001Good evening everyone. Uh this evening is April 10th and this is another in our series of uh budget meetings. And before we start, would you please stand and honor America and join me in reciting the flag? I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Before we start our budget presentation, we have one finance um item for action. Can I have a motion on 2.01 please? Curiosities discussion comment. Um yes I had a question. I was just talking to about this a little bit, but the question was um not saying that there was a grand total for the what it cost and I wanted to have a little bit more of an understanding
002as to why there's no grand total and I think it's important for the public to kind of hear a little bit about that explanation. Mike, is this on Atlantic? This is on the air. Um, you won't know that if you do it for an hourly rate, you won't truly know how long it takes to do a basement in a particular room. So, they've been under hourly late. We get an estimated hours on our schedule. Um, but you'll never know a room takes one day, two days depending on what they're getting. So, it's very common what you're seeing in that RV and it's what we've probably done and I've done my 20ome years doing this now. So you put it out to our brain on it and other side look at it's something we've done and
003we feel comfortable very proud. I strongly support computer. So what they did when they reviewed the RFPs um was estimated number of samples to be right and it's $9,000. It's around 90. Yes. Thank you. That was that's also what I was looking at. That's really helpful information. Thank you goes for that explanation. Call question. All in favor? I opposed abstensions. All right. Next, we move to our budget presentation and I'll turn it over to Dr. Douglas. Thank you, President Conlin. Ladies and gentlemen of the audience, members of the board, our visiting home audience. Yes, we're we're trying to figure out. Yeah, it's still recording. So, even if it goes down, the posting goes up. Okay. Uh, I want to thank you for coming out. Today is April 10th and obviously this is a continuation of
004our budget overview. We're going to fly a little because we're not going to beat the dead horse real quick. Okay, so budget overview and this is number five where other people are just starting and doing their thing. We've been doing this for two and a half months and the board's work has really led us to tonight that as we go through really we're waiting on New York State. We're waiting finalization of state budget by elected leaders. They've already passed an extender into next week. We're hoping that they get it done before the 21st and then we can really assist our budget because we know the worst part is right now and we expect them to add some to it which will help our budget in the long run. Preliminary 202526 revenue budget. These are the
005numbers you've already seen. And if you notice, our revenue on the total change is down45%. You can't keep doing that when the state says we're not going to give you the money you need each year and it's going to be decreased. So, we have to be aware of that. That's why our community is so important. And unfortunately, the state is saying they want the community to have more of the decision. Tax cap calculation. You've seen this slide as well as this slide. Adnauseium. Last time it changed a little and went up uh but other than that nothing has changed. We're at a minimum maximum allowable tax levy is 7.47%. Tax cap calculation and then what happens is we have updates. I didn't move. So pass through. We'll come back to this. Summary of budget revenues.
006This is the next slide. So it's just out of order. Uh we'll fix that for online posting. But our revenues, notice we've gone through and we've taken those budget revenues, but overall for everything is 1.68%. the expense budget. This is where we'll turn it over to Tony and come back to this because we want to tell you about what we've done so far in the updates. So, at this point, so good evening. Um, as we've done previous uh sessions, we've gone back and just previous questions or things that come from the board just to reiterate or to explain some things. This one's particular to review the intervention um student intervention systems. It was on the vetting slide in the past. So, this is like a checking that off and giving you the detail that goes
007with that particular one. In our time here, there's been questions to my team and other directors of is this what you need or what do you need. So, we thought it important to kind of give you a global overlook of what the considerations as well that's built into the budget currently will allow for us um to put into systems work. specifically to that student intervention system. So with a um successful um budget and what we're proposing here um and with no livelihood affected what we'll see is some changes in our academic supports in the K4 with the consolidation. offers some efficiencies as well that will help us with accomplishing many of these items at no cost at a neutral cost but others are considerations that on the list of three items. So we'll start with
008our intervention approach. Currently we have interventions across the district um both in the math and reading uh support. Um the new model as we move towards new schedule be elementary and conversations we've had uh with the principles and our team is to revamp that and ensure we have the appropriate number of teachers that are providing interventions especially during our win blocks or tier one times with our students. um and the primary teaching supports which was a suggested uh admin consideration the continuation of the summer learning academy the curriculum work that enhances that particular part of our MTSS something we talked through November December and January with the board in the community and lastly the addition of the elementary um principles so what we're able to do in the system right now as far as budgetary
009we're able to find efficiencies with our TAS through vacancies the retirements um and move staff around to extent to which will allow us to hire an interventionist teacher thereby putting in each of the three elementary buildings four RTI interventionists reading and math so that now when you have a wind block time there's enough support and plenty of support for the sections and the students as well as to do tier 2 and interventions and tier three interventions with students that are might um further you know more the services outside the classroom. So with this model it does see a reduction in um TAS within the RTI model at the exchange for the reading teacher or the math um interventionist. So a higher level of service um so it's it's exchanging out some teaching assistants which we
010will find in other places primary teaching assistant support at the hiring of interventionist so that each building will have four t uh teaching our TI providers and then the we'll do get three primary teaching assistants all the mutual cost. So, if we can really emphasize, we're reassigning those teaching assistants. That is not their job anymore. And some may be not happy with it, but we're putting teachers in those roles. They will not be losing any job. They'll just be servicing in their teaching assistant role in an format. and we're going to take care of those that were displaced from Center Street according to the contract as well. Again, no one's losing livelihood at all. And anybody saying otherwise is absolutely causing a problem and we will not tolerate. So again, the system calls for um
011the movement of TAS through efficiencies, retirements and systems um with our special ed and other particular nuances to allow for an exchange of getting the appropriate level of support for uh the 33 elementary buildings in the form of needing additional interventionists and then allowing the three primary teaching assistants to be added now as a consideration but not no more as a consideration but as a cost neutral. So it maintains that they were in the current budget. We don't have to add three more into the budget. They're already in budgets. So we can remove and we reduce that um from with efficiency to TAS with the consolidation except retirements and other vacancies. So no loss of livelihood. We everybody that has been told something we've heard from the board that is what we are going to
