TOWN OF SOUTH WINDSOR
MINUTES
TOWN COUNCIL/BOARD OF EDUCATION JOINT BUDGET WORK SESSION
ROOM ALT. 6 DATE: APRIL 2, 2012
TIMOTHY EDWARDS MIDDLE SCHOOL TIME: 7:00 P.M.
1. Call Meeting to Order
Mayor Delnicki called the meeting to order at 7:03 p.m.
2. Roll Call
Town Council
Members Present: Mayor Tom Delnicki
Deputy Mayor Gary Bazzano
Councillor M. Saud Anwar
Councillor Cindy Beaulieu
Councillor Edward Havens
Councillor Kevin McCann
Councillor Cary Prague
Councillor Keith Yagaloff
Councillor Janice Snyder
Also Present: Town Manager, Matthew B. Galligan
Board of Education
Members Present: Chairperson David Joy
Vice Chairperson Lisa Maneeley
Sheila Appleton
Diane Behler
Michael Gonzalez
Philip Koboski
Matthew Riley
Richard Stahr
Also Present: Superintendent of Schools Dr. Kate Carter
Asst. Superintendent Daniel Hansen
Asst. Superintendent Richard Cormier
Others Absent: Chris Chermerka, Business Manager
ITEM:
Mr. Don Harris who was representing CABE presented the Superintendent of Schools and the Board of Education with a plaque for the 2012/2013 budget book. The plaque read “Excellence for Educational Communications” presented to the South Windsor Public Schools 2012/2013 budget book.
Mayor Delnicki congratulated the Board for a wonderful accomplishment.
Chairman Joy felt the recognition was appropriate. Dr. Carter and her team worked very hard on the budget.
3. Public Participation
None
4. Items for Discussion
- Board of Education Proposed Budget for Fiscal Year 2013/2014
Board of Education Budget
Dr. Carter began discussions by stating that the budget this year shows in depth all of the information regarding the budget rather than a summary.
Dr. Carter explained that the main drivers of the 3.97% increase were contractual increases, health care costs, full day kindergarten and special education. Dr. Carter explained to the Town Council how students are identified as needing special education services as well as how it is determined if students require out of district services. Dr. Carter then explained increases that are under the Special Education.
Full Day Kindergarten
Dr. Carter stated that the cost for full day kindergarten is $522,785 which is without grants. The start up cost for full day kindergarten will be approximately $107,000 with the rest of the funds being used for staffing. Grant funding will be in the amount of $219,000, so the total cost for taxpayers will be $304,000. Dr. Carter also informed the Council that there will be a $52,463 savings in transportation.
ITEM:
4. A. (Continued)
The district South Windsor is in includes 19 districts. There are nine districts that already have full day kindergarten, one has an extended day, and there are six districts including South Windsor that are proposing full day kindergarten for next year. Districts are responsible for adopting State Standards and Common Curriculum which is hard to meet in a half day setting.
Overview of Requests that were Denied
- Excluded $230,000 for MSPR’s (new programs)
- Eliminated $1.5 million dollars in requests for additions to existing programs.
- 6.1 FTE’s positions cut
What Moves the District Forward
- New math textbooks for grades 3 and 4.
- New high school courses (6)
- Improvements to high school athletics
School Security
The Board of Education is in the midst of working with a consultant on this issue. An audit was conducted but the report has not been received yet. The kinds of needs that the Board feels are going to have to be addressed are capital requests and therefore will be going to the Capital Projects Committee. Chief Reed will be requesting staffing levels that will allow a full time School Resource Officer at the Middle School.
Impact of the Magnet School
The Magnet School will not be opening until January of 2014 and at that time will only be sifting current students that are enrolled in that program. South Windsor’s enrollment will not change until the next budget cycle.
ITEM:
4. A. (Continued)
Transportation
The Board of Education is not anticipating a significant change in the cost of transportation. This year CREC is changing their start and end time of their school day to help accommodate South Windsor. Dr. Carter thanked CREC for their cooperation.
Could South Windsor spend more on Gifted Programs as well as World Language at Elementary School
These programs could not be moved forward at this time due to other demands. World Language could be something that is put into the strategic plan for future implementation.
Pension
The Board of Education has been meeting the expectations of the pension requirements. The Board of Education is at 95.6% funding of the pension.
Elementary Facilities (reduction of school coming off line)
Dr. Carter stated that she believes there is the possibility of moving from 5 to 4 elementary schools in order to be more efficient but that would have to be a part of a comprehensive plan. The modular classrooms that are 20 years old should be removed prior to the Board reviewing to close a school. None of the schools are ADA complaint which means that the schools are not interchangeable and certain things need to happen at certain schools. Wapping Elementary School and Eli Terry Elementary School are both at maximum capacity at this time and they both house special programs that can not be moved to other schools.
