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BOE Adopted Budget 2016 -2017
The proposed 2016-2017 budget for the Litchfield Public Schools seeks a $340,000 increase over the previous year's budget, representing a 2% rise. Key items in the proposed budget include replacing aging technology devices for middle school students, improving the school food services program, and expanding academic programming, such as introducing Spanish instruction in 4th grade. The budget aims to continue supporting students' individual needs through small class sizes and a variety of academic and extracurricular opportunities.
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BOE Adopted Budget 2016 -2017
- 1. LITCHFIELD PUBLIC SCHOOLS: 2016 –2017 Proposed Budget
- 2. TABLE OF CONTENTS Tableof Contents
- 3. BOARD OF EDUCATION FrankSimone, Chair Elizabeth Fabbri, Vice Chair Donald Falcetti, Secretary John Bongiorno Gayle Carr Daniel Clock David Pavelick Wayne Shuhi Gary Waugh
- 4. ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM Jamie Terry,Director of Technology Michael Pascento, Dean of Students David Fiorillo, Business Administrator Sherri Turner, Principal, Center School Julie Haggard, Director of Special Services Lynn McMullin, Superintendent of Schools Kristen Della Volpe, Principal, Litchfield High School Stephanie Kubisek, Principal, Litchfield Middle School Jennifer Murphy, Principal, Litchfield Intermediate School
- 5. OUR MISSION The missionof the Litchfield Public Schools is to provide all students with appropriate academic and personal learning experiences within a safe and supportive educational environment. In partnership with our parents and community, we challenge every learner to acquire the knowledge, skills, and personal attributes needed to become productive and self-directed citizens.
- 6. Superintendent’s Letter ofTransmittal Dear Members of the Litchfield Community, What follows is a commitment to continue to improve programs and provide opportunities for our students. And, what follows is the Board of Education’s request for the financial resources to fulfill that commitment in the 2016 – 2017 school year. It represents a $340,000 increase, or 2.00%. Education is a ‘people business;’ thus 77% of the budget represents salaries and benefits, which are increasing by only 0.4% despite a 3.42% overall increase in our contractual obligations. The remainder of the increase is in Special Education costs, based on actuals for next year, and technology, which requires a replacement of the 1-to-1 devices for our Middle School students. This budget is built on what the Litchfield community values – opportunities for individualized programming and the advantages of small class sizes. There are a few decreases in staff while at the same time new programming has been developed. Next year we have expanded Spanish at the Intermediate School to three times (3 x’s) weekly beginning with Grade 4. We have also budgeted for a new Spanish textbook series beginning in Grade 4. At the High School, we are developing an alternative education program, called the Litchfield Legacy School, designed to meet some students’ needs within Litchfield, rather than sending them afield. This program is being accomplished with no new costs to the district. One of the notable budget increases supports the replacement of the 1-to-1 computing devices at the Middle School at a cost of $90,000. The current devices are five (5) years old and will have exceeded their life expectancy at the end of this school year. There is also a planned $75,000 replacement of the oldest desktops throughout the district, beginning with those which are six (6) and seven (7) years old. We have also budgeted $110,000 for the 4th year of our technology lease with the Town.
- 7. Another increase comeswith a planned restructuring of Food Services. For the past three (3) years, we have been under contract with Chartwells. Next year, we are entering into a shared services agreement; and with two other districts, we will hire a regional director who will supervise the cafeterias at our 11 schools. Based on the past year’s actuals, we have budgeted $29,000 to cover both the replacement equipment we’ll need when Chartwells vacates and any potential loss we may incur in our first year. We have three goals for this program restructure: 1.) to improve the quality of the food we serve our children; 2. to collaborate with neighboring districts; and 3.) to break even financially. This budget is a responsible budget; it is respectful of the needs of our students and of the wider community. It is as clear and forthright as possible and includes easily recognizable line items and expenses. Every increase and decrease has a documented rationale. A reduction in Regular Instruction, for example, does not mean we are cutting our teachers’ classroom supplies; it means that the proposed Spanish textbook is less expensive than the K – 5 enVisionMath2.0 we budgeted in 2015 - 2016. An increase in Administrative Services, for example, reflects a plan for curriculum writing and publication through a new Internet- based platform called Rubicon Atlas, as well as an uptick in professional development costs and in legal fees, based on our actuals. Our budget is understandably a collection of static numbers with a bottom line. But, more accurately it is the foundation on which we are building our future through the education of our children. Ours is a people business, and this budget continues Litchfield’s tradition of supporting the individual growth and development of every child. Simply put, it’s what’s best for kids. Respectfully submitted, Lynn K. McMullin Superintendent of Schools “Education is the most important weapon with which we can change the world.” Nelson Mandela
- 8. A CORE BELIEFIN PRESENTING THIS BUDGET The Litchfield school system is a community jewel. It draws families to the community and makes them want to stay. Students succeed here; and, in return, their success brings both pride to Litchfield and immeasurable advancements to a world-wide community which will build its future on the contributions of its youngest citizens. Litchfield’s Board, staff, and parents have dedicated themselves to meeting the needs of all our children through rich and diverse academic programming and a commitment to 21st Century knowledge and skills, world language, athletic competition, music, and the visual arts. Children also benefit from small class sizes, volunteerism, and community-rich programs in which they are provided the opportunity to say ‘thank you’ and to give back to their dedicated community through performances, Veteran’s Day programs, service projects, food drives, good news, and celebrations.
