East Lyme Elementary Schools Could Lose Foreign Language Program

Now that East Lyme has passed the budget for fiscal year 2013-2014, you might think the school budget would be set in stone. That, however, is not the case. 

School Superintendent James Lombardo told the Board of Education last night that he's dealing with unforeseen expenditures—such as a $40,000 increase in magnet school tuition fees. At the same time, he said, he's also anticipating additional reductions as a number of staff members recently informed him of their plans to retire this year.

So the budget remains in a state of flux. 

One fact hasn't changed, however, and that is there's no easy way to cut $650,000 from a budget, which is the amount the Board of Finance told the district it had to cut, without someone feeling the pinch. 

A couple of Lombardo's previous suggestions have met with strong opposition. Most recently, parental outcry over a proposal to move the Coastal Connections alternative High School program into the Niantic Center School forced Lombardo to withdraw that particular proposal. 

Teachers, meanwhile, have been equally vocal about the possibility of switching health care providers from Anthem to Aetna, which they say would severely limit their choices when it comes to doctors and they fear would result in more claims being denied and benefits being reduced.    

Of all the items on the chopping block now, the one that Lombardo and a number of school administrators and school board members are most loath to see go is the foreign language program at the elementary schools. 

Eliminating the full time elementary foreign language teacher would save the district $65,000 in combined salary and benefits. Lombardo justified the cut by saying that, because the elementary school day is so short, there's only time to offer one half hour foreign language course a week, so the effect of the cut would be minimal. Ideally, he noted, such a class would be offered three times a week for maximum benefit. 

Still, one could argue, one half hour a week is still better than nothing. 

"This is extremely painful," said language teacher Karen Costello, who is administrator for program improvement at the district's central office. "One class period a week sets a basic understanding. It does help. I agree with Dr. Lombardo, this is not something I feel comfortable with at all."  

Board of Education Chairman Tim Hagen seconded that and a number of people urged that the position be saved if at all possible. 

At Lombardo's recommendation, the board took no action on the proposed new list of cuts last night. Until the health insurance question has been decided and Lombardo has a clear idea of how many teachers may be leaving of their own volition, he said, the total expenditures for the coming fiscal year aren't yet known. With that in mind, he said, there's still a chance that some of his proposed program cuts won't be needed.