The Darien Times

Darien schools dissect $4.3m budget increase

Last Updated on Friday, January 20, 2012 11:10 AM Written by David DesRoches
Friday, January 20, 2012 07:00 AM

The budget season stormed into town last week under a cloudy sky of economic uncertainty coupled with yet another budget increase. The current proposal is almost double the schools' budget a decade ago of $42 million, although the suggested increase at that time was a hefty 10.4%, whereas this year's increase is 5.6%. The final amount approved last year was a 6.7% increase.

Enrollment has grown by more than 10% over the last six years. Darien also has the highest percentage of children under 18 of any other town in the state, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Total expenses for next year, excluding revenues, is projected to be $84,081,085, which is a 4.39% increase over this year's total spending.

School department heads began their budget overviews with the Board of Education last week, discussing everything from new programs to continued deferrals.

Darien High School

Principal Dan Haron told the school board that the enrollment increase at the high school drives his proposed 1.88% increase, which includes $62,000 for increased staffing needs to accommodate the additional 34 students expected next year. "In light of the economic condition, I think we can do with one [full-time equivalent] increase rather than two," Haron told the board. "We might see a slight uptick in class sizes, but I think it would be minimal."

After including revenues from activity and parking fees, the increase is reduced to 0.82%, for a total budget of $11,784,420, which is the second-highest spending account behind special education.

Twenty-two of the 34 additional students will be freshman next year, and the additional staffing needs will take place in the English, match, science and social studies departments.

Board member Amy Bell questioned whether Haron's method of deciding the additional staffing needs was over-simplifying the situation, and should he instead employ an algorithm that was used in previous years.

Haron replied that earlier estimates weren't "particularly accurate," and that "the registration process drives how the [staffing need] is going to be allocated."

Board Vice Chairman Clara Sartori urged the schools to be more aggressive in predicting enrollment, as its most recent estimation before school began last year was off by 14 children. Many children enroll in Darien and with a private school but don't make a decision until the last minute, which makes accurate estimations difficult.

Salary increases remain the major budget driver at the high school, which accounts for 96.5% of high school expenses. Haron's salary is scheduled to increase by 1.75% to $183,871, which is an 11.4% increase over his 2009 salary. Other major increases at the high school include $10,650 for substitute teachers, $19,000 in the reading teachers line, and $61,945 in the English teachers line, as part of the aforementioned staffing increase.

Haron said the next largest request aside from staffing was $14,956 for additional money for clubs and councils. "We really have seen an increase in a number of clubs that we're offering," Haron said. "We've also seen an increase in student interest. The way a club starts is with student interest."

Haron said that the Darien High School Parents Association "has really saved us," by providing thousands of dollars toward clubs, and many teachers are working on their town time to help with activities. "Our teachers love kids and they can't say no to them," he said.

Clubs range from the China Connect Club and the Harry Potter-inspired Quiddich Club to the Wall Street Club. "The diversity of clubs is astonishing," Haron said. He urged the board to supply the additional funds to avoid student protests in the form of an Occupy Wall Street club, which drew laughs from the audience.

More money for textbooks is also on Haron's wish list, which accounts for $17,590 of additional spending. The principal said he's been rebinding books for years, but was told by the rebinding company that many books need to be replaced.

He is also asking for an additional $3,075 for professional development expenses, which pays only for registration fees for teachers and not travel and lodging. This is 51.9% more than the current year's allotment. "I've had several instances of teachers, once they find out they have to pay... they don't go," Haron said. "I feel they miss out on that opportunity."

Budget decreases include curriculum supervision, which lost $26,879, and $23,160 was cut from miscellaneous instructional expenses, which was money used for the accreditation process that is now complete. Continued deferrals include history textbooks, science equipment, professional development support, buses for field trips and other equipment.

"Many of these deferred items have been partially mitigated with tens of thousands from" the parent association, Haron said. "They've had a surplus, but as generous as they've been, I think that source is drying up."

Middlesex

The third-largest school budget comes from Middlesex Middle School, which proposes a 1.06% increase for a total spending plan of $9,689,480, or $101,448, more than this year. The middle school expects enrollment to fall by 29 students next year, which will result in a loss of 1.25 full-time equivalent staff.

"The bottom line is when we lose kids we lose staff," said Middlesex Principal Dr. Debbie Boccanfuso. "It equals parts of people across the team — 1.25 is parts of five different people."

Salaries remain the largest chunk, accounting for 87.2% of the total increase at $88,461. The largest dollar amount increase goes to the guidance line, which is up 6.89%, or $23,010 more than this year. The next largest increase goes to the social studies teachers, which is seeking $22,933 more for next year, despite losing a quarter of a staffing position due to decreased enrollment.

Boccanfuso's salary is scheduled to increase by 1.75% to $171,877, which is an 11.4% increase over her 2009 salary.

Other additions include $2,900 for science materials as the school heads into a science-inquiry learning methodology. Boccanfuso is also asking for an additional $5,000 for professional development. "We want to get teachers to expand their thinking and look at instruction differently and be inspired by people around them," she said. "We want them to learn and grow."

She added that the limited budget currently in place for professional development runs out fast, and teachers are urged to sign up early to have any chance of receiving money.

"We're very careful with this money," Boccanfuso said.