- 9. BUDGET PROCESS INFORMATION December7 - 23 School and department budgets submitted January 4 BOE Finance Sub-Committee budget work session #1 January 4 - 31 Superintendent/Business Manager review school and system-wide budget January 19 BOE Facilities and Technology Sub-Committee budget work session February 1 BOE Finance Sub-Committee budget work session #2 February 3 Superintendent to provide preliminary budget to the Board of Education February 8 Superintendent to provide preliminary budget to the Board of Finance February – March BOE and sub-committees continue to discuss budget March 14 Superintendent to present the 2016-17 BOE Budget to the Board of Finance. April 4 BOE Finance Sub-Committee budget work session #3 -- if necessary April 6 Board of Education final review and approval of budget -- if necessary April 11 Deadline for budget submission to newspapers April 27 Town Budget Hearing May 4 Board of Education re-adoption of budget – if necessary May 11 Annual Town Meeting for budget adoption
- 10. SBAC Results of FirstImplementation Mathematics Grades 3 - 8 & 11 Higher degree of familiarity with Common Core Standards 2015 – 2016 NEED: MATH ALIGNMENT
- 11. 2015 – 2016NEED: MATH DIFFERENTIATION
- 12. 2015 – 2016 SUCCESSSTORY: MATH ENVISIONMATH2.0 • Common Core aligned, including the Math Practices • Correct mathematical vocabulary (w/ cards) • Student-centered (vs. ‘stand-and-deliver’) • Math tools – fraction bars, graphs, number lines • Builds on prior understandings • Technology-rich • Connects to science and STEM • Resources for differentiation; daily lessons, centers • SmartBoard ready • Resources for parents – homework support
- 13. 2015 – 2016 SUCCESSSTORY: MATH ENVISIONMATH2.0
- 14. June 22 Introductionwith Pearson rep August 31 Full day with Pearson reps September 1 Full Day grade-level teams October 14 Webinar with Pearson rep December 3& 4 Lesson Study with Math Consultant December 9 Grade-level ‘timelines’ planning January 13 Grade-level ‘topics’ planning February 16 Full day with Pearson reps Grade-level weekly meetings with Principals & Math Consultant 2015 – 2016 SUCCESS STORY: MATH ENVISIONMATH2.0
- 15. • iPads -LCS • Chromebooks – LCS and LIS • Parents’ PowerSchool Log-ins • Pearson “Learning Bridge” 2015 – 2016 SUCCESS STORY: MATH ENVISIONMATH2.0
- 16. • Parent’s Night •Webpage • Internet Resources • Video Presentation • “Bounce” Pages • PowerSchool log-in 2015 – 2016 SUCCESS STORY: MATH ENVISIONMATH2.0
- 17. Grade Level % meeting Benchmarks K94 Grade 1 87 Grade 2 83 Grade 3 82 Grade 4 92 Grade 5 74 2015 – 2016 SUCCESS STORY: MATH ENVISIONMATH2.0
- 18. 2015 – 2016 SUCCESSSTORY: PRE-SCHOOL EXPANSION • Additional section of 3’s • Additional section of 4’s • Accepted every student who applied • Alignment of curriculum with Kindergarten • Smoother transition to Kindergarten • Earlier identification of special needs • Alignment of interventions and services
- 19. 2015 – 2016 SUCCESSSTORY: A NEW MIDDLE SCHOOL • Held August Grand Opening • Produced MS Play: Godspell • Held January Parent Conferences • Formed Booster Club • Hosted four MS Fun Nights • Specialized Advisory and Clubs • Spring 7th Grade Class Trip • Spring 8th Grade Class Trip
- 20. • Transition Planning6th to 7th • Transition Planning 8th to 9th • 8th Grade Writing Project with Education Connection • Google Viewers for 3-D virtual field trips -- LEF grant • 9 students accepted -- Middle School Northern Region Music Festivals 2015 – 2016 SUCCESS STORY: A NEW MIDDLE SCHOOL
- 21. 2015 – 2016SUCCESS STORY: NEW WEBPAGE
- 22. 2015 – 2016SUCCESS STORY: NEW WEBPAGE
- 23. Commendations: • “Sufficient staffing,instructional materials, technology, and supplies to support student and teacher needs.” • “Manageable class sizes which allow teachers to meet the needs of individual students.” • “The district’s investment in instructional technology.” 2015 – 2016 SUCCESS STORY: NEASC ACCREDITATION
- 24. Commendations: • “The widevariety of course offerings and educational opportunities as a result of dependable funding.” • “The Board of Education’s commitment to maintain programs and services in spite of declining enrollment.” 2015 – 2016 SUCCESS STORY: NEASC ACCREDITATION
- 25. Recommendations: • “Develop andimplement a process to ensure the curriculum is written in a common format.” • “Provide additional time and funding for technology support and professional development.” • “Improve communications with parents.” 2015 – 2016 SUCCESS STORY: NEASC ACCREDITATION
- 26. • Negotiated thereturn of 390 substandard Dell Venue Tablets for new devices at $0 • Increased wireless access at LCS and LIS • Installed fixed projector and sound system in Center School auditorium • Implemented Regulations for Acceptable Use (RAUT) for students and staff 2015 – 2016 SUCCESS STORY: TECHNOLOGY