012do. um and also at the same time build a better model for our student intervention needs. And we've been asked what this is what what is needed. This is what we're saying being two to three of those items. The last three are considerations still there and still need to be added to the budget that are not in the budget. That would be the continuation of summer learning academy. the curriculum work needed to continue that academic support and the curriculum building of our private courses curriculum especially although at a a smaller scale it's still important work in the ELA and math and then the elementary system principles that support the academics we've discussed doing the the some of the more detailed data work that could happen to K4 with the addition of that when I went
013through the duties and responsibilities and assistant principal such work would fall there also So sit meetings and assistance when it comes to um you know working with students and assisting principal in those those meetings and the needs of students. Another important pillar of our MTSS work is the social emotional the board in the community been very supportive of our growth in the social workers. There have been questions about adding social workers. What does that look like? And rather than an assistant principal, um, we did make some shifts with the help of Kelly Squires and her team and my team to go through and say, what does it look like? How do we ensure that each of the three elementary buildings have appropriate supports moving into next year? We we have a model that that does
014move those current social workers, social work assistant, and the school psychologists into positions that we are confident will fit that social emotional support that's needed in the K4 those three buildings. And of course we know that the addition that the administrator also has that social emotional support. Again that first bullet is already in the budget that voluntary principle is one of the big considerations. And obviously the focus on proactive behavior practices and interventions that we see in the third pillar of our MTSS work. you see the same two things over again of course because of that work and the proactiveness of having two such positions to assist with the needs of our students from our our young and our prek program through our fourth grade. So we said we do a review that um just
015want to give you this is what is suggested that that the system could need and work through to to continue moving forward. Um, so we want to make sure we just lay that out within the framework of the work we hold true to and what our district vision and goal is of this work. That was a lot, especially on that first one because it's a lot of moving pieces when it comes to working with the positions open at any given time for teaching assistants and where we like to land people. So questions um just just so I understand. So how how many RTI positions do we currently have? So currently in the system we have two reading and RTI um per building for a total of eight and then we have two that float between
016each. So 10 in total RTI teachers interventionists. Okay. Then we have two teaching assistants assigned to three of the elementaryaries and three. So we have nine teaching assistants. Okay. This model will go to four in each building of teachers and one TA for each per each of the three buildings. So the RTI position that's not a position but the people in those positions will go into in the movement of all those parts. Yes, it's quite possible that'll end up in the three primary, right? But what we know today as an RTI position will no longer be that way tomorrow. Just for six RTI TAS and they will have the ability to be in another teaching assistant position and we will be adding two new RTI instructional positions and everything will be focused on the ELA.
017Okay. So then what is I guess when you look at the scope of work that we have for the RTI position versus the scope of work for a TA position is there anything that we're losing from what the kids are going to receive? No, we get a high level of service and understanding of the the develop the the the um delivery of science and reading specifically in our phonics work and our math um you know work that we're doing at the AMT, you know, acquired computing transfer work that we're doing. So that level of knowledge and skill set is higher with the teacher. Now don't get me wrong, our teaching assistants, we have many of those positions that are valued. Let's not let's be very clear on that. We have some teaching assistants that have
018been in these roles for years that are awesome. um they will still land in the system and still do great work with our students. I don't want to discount them by any means. This is a redistribution of the work and maintaining livelihood to get a higher level of service that we believe is needed in our RTI and also fills some areas that we haven't been able to fill and that means those areas that haven't been addressed will have some of our teaching assistance been given out. So just to follow up on that, so there's six RTIA that are being reassigned. Is that correct? Correct. Thank you. This I had a question about this too. Um so you're saying that there's going to be five total people now. What is it currently? For most buildings it's
019two and two regards two and three. Two teachers two teaching assistants in each building. You're saying that they floated. So like per day how many people are in the class? Good question. So at two of the um there's two RTI teachers that float.5 at each building. So my I misspoke so I'll go back. My apologies. So any given elementary has two and a half riders sometime during the day sometime during the day. Okay. So two permanently there one that flows in and out depending upon the schedule. So this is increasing the number of two and a half to four to four two and a half to four did um you I didn't do the math but for the number of kids that are coming on and I don't know obviously like how many of them
020are going to have an IEP or may need those services or their help but for this feels comfortable like you know we this is better than what we have this is better so I'm wondering like, you know, without misplacing them, would it be even better if we had everybody still in that position? I know that we're people, but we appreciate that. But the the goal here was to keep it cost neutral and to find a way to support the primary teaching assistance without having a budget ad. We valued it, but we wanted to make sure we very conscious of what's being asked here and to remove that out of the budget considerations and to make it happen within the current structure. Okay. Do you don't know off the top of your head how much it
021would have cost if it wasn't cost neutral like to say hypothetically we had a value in a previous presentation to the about 240 I refer just to the T3 TAS primary TAs I guess your question if we wanted to keep the TAs in reading program and just make sure that we had an even lower ratio student per to per teacher ratio for the for that if we wanted to keep them how much would that cost $24,000 two are important to keep it away. Okay. So, I guess that's my that's my question, right? The hard part is the benefits that come with it. The healthare depends on who you hire that can drive our budget up even more unexpectedly. We feel comfortable. Uh we have other needs as well and we're increasing the instructional service that
022with the supports that the board and community we don't need the additional. It could always be used at any time. But at this point, this is enough, especially what we're asking. Okay. And are we short on teacher assistance in general overall in the rest of the areas of the of the we see a movement of vacancies in that in that particular work? Um so yes, it's any given time we might have people coming in and out. Um numbers today I had updated numbers and 24 hours later 12 hours later. So there is some movement in that in that. um amongst that that group. Um but currently we are confident that we will land all current people employed into positions for next school year as well as be able to do this model. Yes. And I
023want to be very clear again the last three items are not those are still considerations. what we're offering is we can achieve intervention and primary teaching assistance within the current structure and the current budget that's been allocated, you know, without adding as a consideration. Because for me, like just for me, I think that the more um if we were able to keep all of the people there and just having them there to be assistants in the reading and to have that intervention, you know, like then maybe we can help include I get it. But I want you to take a perspective because as we've listed on the board, those primary teaching assistants Katie said in the past, you know, have such a wider scope and interaction with so many more kids. Oh, I like that.
