Schools
BOE Debates Proposed Teaching Positions
Members put the use of $150,000 back on the table, positions presented to voters at risk
The use of $150,000 of the school budget that was added by the Board of Finance (BOF) and recently approved by voters, has come under scrutiny by some Board of Education (BOE) members, who would like to see the funding used differently.
Leading up to the budget vote, the BOE, Superintendent Bivona and his staff uniformly presented a specific plan to the public, which included the restoration of three positions utilizing the $150,000, if the budget was approved.
The positions presented were a teacher at Huckleberry Hill Elementary School (HHES) to reduce class size, which is currently above the target ratio, a fifth grade guidance counselor at Whisconier Middle School (WMS) to aide students with the transition to middle school and a literacy teacher at Brookfield High School (BHS) to help struggling students.
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Vice Chair Rob Gianazza said he would like the board to look at the enrollment reports at HHES and the class sizes. He asked, "What can we do to add a teacher in each grade?" He suggested they "look at the possibility of hiring teachers on stipend basis to do remedial work after school." He suggested the remedial program in the upper grades take place after school, requiring the students to put forth an extra effort.
Member Harry Shaker requested that the board revisit allocating funding to the three positions, stating that they were never "set in stone." He said " I have issues with allocating these three positions. I think the money is needed elsewhere."
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Chairman Mike Fenton was hesitant to make any major changes and responded stating, "I don't want to see a drastic overhaul. It will erode the confidence of the public."
Board Member Ray DiStephan disagreed with Shaker. "This doesn't sit well with me," he said, "I can't see supporting any changes to those three positions. I will not be in favor of that."
Shaker insisted that "this was not a done deal."
"I don't think that was the public perception," said DiStephan, who stated that he thought the positions were consistently presented to the public as the final plan.
"I don't care what the public perception was," said Shaker.
Superintendent Tony Bivona and Assistant Superintendent Genie Slone both refrained from comment during the discussion, though Shaker asked that they comment and confirm they had discussed the possibility of using the funding differently on previous occasions.
Art Colley, Director of Business and Technology, requested clarification as to which part of the budget was coming under discussion. "If we start tinkering with the entire budget, we'll be playing against our own credibility," he said, "We have $150,000 we're talking about."
"To be honest, Mr. Colley," said Gianazza, "the $150,000 is part of our entire budget. I don't see it as an asterisk or a separate category."
"What you're saying is basically the entire budget is on the table," Colley clarified.
"It's always been on the table," Gianazza replied.
The topic is scheduled to be discussed at length during the next BOE meeting, to be held on June 2 in the BHS Media Center at 7 p.m.