- 27. ADDITIONAL SUCCESS STORIES •12-Session Summer Reading Program at CS to reduce natural reading regression • Sally-Port at Center School • Safety improvements – action plans, bus protocols, window film • Beautification of school entrances schools -- sidewalks, curbing, signs
- 28. ADDITIONAL SUCCESS STORIES •Expanded STEM initiatives and Makerspaces • Expanded shared services agreements – oil bid, food services, transportation, swimming pool usage at CJR • Brought substitute services in-house • Implemented AESOP • Hired building-level subs • Recruited interns
- 29. ADDITIONAL SUCCESS STORIES •PSAT for all students in Grades 10 and 11 • New digital Music Lab • New tenor saxophone, trumpet and SmartMusic subscriptions • Improved communications through Facebook, PowerSchool, and news • RevTrak for on-line billing and payments
- 30. 2016 – 2017 PRIORITY#1: LAPTOP REPLACEMENT – 7TH AND 8TH GRADES $89,650 Replace 163 student laptops • 1-to-1 Middle School program • Student laptops are 5 years old and at end-of-life • These devises support daily curriculum and instruction • All 7th and 8th graders
- 31. Model # ofDevices Life Expectancy End of Life MS Student X131e 163 4 years 2016 Failure of these devices: • Interrupts classroom instruction • Decreases student productivity • Makes it difficult to complete homework • Frustrates end-users, including parents • Over-taxes Tech Support
- 32. 2016 – 2017 PRIORITY#2: DESKTOP REPLACEMENT – DISTRICT-WIDE $74,675 Replace 103 desktops district-wide • 158 desktops are 6+ years old and at end-of-life • Replace 103 of the oldest 158 • Included in this replacement • LCS Computer Lab • Select desktops district-wide • Key desktops running Financial and Student Information systems
- 33. Model LCS LISLHS LMS Total Life Expectancy Age End of Life Year Mfg Release Date Dell OptiPlex 745 6 4 5 7 22 4-6 9 2013 2007 Dell OptiPlex 755 6 3 10 19 4-6 8 2014 2008 Dell OptiPlex 760 2 11 6 19 4-6 7 2015 2009 Dell OptiPlex 760 (CS Library 760) 24 24 4-6 7 2015 2009 Dell OptiPlex 960 9 8 2 19 4-6 7 2015 2009 103 DEVICES SCHEDULED FOR REPLACEMENT
- 34. Model LCS LISLHS LMS Total Life Expectancy Age End of Life Year Mfg Release Date Dell OptiPlex 380 36 9 10 55 4 - 6 6 2016 2010 55 DEVICES NOT SCHEDULED FOR REPLACEMENT
- 35. PRIORITY #3: CURRICULUMREVISION $16,500 1. Rubicon Atlas Online Curriculum Platform $4,000 • Develop a consistent template • Publish live to the web 2. Professional Development for Platform $3,500 3. Update selected curricula @ $40 per hour $9,000 (social studies, Spanish, math, science)
- 36. PRIORITY #3: CURRICULUMIMPROVEMENTS $54,626 1. Spanish Textbooks $43,626 • Technology-rich • Updated content 2. E-texts for 7th grade math $1,000 3. Professional Development $10,000 • Center School • Columbia Workshop model
- 37. 2016-2017 KEY BUDGETDRIVERS 2016 – 2017 Contractual Obligations and Fixed Costs -- 91% of Total Budget 1. $13,329,877 -- Employee Salaries, Wages, Benefits + 0.4% 2. $857,819 -- Regular Education Transportation - 0.3% 3. $702,858 – Special Education Tuition + 6.9% 4. $544,866 – Utilities - 8.4% 5. $208,375 -- Special Education Transportation + 8.3% 6. $143,283 – VO-AG Tuition + 15%
- 38. REDUCTIONS FROM INITIALBUDGET REQUESTS Administrative Requests = 5.24% over current budget / Reduced by 2.4% Central Office Reductions: • – 2.0 Certified FTE • – 2.0 Special Education Aides • Cut all NEW requested technology devices, except Special Education and SmartBoards • Cut requested art tables at LIS • Reevaluated or renegotiated utilities, health care projections, copier fees, computer hardware
- 39. REDUCTIONS MADE MARCH18, 2016 Line Items Reduced: Student Activities Line: - $38,722 o Middle School coaches and club stipends had been incorrectly duplicated when the two schools’ budgets were separated for 2016 – 2017 Superintendent’s Contract: - $19,587 Additional Cuts = - $83,581
- 40. 2016 – 2017BUDGET SUMMARY What’s included in … Regular Education Instruction Supplies and programs: Art, Business Education, World Languages, Family Consumer Science, Tech Ed, Language Arts, Math, Music, PE, Science, Social Studies, Kindergarten, Title I, Health Special Education Supplies and programs: Learning Centers (Special Ed classrooms), Speech & Language, Homebound, Pre-School; Out-of- District Tuition and Transportation Pupil Services Supplies and programs: Psychological Services, Guidance, Nurses’ Offices, Career Education, OP/PT, Social Work Library Media, Student Activities, Food Services Supplies and programs: Library Media Centers, Student Activities, Food Services subsidy; Free and Reduced lunch Employee Salary, Wages, Benefits District-wide employee salaries – teachers, specialists, secretaries, counselors, nurses; Benefits – health insurance, workman’s comp, disability, life insurance, mileage Administration Board of Education, Principals, Central Office, Professional Development, Fiscal Services Plant Operations Utilities and technology maintenance Technology Hardware, software, infrastructure, including $110,000 payment for technology lease to Town Transportation District-wide transportation and transportation for field trips, athletic events, magnet schools, OWT, and Vo-Ag Tuition Out-of district tuitions to magnet schools, adult education, and Vo-Ag
