back to FY13...

We're picking back up with athletics for a few more questions...publishing as we go
Opening comments from the superintendent regarding the health insurance savings: $900,000
"we are now are looking to be able to actualize $900,000 in additional savings, and that's savings going forward"
The proposal is here.
Colorio asks for the timeline: preliminary review took place Monday night, work on Tuesday, budget committee met on Tuesday afternoon



Athletic supplies budget:
increasing this year for cheerleading equipment and for new football helmets
Shea: our football helmets cannot be reconditions: 152 helmets that are ten years or older in WPS
"concussioins...brain trauma...from Pop Warner through high school and the NFL"
"number one concern was the safety of the student athletes"
positive activities after school; very concerned if 152 athletes could not participate this fall

Colorio: gate receipts: who oversees what we sell
Allen overseen by school nutrition
Lombardi: "it's...total independence from any of the regulations..."
Colorio: seems like a very low number, is there some new innovative thing we could do?
Lombardi: depends on attendance at the game
Allen points out that it's "the net profit" (commenting that it's a word we don't get to use too often)
35%, Lombardi estimates

Crossing guards: concerns can be reported to the principal or the HR department
Colorio asks when they should be there, before and after school: a half hour
O'Connell asks that we talk to WPD about where we might need temporary ones due to construction
mentions Plantation and Hamilton, as well
Crossing guards passes

Custodian passes

Custodial overtime
O'Connell asks if we need more custodians (rather than overtime)
Allen: looking at very closely: custodian includes an increases of two positions for FY13
Colorio: where is the majority of the spending?
Allen: varies from year to year, contractual manpower (vacancy or absence)
Monfredo: are we now in compliance? Yes.

Maintenance services and overtime: pass

Facilities ordinary maintenance
O'Connell asks if we need to add people?
Allen: response to School Committee to qualify for MSBA guidelines
Colorio: trash removal? from schools?
out for bid right now? yes
Do we get competitive bids on this? yes
Bedard, when asked if we need to spend more money, would welcome it; have been doing more with the money we have

Facilities OM passes

Vehicle maintenance
O'Connell: vehicles aging, we have more?
Allen: more accurate number
what happens if we have to replace something more expensive than a pickup truck?
either take the money from elsewhere or combine two fiscal years
passes

Unemployment:
O'Connell motion to cut by $25,000:not likely to have layoffs, he suggests
Boone: 49% decrease in this line item
Allen: calculation is based on number of people that are still in federal extension period that will be coming back to our rolls, those on unemployment, any employees through the budget process that will be laid off
estimates that it's now underfunded by $150,000
passes

Allen: recommends reduction of $900,000
passes

O'Connell asks for a report on community schools for July
Monfredo wants to consider a community liaison for Elm Park Community School
Boone prepared to examine it
community testimony on Elm Park Community

Instructional Materials increase recommended
approved


Utilities
telephones: question from Colorio
we fund 390 cell phones at $56 a year each
Colorio then lists who has cell phones in the district
asks School Committee members make the least amount of those who have money
Allen responds that some school nutrition staff make less money than School Committee members and yet have phones
Boone: "we require certain staff members to be readily available...if it is required, we must provide it" per federal law
Halloween snowstorm: main contact was through cell phones
Colorio asks if people could contribute as a goodwill effort
Boone: federal government is not going to look at it as a goodwill effort, "a very messy area"
Petty: usage is tracked, follow up
Allen agrees, hoping to weed out phones based on non-usage
O'Connell asks for a breakdown on electricity rates and oil
Novick mentions increase in instructional supply budget (first time since 2008!) and that we've moved the principals' cell phones OUT of the instructional supply account
Allen notes in response to Biancheria's question that we no longer heat Sullivan and South with electricity (and thank goodness for that! It cost a million a year!)
Biancheria noting that the electricity costs are significantly higher than those at other high schools; Bedard responds that this is due to how the building was built
approved


Personal services
sorry, I had a bunch of questions there and I did not write them all down
Biancheria: principal mentorship program
concerned about principals that are making over $100,000
"when you're making a six figure salary...I feel as though you should be with your feet on the ground ready to go"
motion to zero out the mentorship line item
Boone: "education is one of the last places to recognize that regardless of salary, leadership have shifted"
cites that she herself as a coach
"this is for our new principals..first time principals and those new to the district"
an assumption that doesn't bear out
Biancheria: appreciate what you're saying, on teaching...these are the leaders in our school
"I don't expect them to be new...I find that this has been an ongoing discussion"
Monfredo: "I proposed having a mentorship program...principals new or new to the system have the chance to learn"
"this is not a frills program and I recommend that we leave it alone"
O'Connell: it's been funded at two positions a year, increase by 300% to six positions
principals shifting from one school to another, coming from another district, becoming a principal for the first time
"I suspect that many of our principals belong to the Massachusetts Association of School Principals"
"having had two positions for the last four years...can we get away with three mentors?"
Foley: "a small investment for those who have the toughest job in the entire district"
master principal mentor you is a sound investment
"have some concern in the past...master principals"
"it's $15,000"
"you're impacting numbers of students"
Monfredo: small investment in leadership, perhaps
Boone: eight new principals: five retirements, one Level 4, shifts in UPCS and Claremont
"we can anticipate increases...handful of principals retire"
Meade-Montague: what we pay is well under that paid nationally
Worcester State's rate is $10,000
different mentorship program based on the needs of the principal
Novick (from questions): we have three brand new principals coming in, two positions left unfilled as yet, so we could have the top number of brand new principals of five
Biancheria: "I find it shocking that we would discuss...question where the priorities are...see the costs of principals...add $15,000 to the costs of principals"
Colorio:
Novick: five suggested
O'Connell suggests voting in order
BREAK FOR EXECUTIVE SESSION