024Right. So the what we're getting for that I I think we're going we get a better the service and the understanding and the knowledge set that we're going to achieve in interventions. I don't discount what you're what you're saying but I guess it's a system we're saying this is what what we need. Yes. Yeah. And I'm not I I do think that having you know somebody who is certified who does that work I I understand I get that. I'm just saying that to keep the six people that's an extra two, right? Two in each. It would just be an additional consideration. So I like that. That's what I just noticed. Certainly understand. I wish I had just got to recept myself. Okay, there. And then the expense budget. And at this point, we're going into
025a couple things where we've done some clean up and then we've got to talk about the biggest thing tonight and then ultimately the board's budget is built and then we will try to do our best between now and the next. So, at this point, I want to turn the updates over to Katie. She'll take you through that as well as I think the three things that are still there as well as the final layout and then I'll come back and we're going to have that discussion hopefully get to a resolution of what actually is the final determination of the highlight. Um work always is done in the next the two weeks of our meetings make some more adjustments and benefits, supplies, equipment, and contractual. A reminder um as Tony has mentioned um in his outline
026of the the work and the restructuring we're looking to do. The summer learning academy, the three elementary system principles and the curriculum work still items um up for discussion tonight um to determine how council board would like to proceed with the addition of those in the budget. So, this is the budget today. After all the work that's been done, um we are now at a budget increase of 3.22. Just as a reminder, we started out at 3.68. Um so that was about a $477,000 move to the positive that we're able to make on the expense side. I do want to just quickly hearken back to the revenue side. Um we're at 1.68% now. We started at 1.38. So we gained $35,000 on the revenue side since we started. So all told we've gained to the
027good $782,000 through the work that's been done since we started this process. So took took a good bite out of the gap that we were looking at. So the budget that you see here um the total expenditure signs with the 3.22% that does as we talked about before including the considerations. So, all the things that Tony just talked about about supporting the MTSS uh structure and the things we're looking to reallocate um improve those services as far as the academic, social, emotional, and the behavioral practices. Those are all in here um in that 3.322%. Um again, the livelihood was lost in any of these shifts. Um it was a reallocation of the great resources we already have. And then just for the comparison, if we were to pull those uh three items out, um we're
028looking at 2.90 increase in the budget, which both of those percentages are well within normal. Great. It's between three and a half and 4% a year. The real ticker is that 1.68% in revenue. That's what this year. This again, I said it before, this is a bond. This is a budgetary increase for the size of the budget that we have. It's unfortunate that we don't have the support from the state and the state is looking for us to go to local sources. That's that's where we're this year. So, summarize where we left off um our gap as we just talked about with and without um considerations with everything we're at 1.57 million is a gap. If we took those three items out, we're at 1.2 million as a as a deficit. So if you look
029at these two deficits, one with the consideration, one without pretty much I know Katie and Ann will still see if we can bring those down, but we're pretty much at the end of the line at that point. There's really only one other major item that could bring that down and that's state that a question mark beforehand. So, um, these numbers that you're seeing are pretty much where we're at and we're really, we do have reasonable numbers. I will tell you, we've been very brave out front. We made this decision really almost two meetings ago, especially last meeting. There's at least I think three or four other districts having the challenge because they're doing the same thing. This is not an expenditure problem. This is now wholly a revenue problem. Last year was an expenditure and
030revenue, but we took care of a lot of the expenditures except for the things that are additional that we have to barter. So, our gap closing resources that we've used um along through this process, we've crossed off the ones that we've already decided we're we're not going to pursue anymore as far as additional res balance use and budget reductions. As staffing programming um outside the bounds of just the normal person of business adjustments that would be made which leaves additional foundation aid. We'll see um and the board did um at the last meeting option the board was considering the challenge. You zeroed in on the two options and option. So, I want to give you a scenario of what it looks like with these two options that we're considering. We're looking at if we move
031forward with a budget that does not include those three items and we're looking at a budget that includes all of those items and we can have that discussion and see if anything falls in between. So, if we went with no considerations added, those three items were pulled out, our challenge amount would be $1.2 million. The levy required for this would be $51 million with the use of a million dollars of debt service to bring down the taxpayer portion. The levy increase would be 8%. The projected full value tax rate would be 1652 and this is a 69 increase over our current year tax rate which is 1594. If we went with everything, we went with everything that Tony outlined and and that are are locate in reallocating our resources to the betterment of our services.