The Board of Education will need to review the Master Plan to help move forward with discussions regarding the elementary schools as well as the elimination of one.
ITEM:
4. A. (Continued)
Answering questions from the Council, Dr. Carter explained that the choice funding does not carry any obligations. It is an annual allocation based on the number of seats that are offered. There are several kind of grants with some being restrictive in what the funds are used for an others are not. The grant funding for the full day kindergarten could change in the future.
Mr. Hansen told the Council that full day kindergarten will consist of recess, physical education and movement in the classroom which will give the children physical activity during the day.
The increase of 27 students were calculated the same as every other year and is not due to the full day kindergarten.
Deputy Mayor Bazzano noticed that AP courses and scores have increased so he feels there has been improvements in this budget and will support the Board of Education budget.
Answer questions from Deputy Mayor Bazzano, Dr. Carter explained that percentages in the budget can be misleading. There are so many factors that create the percentages for each item whether that percentage goes up or down.
Deputy Mayor Bazzano voiced concern that there was an increase in Special Education costs and a decrease in Regular Education costs. Deputy Mayor Bazzano then questioned if there is anything being done to keep students in South Windsor rather than outplacing them? Dr. Carter explained that there are sixty-one students that currently require outplacement. There has been an increase in the cost to outplace children to other schools which is not unique to South Windsor. All decisions regarding outplacement are not easy but some times necessary. If South Windsor can not provide the least restrictive environment in regular classes with a para-professional then that student would need to be outplaced. Placements are reviewed annually if not more.
Deputy Mayor Bazzano stated that he would be supporting full day kindergarten and feels it is a benefit to students.
ITEM:
4. A. (Continued)
Councillor Anwar felt that there were a lot of positives in the budget. He then summarized some of the things he could see in the budget such as a reduction in enrollment, stable to slight reduction in programming with an increase in personnel costs, and the cost of education per child in the Town of South Windsor is growing in a steep manner. Councillor Anwar stated it would be worthwhile to have discussions on how to address these matters. He stated that South Windsor needs to have a large elementary school that is state of the art where all of the mandates can be fulfilled. The other buildings can be used by the Town for their need for space. The other challenges are that the Town needs to allow children to learn at high standards which needs to be addressed towards gifted programs. South
Windsor children need to learn various languages. Other programs that have been cut are music and vocational training which need a long term strategic plan.
Dr. Carter responded that there are Gifted programs at the high school that are not shown in the budget and students who wish to have vocational/agricultural training attend Rockville High School.
Chairperson Joy reminded the Council that as enrollment has decline, there have also been reductions in staffing.
Councillor Beaulieu stated that this is a good budget with great detail. There is tremendous growth in children when they have a full day of kindergarten. Councillor Beaulieu felt that a cut off date of October 1st should be used for children entering kindergarten because this would mitigate costs. Mr. Hansen explained that is done by State Statute, not by individual Towns. Programmatically there would be a benefit to the students as well. Councillor Beaulieu informed Mr. Hansen that the Town of Madison is proposing to change their start up date to October 1st. Mr. Hansen said he would contact Madison to see how that is being accomplished.
Dr. Carter answered that the Board of Education would have to have future discussions on whether there is any interest in having children bused to private daycares.
ITEM:
4. A. (Continued)
Chairman Joy explained that kindergarten enrollment is based on the Town Clerk birth records. The other projections are based on actual students.
Answering further questions, Mr. Hansen explained that it is anticipated that the school will be shifting away from the use of text books. Presently ebooks are being reviewed as well as the use of tablets. Bring your own device is also be reviewed.
Dr. Carter said she is meeting with individuals from the CREC school next week and will have a discussion about the use of fields for the Town.
Answering questions from Mayor Delnicki, Dr. Carter explained that the Board of Education receives $2.8 million dollars in Federal and State grants.
Mayor Delnicki requested the cost of the increase in Teacher and Administrative salaries.
Council members and Board members discussed further the Magnet School and unfunded mandates.
Councillor McCann encouraged the Board of Education to move forward more quickly on a referendum for the elementary schools because the school population is declining. Focus on air quality, security and safety and ADA compliance.
Mayor Delnicki thanked the Board of Education for a good meeting.
Chairperson Joy thanked the Council and Administration. A 3.97% increase is not as modest as the last two budgets, but is necessary. Chairperson Joy requested the Town Council fund the budget proposed in full.
5. Executive Session
None
ITEM:
6. Adjournment
Councillor Anwar made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 9:45 p.m.; Councillor Prague seconded the motion; and it was approved, unanimously.
Respectfully submitted,
Deborah W. Reid
Clerk of the Council
| 
