995 No. Beverly 13 years-6 or 7 was sharing two schools: Washington
Beadle 2 years, Hannah 2 years, Mci(ay 1 year.
· 1996 - 1999 Sharing Edwards, Ayers, and Cove.
· 1999 McKeown- I left Edwards with a sad heart but believed in the quality that
reading can provide when one Reading Teacher is in one schooL
At McKeown:
I have been able to provide Rending lnstruction to Grades 2,3,4 and 5 with one class
of Phonemic Awareness to Mrs. Salvo's Kindergarten. Just today, Mrs. Salvo shared
with me that the scores in the end-of-year testing showed gains over last year.
· Consult often with classroom tethers about children receiving extra reading help as
well as the average and high level students.
· Test for team meetings when it involves reading and fully participate in the team
evaluation process.
· Participate in all staff meetings to help improve curriculum for our children.
· Committees to share strategies to improve MCAS test scores, BSST meetings, help
teachers choose the classroom next year that will be the best fit for each child.
· Have the built in time to confer weekly with other specialists: Special Needs,
Speech / Language, Reading Recovery, Title I Math to discuss what we're doing that
works for children who may need more than one service, and to make sure we're not
duplicating that service.
· As one of the two harassment coordinators, have the flexibility to do more than just
be there for a crisis that needs to be worked out but also the time to do preventative
education on harrasment and bullying.
I shared my background earlier with you for one reason. Having taught in elementary,
middle school and high school, I am convinced the child needs to learn to read in the
early grades. A child can not succeed in school and at a job in the future if he / she can't
read.
We need good solid reading instruction beginning in Kindergarten and continuing in Gr.
2-5. We can cut back on children misdiagnosed with learning disabilities by helping
Lastly, we need strong parental support to help our children reinforce what we teach them
in the six hours they are under our care. This can happen with time and help given to
parents from a teacher they know and can trust. This trust can be built up when the
teacher in one school takes on additional duties like crossing the children after school,
attending extra-curricular events, and is reachable by parents any day of the week.
I'm not here for my job. I'm close to retirement. If I have to go to two schools next year,
I wilL But that's not what you want, I hope! I'm here for the parents of many children
who need extra support in reading. Many of them, are not here tonight because they're
school phobic, having had a hard time learning to read themselves. Some are not
confident in their own skills to advocate for their children, and others are at home as a
single parent trying to get supper, help the children with homework, and get the children
to bed. Most especislly, I'm here for any child, anywhere in Beverly, who deserves the
chance to receive quality-reading instruction. Thank you for givlng me the chance to
speak to you. Please don't cut reading services!
Maureen McDevitt
5/16/01