032The challenge amount would be the 1.578 million. The levy would be 51,971 also including an offset of that million dollars in debt service to help that local share. The levy increase would be 8.68%. Full value projected tax rate is 16.63 $6063 with a projected change over the current year $154 of 58. Actually, we do need to make a correction. Yeah, what it was is they actually loaded. You've got the right one loaded, but those numbers are off. Did that go away? You just have to flip flip the two. The one without considerations has a tax rate of 58 cents. The one with considerations has a tax rate of 69. Oh, they were just made that out. We got the Yeah. So, they're trying to fix that right now. We will make sure the accurate is
033out there, but if you cannot do that mentally, obviously the ones with the more money would have the higher tax rate. The ones with no consideration have the lowest tax. And that's our conservative projection at this point using just that amount of debt service. Those are the things that we will have to work on refining over the next couple weeks. So we think that this is probably your highest case scenario. Our job will be to break it down for the next meeting once you tell us what to do. So while they're getting that up and around, I do want to issue my annual caveat on the assessment data. Um very preliminary um a little more so preliminary than we've seen in prior years. There is um more work to be done before the assessments have
034to be turned over on May 1st. Um the usual course of business things that they look at is for as far as any reevaluations that they're going to do, how they're going to shift their level of assessment, things of that nature. We do have some municipalities that are um integrating solar farms into their assessments. They're assessed in a little bit different manner. working those taken care of. And we also have a natural gas pipeline that expands 100 miles pipeline um that crosses over into five municipalities. It's complex to assess such a an enemy like that um because you have to look at you know the inventory of pipes and and all sorts of things. Um it's not very clear. So all the assessors are working together to come up with a consistent plan on how
035to do this assessment. Um the owner of this particular um or life is involved in the process and they're trying to come to a mutual agreement um before the May 1st. Um I will say an agreement can't be reached by May 1st because that's submit what they submit and the owner then has the right to file agreements through the taxi process. Um so those are still being worked on now. Um it's a very large pipeline last assessment I think I saw and that was pushing $80 million over a variety of um municipalities. So um they're working through that. Um, and I'm hoping by the time we meet again at the 23rd, a little bit more of that has been resolved and the numbers could be a little bit better. If you if you can, just
036like Katie talked about that pipeline right now, maybe 80 million. That's the hard part until you know it's hard. Like if all of a sudden they say it's 70 million, then that means it's not as as much and our rate could go up. It's say all of a sudden 100 million, it could potentially drive the rate down. That's why Katie takes the most conservative estimate from the data that they have now. We'll try to we we don't know if we can get that rate better. We think we have the possibility, but we may never know until August. Remember last year there was a pipeline that came up. We were at I think at about the same time about 60 and then all a sudden we got some refinement in that and it brought us down
037to 11 to 24. I can't say that that's going to happen here, but I can't say it's not easy. All I can say is we're going to give you the best estimate from where we are as of right now with the most conservative view. Those are the potential maximum numbers barring anything else changing. Now, between now and August, look at we passed a thing with a rate of maximum $24 last year and it ended up being 48. Do you see what I'm saying? So that's what happens that we will never be able to predict. So our conservative is usually our trend is been higher and then it does come down. Is it guaranteed? No. We just try to make sure that we put us in the best situation. So there's the differences. Now it's correct.
038The no consideration is 58 or $58 on a $100,000 value. maximum with all considerations is $69 on a $100,000 full balance. Ultimately, it could be more, could be less. Our track record is it usually goes down. We just don't know. But that's our conservative estimate right now. And the take away from this slide, um, so we talked about the comparison to the current uh $15.94 current year rate. If you look at the 11 cents on the difference column, that's the difference between if we included those three items, the assistant principles, the curriculum, and summer learning academy, it changes those tax rates by 11. So $11 for $100,000 home to add those three additional considerations. So now that you understand that, what's the next? Okay. So, this is the board's work at this point. Can you
039put up the three? Yes, please. That's where we're at. What we need to know tonight. We're I mean, even though we've got it built, we are at no considerations. That's 50. What was it? 58 versus 69. $58 per 100,000. What do you want for it? It's your time. What do you want to do? Do you want to add any of that? Remember last time you were saying, "Hey, option three, option four." Maybe if there's something in the middle. I don't know. But that's really all we need tonight. And once we have this, we will build the best thing for you to approve at the next one. Who wants to hear? Um, so one thing, did you say the monitors, the bus monitors already got built into it? They did. Okay. So they we shifted them
040like the the teaching assistance. Yes. Okay. Um, and I did just want to say something clarifying on that when they were talking about monitors for the last time and I had suggested um bringing in people who may not have their CDL to be monitors. Um, for special need runs though specifically, I would say that you definitely should have bus driver, another bus driver who is a bus driver being a monitor. And I just wanted to clarify that, you know, because I there is something that having extra driver is good, but I know especially with these five, six, you know, the way that this things are shifting, being able to have an extra hand on deck, I think would probably be beneficial. um you know, yeah, they're looking at that and trying to build what they
041can with. Yeah. So, I just wanted to I wanted to um talk about that last time because I thought about I was like, "Oh, I didn't say that." Um so, for me, I say yes to the curriculum work in the summer academy. I think for me, um adding in the assistant principles, right? I not I'm not discounting what they bring to the table and the necessity that there might be, but just for right now, I feel like we should wait a year and see. To me, if we had the money and you were telling me that you were going to have the in reading like teacher assistance and more for reading like the teachers, the the literary people, I would be in favor of that. Um, and I just think I'm being honest with you
042about my opinion. Um, so to me, I would land yes to the summer learning academy and the curriculum work and not quite yet. Not no to the administration unless you wanted to come back and tell me that it was just keeping the teammates, then I would feel comfortable challenging with that. Um, and I wanted to say thank you because this is beautiful. 8% looks very nice. 8 68 looks really good and I think that if we did take out that 265 that's going to be even lower. Um so I wanted to say good job others Julian said I think that was really nice and I appreciate all the hard work that all of you have done to it. Um I also would support uh summer learning curriculum. Um I would I I think myself I'm