- 41. 2016 – 2017BUDGET SUMMARY 2013 – 2014 Actual 2014 – 2015 Actual 2015 – 2016 Adopted 2016 – 2017 Proposed % Inc. Regular Education Instruction $136,876 $210,283 $243,330 $226,423 - 6.9% Special Education $931,434 $850,733 $883,860 $942,865 + 6.7% Pupil Services $80,499 $110,134 $131,870 $136,655 + 3.6% Library Media, Student Activities, Food Services $134,296 $200,151 $187,825 $227,569 + 21.2% Employee Salary, Wages, Benefits $12,357,908 $12,686,853 $13,282.447 $13,329,877 + 0.4%
- 42. 2016 – 2017BUDGET SUMMARY – REGULAR ED INSTRUCTION SUBJECT 2016 - 2015 2015 – 2016 Inc. / Dec. Notes: Art $17,829 * $16,897 + $932 Supplies Business Education $583 $3,495 * - $2,912 * Workbook was purchased World Language $49,453 * $4,144 + $45,309 New textbook series Fam. Cons. Science $8,100 * $7,600 + $500 * Grocery prices Technology Ed $19,745 $37,667 * - $17,922 * CADD computer lab last year Language Arts $23,481 $39,101 * - $15,620 * Non-fiction texts, classrooms Math $16,511 $40,190 * - $23,679 * Second year of math curriculum Regular Education Instruction $136,876 $210,283 $243,330 $226,423 - 6.9%
- 43. 2016 – 2017BUDGET SUMMARY -- REGULAR ED INSTRUCTION SUBJECT 2016 - 2015 2015 – 2016 Inc. / Dec. Notes: Math $16,511 $40,190 * - $23,679 * Second year of math curriculum Music $36,279 * $34,021 + $2,258 *Sheet music; Symphony classes Physical Education $8,381 $10,125 * - $1,744 * Replacement supplies Science $25,272 $28,831 * - $3,559 * Replacement equipment Social Studies $4,704 $15,593 * - $10,889 * Textbooks Kindergarten $ 1,093* $730 + $363 * Supplies Title I $13,565* $ 3,604 + $9,961 * Universal screening program
- 44. 2016 – 2017BUDGET SUMMARY – SPECIAL ED INSTRUCTION SUBJECT 2016 - 2015 2015 – 2016 Inc. / Dec. Notes: Learning Centers $6,067 $10,806 * - $4,739 * Instructional supplies, software Preschool Services $3,531* $2,867 + $664 * Instructional Supplies Speech and Lang. $20,535* $19,087 + $1,448 * Testing materials Transportation $208,375* $192,300 + $16,075 * Transportation for out-placements Tuition $702,858* $657,300 + $45,558 * Out-placement Tuitions Special Education $931,434 $850,733 $883,860 $942,865 + 6.7%
- 45. 2016 – 2017BUDGET SUMMARY – PUPIL SERVICES SUBJECT 2016 - 2015 2015 – 2016 Inc. / Dec. Notes: Psychologist $23,898 * $20,759 + $3,139 * Testing materials Guidance $2,258 * $1,195 + $1063 *Additional proctoring AP Exams Health / Nurses $16,156 $18,235 * - $2,079 * Technical services - SNAP Career Education $10,863 $8,373 + $2,490 Naviance Middle School Occupational Therapy $82,732 $82,558 + $174 Instructional Supplies Pupil Services $80,499 $110,134 $131,870 $136,655 + 3.6%
- 46. 2016 – 2017BUDGET SUMMARY – LIBRARY, ACTIVITIES, FOOD SUBJECT 2016 - 2015 2015 – 2016 Inc. / Dec. Notes: Library Media $41,712 * $36,251 + $5,461 * Non-fiction titles Student Activities $133,857 $151,574* - $17,717 Trainer, officials, pool rental, coaches Food Services $56,000* -- + $56,000 Self-op; 1/3 of food services manager; potential loss; free and reduced Library Media, Student Activities, Food Services $134,296 $200,151 $187,825 $231,569 + 23.3%
- 47. 2016 – 2017BUDGET SUMMARY – SALARIES, WAGES, BENEFITS SUBJECT 2016 - 2015 2015 – 2016 Inc. / Dec. Notes: Salaries and Wages $10,590,216 * $10,298,755 + $291,461 * Includes 3.43% overall increase in contractual increases and steps; - 2.0 Certified FTE; - 2.0 Non-Certified FTE; Benefits $2,854,628 * $2,983,693 - $129,065 * Based on this year’s actual claims in self-insurance NOTE: Our Dean of Students position at the High School was created in this year’s 2015 – 2016 budget with a cut in 1.0 FTE, (SRBI Coordinator) and a cut in one Category A stipend; difference = $16,608. In the 2016 – 2017 budget, the only difference in the Dean of Students is the contractual raise, $2,200. Employee Salary, Wages, Benefits $12,357,908 $12,686,853 $13,282.447 $13,444,844 + 1.2%
- 48. 2016 – 2017BUDGET SUMMARY 2013 – 2014 Actual 2014 – 2015 Actual 2015 – 2016 Adopted 2016 – 2017 Proposed % Inc. Administration, Board, Staff Development, Fiscal Services $255,024 $282,658 $261,489 $297,554 + 13.8% Plant Operations $666,348 $648,348 $613,103 $586,216 - 4.4% Technology $213,272 $301,460 $296,750 $489,519 * Transportation $880,655 $911,059 $942,924 $953,304 + 1.1 % Tuition $144,015 $143,344 $156,400 $172,941 + 10.6% TOTAL $15,800,361 $16,345,022 $17,000,000 $17,481,890 + 2.83% * Includes substantial reorganization of budget lines; Program 44 was formerly school-based technology, now, all district hardware; Program 86 was formerly district-wide technology, now, all software.
