BOE Considers Staffing, Class Size After Public Hearing

After receiving some proposed budget options from the administration, the Brookfield Board of Education (BOE) has tentatively decided it will try to add another kindergarten teacher, a maintenance mechanic and retain a .5 remedial reading position while keeping the proposed spending increase below 2.76 percent.

“The question becomes how far below 2.76 percent,” BOE Chairman Ray DiStephan said in an interview after hearing public comment and then holding discussion on Superintendent Anthony Bivona’s .

Bivona’s proposal represents the smallest percentage increase in his five years in the school district.

BOE member Harry Shaker recommended that the board approve a spending increase of less than 2.5 percent.

Resident Rolf Enger, who has offered several proposed cost-saving measures to the BOE over the recent years, said it should consider outsourcing the duties that would be performed by the maintenance mechanic.

Biviona said the district tried that approach about three years ago and it was “not cost efficient” and there were delays in getting some of the maintenance projects completed.

DiStephan said Enger made a valid point, but that he believes “in prevention and having somebody on staff who knows the buildings and knows the players.”

The BOE chairman said there has been strong support for the 10th kindergarten teacher at (CES), which would reduce projected class sizes to 18 students per teacher, within the district’s guidelines as it embarks next year on .

After reviewing a proposed budget that would only maintain current services with a 2.11 percent spending increase and an “add back” package that would carry a 2.76 percent hike, but would be structured differently than the plan Bivona presented last month, the BOE tentatively agreed to keep one of the that would be eliminated under the superintendent’s plan.

Those reductions have been designed to allow for a teacher to be added at (HHES) to lower class sizes.

BOE Secretary Susan Queenan said she would prefer the .5 remedial reading position be devoted to CES, which has students from pre-kindergarten through first grade.

The BOE appeared to be undecided on how it would address the proposed elimination of 5.76 paraprofessional positions, which are currently funded by federal money that will expire in June.

“We want to make sure that if there is a reduction in paraprofessionals, it doesn’t impact kids,” DiStephan said.

To get to a smaller spending increase, the BOE discussed reducing costs for postage, repairs, instructional supplies, custodial supplies, non-instructional equipment and co-curricular activities.

DiStephan said the answers that the administration provides on some of those areas will probably largely determine whether the BOE will adopt its proposed budget at the January 18 regular meeting. The BOE has tentatively scheduled a session for January 25 in case it doesn’t complete its work next week.

The BOE’s proposed package will then go to First Selectman Bill Davidson, who will present his recommended municipal budget to the Board of Selectmen (BOS) in mid-February.

During the public comment, parents Laura Orban and Jennifer Scott announced that they have helped form Brookfield Pep Talk, an organization that will help educate residents about issues in the school district.

They said only a “miniscule” number of parents voted in the municipal election last November.

In response to some of the questions that have been posted on their website, Bivona said he would like to seek a higher spending package, but that the school district needs “to be sensitive to the current economic climate.”

“We try to keep it at a level that could be approved by the town” at referendum in May, he added.

Enger said he applauds the school district for increasing instructional time and improving scores on standardized tests over the recent years, but that getting a large budget increase would be difficult since, among other things, nationally the housing crisis has left 30 percent of the homes in mortgage jeopardy.

Parent Chris Kukk, a Political Science professor at Western Connecticut State University (WCSU) in Danbury, praised the BOE for trying to lower class sizes and for adding Spanish to the fifth grade this year at (WMS) and proposing to add it to sixth grade during the next academic year.

Lori Peck, who teaches in another school district, said she is concerned about the loss of the paraprofessionals, since Brookfield already lost several of those positions over the recent years.

In response to a question from parent Linda Frame, the business and technology director, Art Colley, said the school district would retain its current number of custodial positions even if the proposed maintenance mechanic position were added.