043not ready for the assistant principles uh yet. However, I would question what it would look like if it possibility uh to have one that would work on ABC schedule. So essentially a floating okay for assistant principal that would and it's kind of the first year to see what it look like. I don't know if that's an option in the curriculum world. Um, so we can work on anything that the board decides. Okay, that's right. So, thank you. [Music] Yes, thank you for um the great work that you've done. And I also am in agreement for summer learning academy curriculum work and I'm not ready for the assistant principles yet either. I think it's it's too much to ask right now, but I I am comfortable with maybe hiring one. And I know we've had previous
044conversation before about seeing if there is possibility in the internship world to see if we can bring people in on internship who need to do their administrator license and need to do those internships and see if that can provide some um assistance as well. Kind of a win-win. Okay. No problem. Thank you. So, um I'm in favor of all of that and and the reason being is we're going into a year of major change next year. And I I know I said this before and just adding 12 plus students to each of the elementary schools. I think it's going to be a lot. And you know, and I know when we say it's an administrator being added, but I look at our principles as yes, they're administrators, but they're hands on our students every single
045day, right? So, I think that type of administrator is very different than um no offense, but like in like the business office or whatever, do you know what I mean? So, I think it's viewed differently in the and I and I could be wrong. Um so I am I am in favor of it because I just think next year is going to be just new territory for all for everybody. Um I also over history I mean these numbers are very conservative right because Katie and her team are very conservative when they look at the projected full value tax rate. So I'm also pretty confident that it's going to look even better than this. Right. Please let me say something because I would say that and I I I already know what she's going to say
046because she's already pushed me to say, "Tom, you can't go out there and promise because I this is the one year that we're being ultra conservative because we just don't know if there's going to be a challenge and we have to be very careful about that." And I and I I I understand that, right? I' I've been a long I've been around long enough to understand that and I'm not going to promise anything but in my mind that's kind of what I'm seeing which is why I think that all of these considerations um are should be added. Thank you. Who'd like to go next? We're going around. Okay. I would, excuse me, echo the comments about thanking you for all the work on the budget. It's been, you know, very smooth process this year. Uh,
047I I certainly understand the struggle with the third, the assistant principal piece. Completely agree with learning academy curriculum. I think Miss Dale's point is very well taken. kind of emphasize that you think about a principal at an elementary school, right? It's hands-on, visiting classrooms, meeting with teachers, uh meeting with parents, um just really making the school functioning, particularly with students at that level. I think it's it's a real need. And so what I'm thinking about is, you know, what it takes to try to include all that. If my math is right, Granted, these are all estimates, but looking at the difference of 11 cents per thousand for a $35 house, it's $40. Let me let me break it down just a little bit more. Okay. Okay. And if if I could, just to help speed
048some things along. I've already heard I think everybody's in line with bricks and work and summer learning academy. Can I just have a show of hands? So, that's going to be included in our budget. So, now it's really down to the brass tax. Um, just so you know, curriculum work is 1 cent of that 11 cents. Summer learning academy is 2 cents of that 11 cents. Rounding up each assistant principal is three cents on $100,000, $1, $2, $3 per $100,000. That's the breakdown of it. give or take a couple pennies here or there. But that's what I think you're trying to get at is okay, if we did one and two and did one assistant principal is 6 cents or $6. If we do two, which I can't necessarily say two because I'm not going
049to be able to somebody's always going to be short, but with one you just do the rotation, but two is going to be n $9 and three is going to be the full 11. If you've already set the summer of learning in the curriculum, you've already put $3 onto it. So that 58 is roughly now 61 at the high side. 61 per 100,000. Now really all you 58 cents 59 plus the three roughly the three cents it would be for curriculum net. So now it's really just going up. It's your decision. Three assistant principles, two I would probably is harder even though more is better. Uh I know that's certainly what the administrator would say one I will tell you one would make a huge difference no matter what than none. Um so that's really
050the range that I think you're in Dan is between 61 and 69. It's roughly about extra six per 100,000. Yeah. So, the point I'm making is you take a reasonably priced home, maybe it's $350,000, that's $28, right? So, my if we're if we're that close and for 28 additional dollars we can get what we're hearing from the administration and for the district's benefit and students benefited to me, it's worth adding in that additional little piece. you know, it's not like we're that far away and this is a significant gap or increase, right? So that so that ultimately leads me to be in favor of trying to include all three because I think justifying that challenge is essentially the same as justifying a challenge without the considerations. There's no material difference. I'm on the same page
051with um Dan and Christine. I think it is a small enough difference that it makes sense. And um when we say hands on, I know Kim will hate me for saying this, but we need hands on. Like I've seen Kim wiping people's down. I've seen like they're getting their hands dirty and the kids they're not just sitting in their offices all day. They're really making a difference. So, I would be in favor of all three considerations. Um, I came in with a slightly different opinion than I have right now. I didn't realize how teacher voice. Um, I didn't realize how small of a difference it really is when you think, as Dan pointed out, $28 for what we're getting. Um, my only, you know, I love to see three principles, especially as Christine pointed out,
052it's a new year. We have a new kind of system going and the more there to help obviously the better. And I agree. I think the assistant principles have a tremendous role, but I don't I'm not quite sure about the community. I hope their impression is that yes, this is going to be wonderful. Times that are hard and they're getting harder and I'm just worried that some voters will see that we're adding administrators and take a more negative look towards that. So, I I right now I hate to say it, but I'm kind of on the fence because I want the budget to pass, but I want principles, too. And um so I'm just kind of thinking right now. I I truly see the need with um the situation that's going to be with the
053three new schools and lots of change and change for teachers, more importantly, change for children. Um and the amount of money that's, you know, thanks to all of you for getting me in this conundrum because it's all your fault. You've done so well with bringing everything down. So there Um, well, I still struggle with three assistant principles. I guess I remember back when our kids went to school, we had around 500, 550 kids and we had one administrator in our building. And I know times have changed, but I think I push more for extra help with kids. um teaching assistants, another RTI teacher because the kids still have or social workers. There's a lot of struggles with all the kids today and I'm not I'm not totally convinced it would be just an assistant principal.