- 49. 2016 – 2017BUDGET SUMMARY – ADMIN/PD/FISCAL SERVICES SUBJECT 2016 - 2015 2015 – 2016 Inc. / Dec. Notes: Legal fees $55,000 * $49,000 + 6,000 * Based on past 3 years’ actuals. Postage $13,270 $17,000* - $3,730 *Based on actual; increased email use Course Reimbursements $20,000 * $15,000 + $5,000 * Contractual; based on actuals Technology PD $4,600 * 0 + $4,600 *Power School University; Google Classroom Summit Professional Development $20,900 * $860 + $20,100 *Center School R/W Workshop; Math; CPR; Counseling Administration, Board, Staff Development, Fiscal Services $255,024 $282,658 $261,489 $297,554 + 13.8%
- 50. 2016 – 2017BUDGET SUMMARY – ADMIN/PD/FISCAL SERVICES, CONT. SUBJECT 2016 - 2015 2015 – 2016 Inc. / Dec. Notes: Printing $3,400* $1,000 + $2,400 * State mandated ‘Classroom Emergency Guides’ Technical Services $9,250 $15,000* - $5,750 * Bi-annual review; off-year in 2017 Special Ed Administration $20,817 $14,242 + $6,575 IEP Direct software; dues and fees; CPI booklets Advertising $0 * $2,000 - $2,000 * Use only ctreap.com and jobspot.com Administration, Board, Staff Development, Fiscal Services $255,024 $282,658 $261,489 $297,554 + 13.8%
- 51. 2016 – 2017BUDGET SUMMARY – PLANT OPERATIONS SUBJECT 2016 - 2015 2015 – 2016 Inc. / Dec. Notes: BOE Expenses not covered in MOU $40,350* $0 + $40,350 Cabling; kitchen equipment, landscaping, Plumb Hill ADA ramp; security upgrades Property & Liability Insurance $82,588 * $70,000 + $ 12,588 Under budgeted by $7,500; CIRMA is partnered with town Electricity $260,500 * $256,791 + $3,709 * Based on actuals Oil $133,538 * $200,679 - $67,141 * Consortium negotiated lower bid Plant Operations $666,348 $648,348 $613,103 $586,216 - 4.4%
- 52. 2016 – 2017BUDGET SUMMARY – PLANT OPERATIONS SUBJECT 2016 - 2015 2015 – 2016 Inc. / Dec. Notes: LP Gas $4,760 * $4,111 + $649 * Based on actuals Telephone $19,710 * $17,600 + $2,110 * Based on actuals; change in service Water $16,900 * $18,925 - $2,025 * Based on actuals Sewer $21,250* $18,051 + $3,199 * Based on actuals Alarm Monitoring $5,320 $6,200 - $880 * Renegotiated contract w/vendor Plant Operations $666,348 $648,348 $613,103 $586,216 - 4.4%
- 53. 2016 – 2017BUDGET SUMMARY – TRANSPORTATION SUBJECT 2016 - 2015 2015 – 2016 Inc. / Dec. Notes: Athletics $72,860 $99,655 * - $26,795 * Budgeted tournament buses for all sports; reduced based on actuals Staff Services $7,523 $57,064 - 49,541 * Outsourcing in-district van drivers Diesel Fuel $56,529 * $97,920 - $41,391 * Reduction based on current prices Regular Ed Transportation $651,600 * $659,424 - $7,824 * Contractual Special Ed Transportation $149,250 * $72,400 + $76,850 * Based on current SE van needs for in-district SE students, not outplaced Transportation $880,655 $911,059 $942,924 $953,304 + 1.1 %
- 54. o 2016 –2017 BOE Adopted Budget: 2.00% -- $17,340,000 o 2015–2016 Approved BOE Budget: 2.53% -- $17,000,000 o 2014–2015 Expended Budget: 4.68% -- $16,580,641 o 2013–2014 Expended Budget: 1.32% -- $15,639,827 % Year .997 2011-12 .99 2012-13 1.32 2013-14 4.68 2014–15 2.53 2015-16 2.00 2016-2017 2.08 6-Year Average 2016 – 2017 BUDGET SUMMARY
- 55. Salary/Wages and Benefits 77% Transporation6% Special Education 5% Plant Operatios 3% Technology 3% Administration 2% Library, Student Act., Food Serv. 1% Regular Instruction 1% Outside Tuition 1% Pupil Services 1% 2016 - 2017 SUPERINTENDENT’S PROPOSED BUDGET
Editor's Notes
- #3 As your superintendent, I worked with the Business Manager, David Fiorillo and the administrative team to put forward a budget which fairly represents the needs of the district, not to maintain the status quo but to continue to build up-to-date and thoughtful programs. I have spent the last 12 months trying to get an accurate read on what’s important to the school community, which we represent. The administrators presented requests which totaled about 6.0% and we immediately began trimming. We asked and answered a lot of questions, we scrutinized our rationales to better understand why something was important, and even watched people’s faces when we talked about cuts. This budget reflects what the school community feels is important to provide the best for kids next year.
- #4 Many thanks to the people who have dedicated many hours to the business of the school district, not just on the budget preparation, but on policy, curriculum, facilities planning, and so many other domains which keep the district running smoothly. The BOE was very helpful in the budget development. They are not careless about spending. They listen to the principals’ requests thoughtfully. They, too ask a lot of questions.
- #5 The administrators above are members of the District Leadership Team and work collaboratively, and to the best of their ability, to support a pre-K – 12 educational system aimed at providing the best education in the safest and most supportive environment possible for all our students. In many cases, they needed to revise their budget documents to accommodate a budget restructuring which us more cost center oriented, and less site oriented and therefore made more sense.
- #6 Personal learning experiences for every learner -- from tiered instructional supports when students are struggling to senior capstone projects -- is the key ideal in Litchfield Public Schools’ published Mission Statement, which acknowledges that our local and worldwide community will be dependent upon a future productive and self-directed citizenry.
- #7 The Superintendent’s “Letter of Transmittal” presents the Board’s Adopted budget to you and to the wider community on the behalf of the Board of Education. In many respects the letter of transmittal, while required, is a redundancy to the much more detailed documents you have in your packet and to all the positive messages about Litchfield’s schools which we have emphasized all year long. However, it is also our one opportunity to talk about a 0-based budget process in which all of the line items were taken back to zero; and then came forward from our staff members and administrators with fully-detailed requests based on the number of students in each grade. Materials are inventoried, heads are counted, and the new budget reflects our needs. We know, for example, that a simple change in the structure of math classes at the Middle School necessitates 25 additional copies of a 7th grade e-textbook (+$1,000). We know we need one additional saxophone (+$ and must budget for 21 field trips next year for our free-and-reduced families (+$. There are no ulterior motives -- we’re simply about what’s best for our students., even when painful decisions are made to cut one great idea or another, we weigh what’s best for kids.
- #8 The Letter of Transmittal also highlights several key concepts: a cost neutral alternative high school program, the replacement of the 1-to-1 devices at the Middle School, new Spanish textbooks which are an element of the BOE’s goal for Spanish fluency for all students by Grade 12, and a restructuring of food services. More information to come about each of these, if not tonight, then through the webpage and media.
- #9 It does not take anyone long to appreciate the community’s pride in its schools. People here are committed to sustaining what is excellent and to supporting what can be improved upon. Evidence supports a school system dedicated to educating the social and civic nature of each child, in addition to the core academics. Music, athletics, community service, and so many other enrichment activities play a vital role in the schools.
