School Board Stands Pat, Keeps New Teachers Out of Budget

The Windham School Board stood firm Thursday on its decision last week to keep any new teacher positions out of the adopted default budget, instead accepting a proposal that will push some funds toward technology and maintenance needs.

The board voted 3-2 to accept the alternative proposal delivered by both Superintendent Dr. Henry LaBranche and School Business Administrator Adam Steel.

Chairman Mike Joanis and regular members Jerome Rekart and Dennis Senibaldi voted for the new proposal, while Vice Chairman Stephanie Wimmer and regular member Michelle Farrell voted against it.

The SAU 28 conference room was packed with residents, and those who spoke voiced concern regarding the removal of the teacher positions.

Roselyn Armstrong noted that the cost of the four teaching positions that LaBranche recommended be kept in the budget last week total less than one percent of the overall budget.

"When you talk about cost/benefit analysis, it's a pretty good ratio," she said.

The same board members voted last week in favor of keeping those four positions out of the budget, prompting the special meeting.

Windham resident Beth Valentine said that the voters didn't tell the board how to implement the budget, and that it's the board's job to do the best thing for the students while working within the default budget number.

On March 12, residents voted 1,653-1,959 against the proposed operating budget of $45,579,114.

With the default budget totaling $45,133,742, the district's administrative team removed all proposed new staff, a reduction of $515,176, and a proposal for another bus, totaling $68,616, to trim down to the default total.

Since the two reductions actually dipped the budget below the default amount, $49,406 will be restored to technology while $89,014 will be added back to maintenance, which Steel said for the most part will be distributed evenly across the district's four schools.

Senibaldi came prepared with some ideas for budget efficiency, one of which was to repurpose existing teaching staff to meet more pressing needs.

He also talked about staff leaving the district such as Director of Technology Terry Bullard, who he said has a salary and benefits totaling close to $130,000.

"Why not look at for the year, on the short term, say we will hire a part-time person," Senibaldi said of replacing Bullard, adding that the district could also look toward existing Information Techonology staff at the four schools.

LaBranche cautioned that Bullard, who he said is headed to Bedford, is "one of a kind," noting that strategies are being discussed as to how to replace Bullard.

He also said that a Kindergarten Intervention Program position was prioritized last of the four he proposed to be added back to the default budget. LaBranche reiterated that the KIP position was an insurance plan

Kindergarten enrollment numbers are currently at 152 for next year, which if that stands pat could mean that adequate faculty could be achieved without hiring.

In voting against new teachers in the budget, Rekart argued about the uncertainty that lies ahead, such as sequestration that is expected to set the district back $55,000 in lost federal funds, with thousands more in potential fines anticipated due to the Affordable Care Act.

He said that additional teacher salaries and benefits will mean that health care costs will increase. In turn, the default budget will go up with no say.

Steel said that he knows of two Affordable Care Act fines that could face the district after Jan. 1, 2014. As of now, he said that Windham will face a $2,500 fine for each of its 300 full-time employees should just one employee hit the national or statewide registry for health insurance.

A second $2,500 fine, that would be levied on a "per employee" basis, would hit the district shohuld someone who does not consider the district's health care affordable hit the national or statewide registry.

"It may change tomorrow, but that's what we are anticipating," said Steel.

Wimmer stuck with her position last week to support the four positions, adding that she is not a big fan of "taking teacher money and throwing it" at what she loosely referred to as "things."

"I don't think that that is in the best service to the children of our district," said Wimmer.

Farrell concurred, saying that the administrators have worked together to determine the needs in the district.

Joanis clarified during the meeting that it's always possible for the board to do something later.

"This doesn't just end all discussion about modifications in the default budget," he said.