054I see this assistant principal cost and maybe you could have two other helpers, you know, two bodies instead of one assistant principal. So I would I would support But I'm not sure. Um, so we're going to go out and challenge. And I think there's a difference between saying we're going to challenge to preserve everything we have and then make the challenge higher because we're going to add other things. I'm in favor of the learning academy and the curriculum. I think there's a strong historical antipyth [Music] no antipathy antipathy there we go uh in the community a long history of kind of we had too many administrators and if they see we're adding three I I think Maryanne was accurate in her assessment of how the community could react to that. So, at best, I would
055be in favor of one. I could see uh to see how it works, but I think the public would not react favorably to seeing three additional administrative positions in our budget. Go ahead. I just want to ask a question. I mean, the reality of it is when you look at administrators, it's actually really only two. Yes, it's shown on paper as higher as three assistants, but we're going from having four elementary school principles right now to having three next year. It's still three because remember Patrick Patterson left and we're using an in so that's already been taken out of the budget. I I understand that. But you still have when you look at the number of students, right? And and I I had the math all done and I don't know where I do with
056that paper and this is from multiple board meetings ago. I mean it's still you know that that principal to student ratio is still increasing right and so you know I think that's also an important thing especially at that level and you know we talk a lot about the social and emotional well-being and and time and things today are much different than they were even precoid right and the needs that our students have and the needs that our families have you know so having that extra person in the building that could could help with the parents, could help with the students, could help with the teachers, could help with the social workers, can can kind of be sounds trivial when I say jack of all trades, but essentially I mean, you know, we see our principles
057all the time wearing multiple hats, right? Um, so I just think, you know, the the number the increase that's going to go on, I I really don't see our principles as administrators, right? I I see them as hands-on helping our kids and our families every single day. Um, I understand. I appreciate that. As a superintendent, it's hard. I know my administrators need some help no matter what. as a superintendent that's responsible for passing the board budget as a challenge that forms another stressor how to say. Um, so what I heard was definitely on the two. What I heard is there's not a majority to bring in all three, but I heard there is most likely a majority to at least try to do one potentially. But that's ultimately the final call of the board. If
058I just asked right now, this is not a vote. It's just more survey. the board members can see and you can tell me don't ask us that question. How many at this point would prefer to see no administrator and you know you don't have to explain I can understand I have a because I feel like this is so um I would be in favor of adding a one administrator if we were also having um more of the teacher assistance being able to stay because I feel like that's going to be a big shift with having more kids in in the schools and I know you know you guys have worked it but just to have more reading teacher assistants in those positions I would feel comfortable and I would be curious to see how many
059people on the board would be say Okay. To, you know, I know you want to get rid of six, but maybe say, okay, well, we could take four. We're not getting rid of six. I know. Not getting rid. Okay. It's just we're not getting rid of anybody, but to move or shift if we could keep cuz you were you didn't know the exact amount of what the what the six to stay in RTI would cost, but if we could keep four and have one administrator should administrator, I would kind of be in favor of that. I I appreciate the contest to ask anybody else. Does anybody else want to? Because I can tell you we're just raising the fee. I just don't know how much a teacher is because I didn't know they're roughly 20
06026. Well, for the six they're over $30,000 a piece with benefits. Starting with benefits. I I understand. Yeah, that's that's the problem. What we're doing is if I can finish what we're doing is we're adding more staff and we have a budget problem that's revenue based. So we can keep adding more staff and I view this with Warren and course trade. I'll do this to get these. The problem is we don't have them at this point because we're hiring two teachers to replace that need and that is what's going to be the instructional support. A teaching assistant does not provide firsthand instructional support. They provide support. Now depending on what happens in the building, we leave that to the building principles if all of a sudden something needs it. But in each of the buildings,
061they are going to have a teaching assistant with them and now four RTI teachers where before they had two and a half and they had I think it was did you say three? Yeah, two and a half. and they had three teaching assistants in two of the buildings and then two in another. Uh so we're not I would tell you the administrative team and superintendent are not comfortable adding more positions. These were the positions that were in the budget. I also understand the board struggle with the administrative position because let's face it, we had that last year. Everybody thinks we're very high on administration. We're one of the lowest. And I've said this over and over when people come and they talk and they sit down and see what we do compared to everybody else.