- #10 The Leadership Team began work on the budget in the fall. We began with a hard look and a reasonable number, crossed a lot of our initial list and came to the Board of Education in February with a 2.83% increase. As soon as the proposed budget was adopted by the Board of Education on February 3rd, it was posted to the webpage.
- #11 Before we look at next year’s numbers, however, it’s worth taking a few minutes to talk about what we accomplished with the funds dedicated to last year’s initiatives. We used Last year’s SBAC score are admittedly the first ideation of a new generations’ standardized test. The scores from last spring reinforced for us the need for a new aligned math curriculum that focused on the new math concepts and practices .
- #12 Furthermore, another look at last year’s SBAC shows that even at the highest level of achievement, students were not performing as well in math as they were in language arts (reading and writing).
- #13 We purchased, just as we promised to do, a new math program and have worked exceptionally hard to implement it in grades K – 5 this year. That program was enVisionMath2.0. It meets every conceivable classroom need from, for example, a consistent math vocabulary from kindergarten on… to supportive math manipulatives and hands-on tools. There’s nothing more rewarding that hearing students talk about how they solved a problem, readily using the proper math terminology… using ‘numerator’ and ‘denominator’ rather than the ‘number on the top’ and the ‘number on the bottom.’
- #14 The program embraces a workshop model with the teacher as coach and guide on the side, rather than one-size-fits-all teacher talk. It differentiates for higher-level students and includes real-world problem solving and science connected activities.
- #15 Professional development came as early as June. We have had 33 hours of professional development. This was through consultants, webinars, and in-house presenters. In addition to all of this, teachers used their common planning time every week. The Tech Department became heavily involved and teachers learned how to log in ‘under and over the Bridge,’ on IPADS, Chromebooks, and their own desktops. They developed the4 tools on their SmartBoards. PD became a daily feature of the program.
- #16 There has been tremendous improvements in infrastructure needed to support an Internet-based program which requires dependable connectivity, as well.
- #17 As mentioned a moment ago, a great deal of time was spent implementing the program’s parent tools, and even developing some of our own. Parents can access the same “Visual Learning Bridge” that was used in the classroom from home using an Apple or android device. By scanning the homework page, the video loads in approximately 15 – 20 seconds depending upon the connection. Parents can get a quick refresher of a concept, such as adding fraction with unlike denominators – or can set up the video for their student to review.
- #18 After every topic there is a formative assessment. After every four topics there is a summative benchmark assessment. We are anticipating great results on the second set of SBAC tests this spring. Why? Because the students are doing so well on the benchmarks as you can see here. And this is only in our first year of implementation, with many grades of students who are using the program for the first time. The more the teachers embrace the program and the tools available, the better the students will do.
- #19 An additional focus this year has been on attracting and retaining every possible student we have in Litchfield. Four different steps were taken with this goal in mind. To attract students early in their education, we focused on an expanded preschool knowing that we can provide an excellent pre-school experience … and offer parents something no one else can… an easy transition to kindergarten, within the same school building, with the same comfortable faces, and a familiar look to the programs and curriculum. We worked with Education Connection to further extend the day through after-school child care.
- #20 To retain families, we developed a Middle School with its own identity and programming – curriculum and daily features, such as advisory and clubs, designed with a middle school student in mind. We knew that if the middle school was inviting, community-oriented, inclusive, and supportive – not just a holding ground until high school began – more students would want to stay in Litchfield because they felt they belonged. In the fall, we also developed our own ‘publicity program’ promoting Litchfield High School, which followed closely on the heels of the programs we are required to host for Oliver Wolcott Tech and Wamogo.
- #21 But, the Middle School is not a publicity stunt. The teachers and staff worked hard to understand the concepts inherent in a successful middle school and put countless hours into developing schedules and programming. The measures of success are only beginning to show.
- #22 To attract families and potential employees to the district, we developed an attractive and interactive webpage which focuses on the good news we have to share. It is easy to navigate… and getting easier every day… as we learn new features and alter the design to make pages and information easier to find and more usable. We added staff to the ‘Quick links’ … and just last week, separated Central Office from the Board of Education tab. We added a Facebook page – all good news; all the time. This communication initiative was called ‘telling our own story.’
- #23 The calendar is reliable and updated every day. Recent news is easy to find. Policy is clean and neat, as are forms, registering a new student, and employment information. Virtual backpacks save on paper and make it easy for families to get a duplicate copy of a flyer or permission slip they misplaced. We are on the brink of a ‘bill pay’ platform which will make it easy to pay for your child’s lunches, field trip, and even spiritwear through your ‘shopping cart’ and PayPal checkout.
- #24 This past fall we received the Middle and High School’s NEASC accreditation report. In short, the schools were re accredited and the BOE and administration received commendations, highlighting what we are doing well --- and recommendations for improvements. In this budget, the BOE would be remiss if they did not support the programs and initiatives for which we were commended… and equally remiss if we did not begin to address the recommendations. Thus, as you will see the proposed budget supports the remarkable 1-to-1 initiative, for example.
- #25 The following budget supports those programs and services which were in place at the time of the NEASC visit.
- #26 The adopted budget for 2016 – 2017 also supports those areas which NEASC highlighted needed improvement. In two years, the schools will report back on what the school and community has done to address the recommendations they made this past year.
- #27 We neither throw money away nor spend it recklessly. Case in point is the number of hours the team spent on renegotiating the replacement of the defective Dell Tablets purchased in a previous deployment of 1-to-1 devices at the high school. We finally got all the devices replaced, and a brand new replacement schedule was therefore put into effect, pushing the future replacement purchase out another three years. You can see we implemented some additional technology initiatives from the new sound system at Center School, which has dramatically improved whole school assemblies and programming, to the development of much-needed regulation for technology use. We implemented a program called GCN (Global Compliance Network) which provides online tutorials professional development in blood-borne pathogens, mandated reporting, and sexual harassment. This program gave us the legal database to prove we are in compliance with State legislation.