The principal is also asking for $4,935 for new tables and chairs for the cafeteria. "The reality it that the cafeteria at MMS is a heavily used area in the building," Boccanfuso said. "Our tables and chairs are 10 and 12 years old."

She said the tables have been repaired many times, and that they are now getting "pretty wobbly."

"We need to maintain this," she said. "It has been deferred and we want to put it back in."

Boccanfuso also requested more money for miscellaneous office supplies, which includes postage and meter rental. Board member Morgan Whittier asked if there were legal reasons preventing the schools from using email instead of regular mail for correspondence with parents.

Superintendent Dr. Stephen Falcone said he would investigate the matter.

Music

Director of Music Rick Sadlon told the school board that music participation is increasing. Sadlon is asking for $1,110,323 for next year, a 2.6% increase over this year.

Salaries account for slightly more than half of that increase, which is $13,852. Sadlon is also requesting $12,249 for music equipment next year, which is a 653.78% increase over this year's amount.

This money is for new choral risers at Hindley School at about $8,000, and two new Yamaha digital pianos at $750 each to replace older upright pianos at Holmes and Hindley. Sadlon said it cost $90 to tune a piano, and these were requiring multiple tunings per year, so it make sense to get digital pianos.

Sadlon said the risers are "getting to a point where we need to start thinking about replacing them," he said. "The one we have now, custodians fix them, so it's not critical at this moment, but it's a safety thing."

He is also asking for replacement percussion equipment, an additional $1,000 to pay for a piano accompanist for concerts to free up the music directors during performances, and new computer software, headphones, interface boxes and a large computer monitor.

PE and athletics

Outgoing athletic director John Keleher proposed a number of changes to his budget, notably the possibility of a school rugby team at Darien High School.

"The rugby club has been in operation as a kind of club for five years," Keleher told the Board of Education at its Jan. 10 meeting. The club has a following of roughly 30-25 students any given year, he said.

The team plays in the tri-state area, but if it became a school sport, players would still likely have to travel quite far for games, as few towns in the area have the sport.

Keleher also mentioned the Title 9 consideration, which requires boys and girls have equal opportunity to participate in sports. He said that currently, more girls are participating in sports than boys, so the new team would likely even the number.

"We project having an increase in boy population," Keleher said, "so if we would add the rugby, it wouldn't adversely impact."

A new coach and assistant coach would cost $6,375 for the new spring sport, which would not be part of the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference. Tranportation costs were estimated to be $1,600 for four trips, with $1,400 for uniforms and equipment.

Board Secretary Heather Shea noted that other relatively new sports, such as boys volleyball, girls hockey and squash, had strong financial support from parents to help with start-up costs. She asked if there was similar support for rugby.

Superinendent Dr. Stephen Falcone said the schools have not solicited for that kind of support, but in the other cases, it was a matter of having the infrastructure to support the new sports, whereas with rugby, the schools already have fields for games and practices.

Board member Amy Bell said rugby would be a good opportunity for kids who aren't interesting in other sports to participate in an activity, and would also give athletes another option during the off-season from their primary sport.

Keleher added that rugby has maintained a steady interest from incoming freshman who are introduced to the sport by upperclassmen, and he doesn't expect enthusiasm to wane.

The athletic department is also trying to do a better job of tracking its transportation spending, as sometimes renting a bus for an away game costs several times the normal rate, if the regular provider is unavailable, Keleher said. Transportation costs are increasing by more than $30,000 to $267,030.

"This number reflects actual usage," Keleher said, noting that past budgets have been underfunded.

Fees for officials have also been underbudgeted over the years, so Keleher added another $20,000 to that account, making it $115,165. He also added $9,000 for bleachers for the oval turf field, an item that has been deferred in the past.

"Mr. Keleher's bleachers have come back into our budget," Keleher joked. "We actually had one that broke, it would be great to put two sets at least into the hill on the oval, which... makes fore a much safer and easier use on that grass field. We'd want them to stay there."

The director is also asking for an additional $2,000 for PE teaching supplies that have been deferred in past budgets; another $1,000 for athletic training supplies; almost $4,000 more for new uniforms and other supplies, including the rugby uniforms; $1,000 more for the weight room; $2,000 more for athletic training services; and $3,000 for new netting for the tennis and badminton courts.

Keleher's personnel expenses are budgeted to increase by 2.42%, or $19,580, to $827,519. Operating expenses would go up 5.65%, or $30,295, to $566,435. The total spending plan for athletics next year is $1,396,954, with $35,000 offset from summer school revenues, for a net increase of 4.04%.

Library media

High school Librarian Jackie Bennett proposed her spending plan for next year, which would remain relatively flat at $204,257 — a $17 increase over all.

Decreased expenses include $2,995 less for resource materials; $300 for hardware repair; $2,100 for repairs and service contracts; and $1,500 for equipment rental. Increases include $2,506 for additional non-fiction books at the elementary schools; $463 for periodicals to reflect rising costs; $3,595 for online subscriptions to reflect price increases for subscriptions; $400 for more professional books and journals; and $25 for dues and memberships.

Board Vice Chairman Clara Sartori asked if the decreases were because of the new elementary foreign language program, which is replacing library time with Spanish. Bennett said that was not the case, and that there would be no adverse effect on services because of some of the reductions.

ddesroches@darientimes.com

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