062We have one of the lowest administrative ratios even in our buildings for the most part. But the big thing is this shift does need support. So I'm not trying to say I don't value the statement. It's just that we I mean we're going to ask our community to do something that no other community has done and passed two challenge budgets in a row without ever taking one step major reduction to try to right side budget which we know is going to take one to four years to try to correct and we do need retirements down the road to ultimately correct otherwise there's no other way to correct a staff reliant budget. to add more. It would be irresponsible for us to sort of say we would support that. That's why we have the administrator. Could
063you add one other food for thought on that? Understand your thought of maintaining the RTI and the value that the value that particular program but we're also taking those those great current resources that we have and they're shifting over to another role that we all was important to the primary level TA. We're getting we're getting that back doing this model which we don't always fill those positions. So we're getting stronger with our teaching assistance. So by restructuring the RTI and shifting more teacher centered versus TA centered we can gain that other support at the primary level where we also do need those extra hands in the classroom to help the teachers and help the students at those very young levels. So it's a trade and I understand where you're going but we we were very
064mindful of you know what do we value what do we need and we had these great people who very well in this other role as well that we need. So then I guess I would say like what you were saying we have two back that I think that we definitely um cannot be adding more. I think that one is probably the right way to go in that respect. I recognize I was the one putting the math and saying from a practical standpoint it's not a lot but I think those are telling points that made about maybe the reaction to the perception of increased uh administrators. I think ultimately what's most important is that the challenge pass right so I do have some concern about the fact that that could be kind of a lightning rod
065that could lead so lead to potential opposition and then we'd be in a worse situation so the idea of one you know seems like maybe it's picking up some momentum and I was curious to hear from you or whomever like do you feel like there'd be still value that to see how the model works or you know to provide incremental support. Can you talk about that? First I want to thank you for bringing up that's the main stressor. My job as an employer for the board is to try to ensure that our livelihoods keep going and the community gets the best education opportunities possible. They were very gracious. Last year we had a wonderful rate and it ended up going down even though assessments go up because people are adding value to their own personal
066project. But that's the key thing. This budget were unsuccessful and we have to remember there hasn't been a lot of controversy right now but that's because the board acted early on and said we want to try to minimize human impact. But that makes you worry. Are people going to be as motivated as they were last year? This is good. I mean, I can only say as a resident and a person that's done this for almost 40 years, this is a good budget. But I can't say that just because something good budget as a resident that as your superintendent, somebody's going to say, "Ah, they're just going to stick it to us again." And now see, they're just going to do this or this. And our ultimate goal is like you said, we've got to try
067to ensure the livelihood, the sanctity of our educational program without making the reductions cuz if the budget is unsuccessful, that's just the challenge amount right above 2%. The board may say we're going below 2%. That's all budgetary personnel reduction. So that's why we do have to be mindful. So thank you. Um, look, I can tell you the administrators need some help just because they're going to have more staff. They're going to have more students. I also believe we have a veteran administration and I know they get tired, but just like administrators here at the district office. We saw our share of reductions across the district and we understand that we are always going to do what we have to do to get the job done and I know my building principles will. Anything to relieve
068or vent some sort of vent some of that stressor would be much appreciated and try to live for another day. But we got to pass the budget. Like I said, two is sort of hard to work with. Three is easier. One is preferable for me and I'm sure the administrators as well than anything we'd have to work on that. But I'd also try to look and see like Miss Shimone said if we do have anybody and we have that opportunity to try to get some training and so forth. So for me my bottom line position if I had to tell you if I want at least one uh I think the community will understand but if they see everything they aren't going to understand. Uh and this is for one is for every part of
069the community as well. It's not just for one building. It's not for the biggest building. It's to go and be the inter relationship, I think, between each of the three buildings because that's one of the things we want is that we want our buildings join somehow. So, I don't know what the right answer is, but I know if I was an administrator and if other administrators were me, I'm trying to help move the district forward and move the administrator forward. And if it doesn't go well, then we'll remove it. If it goes well, you may say, "Okay, this would help by having the other two buildings have a full time." But we're also looking at what happens in the future. All I know is if you do one that goes up six cents, so it's
070we're at roughly about $64. No, it's three. I know. Three plus one is three six cents. See, Douglas math does work every now and then, but 64 $64 per thousand. That's most likely our maximum. Now, can we potentially impact that? We are if if the board agrees one plus the summer learning academy curriculum, we still have to do some play with the debt service. We still have to play with the foundation aid because our big thing is people will sit there and say that's still too much. Right? Right now it's at 8 probably 8.3%. or so what if I can get that eight to 7.3 right? Still get that principle. Now some people will say hey what if we can get to six? Would you entertain adding those two principles? I don't know what the
071right answer is there because still the issue is perception and perception matters when you deal with a challenge. Every challenge that has always passed has been because there's been significant cuts. Our challenge was to avoid significant cuts and everybody knew about it. This year's challenge is to avoid those same cuts if not more. And if by chance we get lucky and our rate goes down, we're still doing almost 11 years with full construction at from 1804 potentially lower and we've rebuilt a good portion of help back in the district. Still take a couple years. So that would be my advice uh to everyone. I know everybody like three one would be the great. So, real quick, sorry, can you um and I apologize. I'd like to ask Michelle referenced numbers from a previous board meeting
