Dear fellow Hanoverians:
\nAfter a month and a half of public meetings concerning the school
\nbudget, the Hanover School Committee voted last night to request an
\nincrease in their budget from the Town of Hanover. The request comes
\non the heels of weeks of public and private discourse around town
\nconcerning possible budget cuts and includes the following:
\n\u00b7 A $140,000 decrease in overall costs due to the planned outsourcing
\nof the SPED transportation contract
\n\u00b7 Reductions in secretarial hours at the district level, no pay
\nincreases for principals, directors and central office administrators,
\nand net savings from a known teacher retirement
\n\u00b7 The addition of a SPED teacher at Cedar and the Middle School, and
\na .4 SPED teacher at the High School
\n\u00b7 Two additional classroom teachers at the Center\/Sylvester School to
\naddress burgeoning class enrollments in those two buildings
\n\u00b7 Legally mandated step increases for Hanover\u2019s teachers, but no
\ncost of living increases (both of which are subject to continued
\ncontract negotiations).
\nSome in the audience were calling this budget a \u201clevel services\u201d
\nbudget, although others would disagree based on the unknowns in the
\nforthcoming negotiations with the North River Collaborative (NRC) over
\nthe SPED transportation contract. The School Department maintains that
\nthe proposed NRC-provided SPED transportation is an equivalent service
\nif not better than what is currently provided. Either way, the
\nproposed budget exceeds the monies currently projected to be available
\nfrom the town by approximately $393,043.
\nPreviously discussed potential budget cuts that were NOT included in
\nthis budget proposed by the School Committee:
\n\u00b7 A Spanish teacher, an Engineering teacher, and a .8 Chemistry
\nteacher at the High School
\n\u00b7 A .2 music and a .2 art teacher at Cedar
\n\u00b7 A fifth grade teacher at the Middle School
\n\u00b7 Reading Specialists at Center\/Sylvester and Cedar Schools
\n\u00b7 Any other teacher layoffs
\nFiscal 2012\u2019s overall school budget is $23,352,796. The town
\ncurrently predicts a $437,066 increase to be possible in the school
\nbudget for Fiscal 2013. The School Committee voted last night to
\nrequest that money and an additional $393,043, for a total request of
\n$24,182,905. The School Committee is hoping that current negotiations
\nwith the town\u2019s unions regarding the town\u2019s health insurance and
\nthe potential decision at Town Meeting to add a meals\u2019 tax in
\nHanover, along with increased Chapter 70 monies from the state will
\nmake up the difference.
\nThere will be a meeting between the Selectmen and the School Committee
\non Monday, January 23 at Town Hall. The School Committee is on the
\nSelectmen\u2019s agenda for 8:00 p.m.<\/p>\n
For “Around Town on the Web”,
\nCathy H-B<\/p>\n
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Dear fellow Hanoverians: After a month and a half of public meetings concerning the school budget, the Hanover School Committee voted last night to request an increase in their budget from the Town of Hanover. The request comes on the … Continue reading