- #28 Every initiative has a rationale – most aimed at what’s best for kids and therefore meet our mission and goal to meet the needs of every – thereby, we hope, keeping them at home in Litchfield.
- #29 As meets the intention of a 21st ready student, we expanded our STEM and STEAM initiatives which provide real-life problem solving that crosses the disciplines. Maker spaces encourage imagination and invention. We heard your message and looked for areas we could enter into shared services agreements and saved money on the oil bid and the pool. Rather than pay Kelley Services $40,000 to manage our substitutes, we developed our own solutions with interns, building subs, and an Internet-based program which more quickly places substitute teachers in classrooms.
- #30 Additional initiatives either improved our offerings to students, improved our ability to communicate our successes to parents, met a State mandate, or simply made our constituents’ lives easier by reducing redundancies. These five items are representative examples.
- #31 Everything that precedes this talks about how hard staff and administration has worked to ensure we are doing our best and providing for our students and their families. That is OUR mission. These slides now illustrate our plans to continue those efforts in the 2016 – 2017 school year. Our first and most expensive initiative, at $90,000, after meeting our contractual obligations for teachers and staff, is the laptop replacement needed in the Middle School. Through the laptop initiative, teachers have already dramatically changed their instruction to include technology. The laptops did not simply replace a pen and paper – they are being used for research, virtual experiences, and collaboration, all of which are 21st Century skills. The 1-to-1 initiative is one important program feature which sets us apart.
- #33 In addition, we need to replace workstations which are six or seven years old and are chugging away. This $75,000 includes the Center School lab, which we need on a daily basis since we do NOT have 1-to-1 at the elementary schools… and which we need for testing. It also include teachers’ desktop computers used to access the student information system, to run their SmartBoards, aqnd to access their curriculums, make classroom presentations, webpages, etc… In addition, some of the hardest working computers in the district are on this replacement list – office equipment managing the budget, student information, Special Education, and so on.
- #36 As you will recall, the NEASC visiting committee made a recommendation for a more consistent curriculum format. We have selected a commonly-endorsed product called Rubicon Atlas to develop a uniform template and import our existing curriculum into the template. This online program will give us remarkable searching and reporting capabilities which we cannot accomplish with word documents kept in either a binder or in a shared folder. You see a unit scope and sequence in the smaller of the two boxes shown here. In an online format, changing the order of two units so that a social studies unit on water quality aligns with a non-fiction book on local Native Americans, for example, is a simple drag and drop operation. You can search on a topic… or a standard… and see where else in the curriculum that concept is taught… or, if it has been omitted. More importantly, every change is live. When a team of teachers adds an assessment, develops a new lesson plan, or lengthens shortens length of a unit, that change is immediate, making the next search or download accurate.
- #38 These are the budget drivers, i.e. they are the six highest expenditures in the Board of Education’s Adopted Budget. Some are increases and some are decreases; and they are presented in descending order of cost, not of importance. Despite overall 3.42% increases in salaries, this line item is only up 0.4% reflecting some decreases in staff. As of this moment, we have no other retirements, (except my own), to factor in. There is a significant increase in Special Education Tuition and Transportation, based on current actuals which have already negatively affected us this year’s budget, as well. There is always an unpredictable up-and-down factor in a Special Education budget based largely on out-placements and one-to-one support needs. Students move in and out of the district and their needs must be accommodated. The increase in tuition we pay to Wamogo is budgeted at $6,800 per student and is based on this year’s enrollment. The $143,282 we budgeted assumes three new freshmen will attend Wamogo and the current students will remain.
- #39 I first presented this budget to the Board of Education on February 3rd. Before presenting to the BOE, however, the Administrative staff, David Fiorillo, and I had already wrestled with the budget to reduce requests which had equaled a 5.24% increase. You can see the most significant first-stage cuts we made on this slide. We’ve reduced 2.0 certified staff – 1.0 at LIS and 1.0 at the high school. We reduced 2.0 Special Education aides and cut all the requests for all NEW technology knowing that we needed to support the replacement technology which I have already established as a priority. We cut all furniture requests, including some office desks, but most significantly, these tables. In addition, we went out to bid for oil in a consortium, and renegotiated for decreases wherever we could.
- #40 I first presented this budget to the Board of Education on February 3rd. Before presenting to the BOE, however, the Administrative staff, David Fiorillo, and I had already wrestled with the budget to reduce requests which had equaled a 5.24% increase. You can see the most significant first-stage cuts we made on this slide. We’ve reduced 2.0 certified staff – 1.0 at LIS and 1.0 at the high school. We reduced 2.0 Special Education aides and cut all the requests for all NEW technology knowing that we needed to support the replacement technology which I have alread established as a priority. We cut all furniture requests, including some office desks, but most significantly, these tables. In addition, we went out to bid for oil in a consortium, and renegotiated for decreases wherever we could.
- #41 Before we get to the budget summary, I’ve included an explanation of what line items are included in each of those categories. The Budget Narrative, and the Budget Summary, which are at the beginning of your notebooks, and all of which will be posted to the webpage, rely on these categories.