072about budget for the students in each of the elementaryaries. And I have something similar. I have around 480 will be going through the big class. So, I'm not sure if that's it's roughly it's not 300 kids. It's about 264 plus 22 to try to balance them out. Tony, do you remember the actual numbers? the gardener road. Gardener Road at one point was 470 to 480 with one principal and operated that way for two different years. So can you tell us and I apologize for the question but how many social workers are also in those buildings in the reconfiguration that what we were suggesting earlier there's three elementaryaries three three so three social work assistants in each of the buildings y um with one having school psychologists and two social workers thank you real question. Oh,
073so I'm just um I do agree there is a perception even though you say it's only 11 cents, it's 22 cents. When people read the letter and they see more administrators, that's that's the perception that it's tough to change because and we want this budget to pass. What was our challenge last year? Our challenge was actually higher than this last year in percentage. We were up in 9% range and we were actually at 12. Uh the only major difference is the amount of debt service. We used 2 million. We aren't going to be there that this year. We have to step back, but we're going to play to try to bring down that percentage and also maybe bring down the rate. Uh it's just still too early for us to do that. That's why we
074need this decision. Once we have it, we will work our damnest to get the best possible option to go out to the community for you to approve. Wednesday the 23rd. I keep getting that one wrong. Adopted budget. Oh, May 20th. No, April 23rd. Okay. The most important thing is that we present a budget that can be passed, right? Tell me numbers. Sure. um K through 4 only um at next year at big flats. Just check the right time. Yes, K through 4 will be at 415. PreK adds another 40 to 50 depending upon enrollment. Gardener Road will be at 452. They're going to have another 80 with prek because they have the rooms. Ridge Road because of the compression and not having prek down into the center street footprint. We'll have three about and then
075the three social workers or combination of Yes. into each of those buildings. It's okay. I write it on check description. Don't talk. Don't. Um, I do want to commend all the people that worked on the new model for the RTI and to have four full-time teachers in the building is just sounds really good to me because even before I, you know, retired, it was part of the program. wasn't that long ago and it was part-time people and you like you said you had one that was 0.5 and that's it was so difficult on students and the teachers and everything. So we have four per building and the idea that none of our current teaching assistants are going to lose a job. they're all going to have a position and I think that's so important that
076we're keeping their positions and I I don't in any way degrade what they do because they're wonderful and I don't know many of them personally but having worked with teaching assistants um but I think that model is just whoever thought good and uh I guess I just want to say it again I worry as soon just finished saying the perception if in the newsletter that goes out it says three new administrators um and maybe it's because you know I'm older but I'm worried that that would be a detriment to passing budget it scares me so I've heard from everybody and everything what I think I hear is when we ask no administrator nobody put up their hand is there Anybody here that wants all three at this point? That's okay. Put up your hand. Okay.
077So, we know the extremes now. So, it's really between one and two. Two is going to be even the same as multiple administrators. So, I'm going to ask if if you can support one administrator, the summer learn academy curriculum. Just by a show of hands, this isn't a vote. If that's the case, the board has now given us the direction that we need to finish the budget. We're our job now is to take this and try to make that even better. We're going to be dealing with debt service. I know Katie is going to be having the assessors. We want people to know that this is a challenge and this budget is hopefully something that the community will get behind and be successful because if not there is going to be major reductions. That's the
078long and short of it. Now what are they? People are going to ask a lot of it you already saw last year. It's just going to take a little different form. We're hoping that the community because basically the state has said you're on your own and the question is and I do believe horses does value its education system and they want the best but they want to make sure that we do it the best and try to get that to the best numbers we can. That's now our job to bring back for you to approve your final budget. Are you okay with that? I just have one question. Sure. positive this vote would pass the first time, but if for some reason it didn't, we can't challenge twice, can we? No, good question. Hypothetically, say
079the first vote did not pass. The second vote, the board can put up the same budget, challenge again, put up a budget right at the 2%, which requires 50% plus one. The board can also just go straight to a contingent budget. Please don't do that. Uh that would require what roughly about $3.4 million in cuts or more. Uh but the board has all that. If the board opted for a contingent budget, there is no more vote. The board can always go zero. But if the budget fails twice, the community is saying you're going zero. Basically, this is your budget, but ultimately the community decides what the budget is. So that's I think you're putting the faith in the community. Let them see. And if not, the community saying cut the programs, cut the sale. I
080don't think that's what they're going to say personally as long as we're reasonable and we explain things. But we have what we need to do at this point. Are you okay with us trying to do the best we can to bring the last minute? So we have no last minute done. That's all we need. That's our next slide. Just so I can get the numbers up. Board discussion is over. We're all set. The board has set its budget. April 23rd is a regular meeting budget adoption. There will be just one presentation. And then May 8th is public hearing and May 20th is budget vote. It will be in the north gym because this will be under May 8th will be at 6 p.m. in the high school auditorium. High school auditori. No, it's going to
081be 6, not 5:15. No, it's 5:15. The public hearing. Yeah. Okay. Then that's we will correct. Okay, Mr. Continent. All yours. All right. Thank you to uh all of the uh budget team and all of your hard work. And I seek a motion to adjourn. All in favor? All opposed. Extensions. Drive safely. Everyone, thank you for coming out. wood.