budget: account by account

School committee approved $87,000
out of state travel approved (this is a zero)
in state travel: $62,500
Allen comments that this is largely for in-city travel between schools by itinerant teachers
out-of-state travel is paid for grants or other sources
Day-by-day subs: O'Connell asks for recommended number of subs per day; is it funded enough?
Foley points out that this account is decreasing $35,000
passes as amended



Series of questions regarding Misc Salaries (mostly mine: sorry no notes)

comments on community schools: the account is essentially level-funded: $25,000 is broken out now from Community Schools account to separate the money that is the Elm Park drop-off center (which is not a community schools program)
the community schools are not losing funds
Allen agrees that the drop-off center should not have been in the community schools account to begin with
putting $25,000 into the account would be an increase

Colorio asks if we're using college students as translators
Boone says we've worked to contain cost; under DoJ settlement
"let that process begin to drive what we do..." asks for time to work out settlement agreements
Colorio asks what about them is educational and what is recreational
much of the money in community schools line for site administrators to keep school open
Elm Park is the drop off center for kids left on buses
asks for information on the Gerald Creamer Center and credit recovery
CPI training is non-violent restraint and deescalabtion
students using buyback program

O'Connell: asks if we have enough money for a community school at Elm Park if we take the drop-off money out of this line item: yes
no change in funding for Elm Park
no loss of actual funding for Elm Park
requests that as plans evolve for Elm Park that the community groups be involved in it

Biancheria: Worcester Future Teachers Academy: affiliated with North?
no, with Government and Community Service Academy at South High
labelled them as "programs"...why haven't we moved them into another category? Programs of long standing
Boone: part time salary positions, not full time positions
Allen: contractual after-school rates; perhaps change the name of the account
maybe we can rename the account?
"can tell you that they are an intricate part of the program"
Approved pending reports

Printing and Postage: postage is recommended to be cut by $25,000 (as part of the $350,000); we're saving that money due to electronically delivering paystubs to those who get direct deposit, rather than mailing them
motion to cut DAB supplies to level fund and move the money to instructional supplies passes, 4-3 (it's a cut of $574), Petty, Foley, Monfredo against
note that DAB supplies are going up by 1%; student supplies are level funded
approve as amended


Insurance programs: approved as presented

workers comp: motion from O'Connell to reduce by $100,000
settlements made in the past
Allen: without those settlement it would have increased the costs; we've been defraying possible future costs
most members know that this account is always overexpended, underbudgeted
administration recommends level funded
Foley: "annual exercise of cutting workers compensation"
concerned that we may see it come in over the budgeted level (as we generally do)
eliminating possible flexibility in other accounts
Monfredo points out that we can switch the money later, right? Allen agrees
motion fails 4-3

retirement:
did we consider an early retirement incentive? will we?
new system already is an early retirement incentive: allows retirement up to four years early
so, no
retirement assessment going up by 4%

Coaches: O'Connell asks if this gives us enough coaches for each school to have teams
Allen: level funded, programmatically
would have to add to this account
3 golf teams in the fall; 1 golf team for girls citywide
elementary schools sports: should we be looking into them?
Boone: in essence, don't have the money
athletics and school based clubs, interest in elementary level
"we need to shore up what's happening at middle and high school" first
O'Connell asks for information to be shared of what we have so far for information for FY14 and for TLSS
Biancheria asked about $1 for recess; still in instructional supplies
cheerleading advisors vs coaches: we're upgrading three to coaches, Worcester Tech still has an advisor
under athletics (where it has been for two years)