- #42 First, regular instruction includes classroom materials. Lest anyone think we are decreasing science or art supplies, please note that the decrease here is the difference between last year’s math curriculum and an AP textbook, and the Spanish curriculum proposed this year. There was also a curriculum-based computer lab in this line item last year. In Pupil Services, $3,000 of the increase is for new testing materials; and $1,500 is for additional proctoring of the AP exams. The next line items shows a substantial increase; partially because we have taken a previously unbudgeted item, Food Services, which is supposed to be a cost-neutral contract -- in which the money in equals the money out -- and made it more realistic! Historically, food services has lost money, and while that loss has lessened in the past few years from over $80,000 to about $20,000 currently, we are entering into a self-op next year and felt it a responsibility to budget accordingly. Thus $29,000 is budgeted in this line for the replacement of equipment when Chartwells vacates the kitchens and for a loss equal to this year’s loss while we get our feet under us. We’ve budgeted an additional $5,500 in non-fiction books for our libraries to support the Common Core State Standards emphasis on non-fiction reading. This o=would include everything from additional biographies and autobiographies to additional books on science and social studies-related issues. An additional $4,000 was budgeted to install wind screens around the tennis courts for practices, The 2016-2017 increase for raises and steps for existing staff totals 3.42%; but reductions in staffing, including the elimination of two (2) paraprofessional positions, two (2) teaching positions, and changes in the district’s hiring of long-term and daily substitutes have reduced that increase to 2.75%. Factoring in changes in health insurance, early retirement, OPEB, and pension costs, the net impact of wages and benefits is proposed at a slight 1.2% increase. Together, the salaries and wages account (60.5%) and the employee benefits account (16.3%) make up 77% of this year’s budget.
- #44 We could not possibly show every line item that is up and down in the budget, as the detailed requests are submitted to us with as small an item as a guidance teacher’s individual test and as itemized as an art teacher’s full-year, 4-page supply list.
- #45 You see increases in Special Education; as I mentioned earlier, we are budgeting for our existing caseload of Special Education students. The line items tick up and down given the needs for the coming year. In 2015 – 2016, we are currently underbudgeted in Special Education due to significant changes in our case load.
- #46 Another budget which reflects our needs in servicing children and families and which becomes more involved every year.
- #47 Next year, we are going into a shared cooperative for food services with Wamogo and Plymouth. Our contract with Chartwells is about to expire and we have decided not to renew, but to join forces and hire a shared food services manager. We need to plan for a $20,000 loss (which has occurred in every one of the last three years but has been unbudgeted because food services is supposed to be a cost-neutral line item); losses have decreased from as high of $80,000 to this year’s $29,000. We need to budget for 1/3 of the cost of the manager and for those students who receive free and reduced lunch.
- #48 The budget for salaries and wages combines raises and step increases with reductions in staff to arrive at a 1.2% increase. This area of the budget includes 3.43% overall increase in contractual increases and steps. There is a reduction of 2.0 certified teachers – one teacher at LIS and several parts of teachers to arrive at a total reduction of 1.0 teacher at the high school. In addition, there is a 2.0 reduction in non-certified staff. There have been a lot of misunderstandings about the Dean of Students position at the high school. Originally, the Dean of Students position at the High School was created in this year’s 2015 – 2016 budget with a cut in 1.0 FTE, (the SRBI Coordinator, which was a certified teaching position) and a cut in one Category A stipend. The difference between these two cut positions (the SRBI certified position and the stipend) and the Dean of Student’s position was $16,608 in last year’s position. For that money, here’s what we got: an administrator who can coordinate programming for our at-risk students. The Dean of Students coordinates SRBI tiered services, minor disciplinary infractions, attendance issues, after-school supports and communications with coaches, and suggestions for teachers for classroom interventions. In the 2016 – 2017 budget, the only difference in the Dean of Students is his contractual increase of $2,200.
- #49 Increases in Administration include everything from the purchase and professional development support for Rubicon Atlas, which is our selected curriculum development platform -- as well as for the costs of some curriculum writing over the summer, particularly in the areas of social studies and science. It includes continued professional development in the new math curriculum, an emphasis on professional development in technology, technology instruction, and the reading and writing workshop model at Center School. While the increase in technology looks very scary here, the truth is we created a centralized Technology budget; and rather than seeing technology broken out by school; you’re seeing it all in one category. As mentioned earlier the increases in this line items come primarily from the $110,000 loan payment, the $90,000 laptop replacement in the middle school, and the $75,000 desktop replacement districtwide. Thus, the reductions are obvious as well. While the initiatives equal $275,000, the difference you see here is $192,769.
- #50 Increases in Administration include everything from the purchase and professional development support for Rubicon Atlas, which is our selected curriculum development platform -- as well as for the costs of some curriculum writing over the summer, particularly in the areas of social studies and science. It includes continued professional development in the new math curriculum, an emphasis on professional development in technology, technology instruction, and the reading and writing workshop model at Center School.
- #51 Increases in Administration include everything from the purchase and professional development support for Rubicon Atlas, which is our selected curriculum development platform -- as well as for the costs of some curriculum writing over the summer, particularly in the areas of social studies and science. It includes continued professional development in the new math curriculum, an emphasis on professional development in technology, technology instruction, and the reading and writing workshop model at Center School.
- #52 This year we have included a few maintenance items that would not classify as capital expenses and are not going to be supported in the town’s budget, yet are important to the schools. We were also under-budgeted in our property insurance last year and then have some utilities going up and some going down, considerably.
- #53 Some utilities are going up and some going down, considerably. Last year, the cost of utilities was budgeted and then divided even among the four schools. This year each site was budgeted separately.
- #54 Another area where the increases and decreases are off-setting each other. We are outsourcing van services to make that side of transportation easier to manage. The Special Education van services you see here are for in-district students, not for out-placements.
- #55 The two-year budget history, and this year’s BOE budget are shown here. A six-year history is included in the inset. People ask why the enrollment goes down and staffing doesn’t, but there have been decreases in staff. You have 2 fewer regular education teachers in 2016- 2017 than in 2015 – 2016, you have 10 and a half fewer teachers than in 2005 – 2006. You have one fewer Speech Pathologist. On the other hand, in the areas of special services – Special Ed, guidance, nurses, and so on -- the staffing has either remained flat or increased slightly. Even the controversial Dean of students position at the high school was restructured from a federally-mandated SRBI position that wasn’t working. These increases reflect the needs of our times, with increasing Special Education, increasing social-emotional and family services needs.
- #56 The budget reality we deal with every year, is this: staff and benefits make up 77% of the total budget; the next biggest categories are transportation and special education, which are relatively fixed. Thus, reductions, when needed must come from the remaining 14% of the budget.