Jefferson School Board Approves Tentative Budget

The Jefferson Township Board of Education approved a tentative budget for the 2011-2012 school year at its meeting on Wednesday night.

The total budget of $53,653,554 includes a special revenue fund of $825,281 and a debt service fund of $2,079,905.

“The important things to remember are that this is a preliminary budget, and that it may actually go down,” said Dora Zeno, the board’s business administrator. “We are looking into some health insurance numbers that may lower the budget.”

Zeno also said that the budget must be approved by the Morris County superintendent of schools before it is presented to the public.

“The county superintendent will look at the budget over the next several days, and will return it to us either approved or with changes to be made,” she said. “Once that process is complete, we can present the finalized budget to the public.”

That presentation will be made at the board meeting on March 24 in the middle school auditorium.

The 2011-2012 budget includes the mandated 2% cap increase, and has no request for adjustment to cost or benefits, and no request for a cap waiver. It includes state aid of $14,574,220, an increase of $531,417 over the 2010-2011 figure.

According to the board’s presentation of the preliminary budget, this years figures include as priorities state mandates, safe and secure schools and efficiency measures.

The number includes the following staffing needs:

• $186,860 for four middle school teachers to restore a third academic team for the seventh grade based on enrollment;
• $46,715 for an LLD class at the high school based on state mandate;
• $32,000 for job coaches for the high school transition program based on state mandate; and
• $23,357 for in-class support at the middle school based on state mandate.

Program needs that are addressed include:

• New social studies materials for the district;
• The restoration of a third team for the seventh grade; and
• The addition of American Sign Language, Advanced Placement Psychology, and Family and Consumer Finance classes for the high school, all with existing staff.

The budget also addressed facility needs, including:

• $297,000 for roof repairs at the middle school; and
• $$224,674 for window replacement at Milton School. This is 60% of the total cost of $374,456, with the balance coming from a grant.

Finally, the budget includes the replacement of four buses at $348,000 and two vans at $125,000. These will be obtained through a lease/purchase agreement at an annual cost of $121,220 over three years.

Items not back in the 2011-2012 budget that were cut in the 2010-2011 budget include:

• Block scheduling at the high school;
• An elementary school guidance counselor;
• Non-competitive field trips;
• Assistant coaches for ice hockey, wresting, indoor track, fall cheerleading and spring track at the high school.

The board stressed during its presentation that this is a maintenance budget, and includes no pay to participate and there is no impact to courtesy busing.