Berlin CSD New Beginnings

How to move forward following the

May 18th Voting

Proposed New Beginnings v1 1

Voting Results

 Amending the 2010 / 2011 Budget

 Keeping Grafton Elementary Open
 Recruiting New Personnel
 Graduation and Academic Excellence

Proposed New Beginnings v1 2

Community Healing

 Emotions remain raw, but WE must

move forward as one community
 Leadership is needed
 NOW is the time to develop an Amended
Budget the Community can support
 Any 2010 / 2011 budget is only a stop
gap before a long term plan can be
developed and approved by the voters in
May 2011

Proposed New Beginnings v1 3

Leadership Changes

 The votes for the December referendum and

the May budget demonstrate major leadership
failures
 A new BOE will be formed in July
 Leadership changes must commence
immediately
 Requested resignation of Interim Superintendent,
HS Principal, BOE President and Vice President
 Appoint Transition Team to manage Interim

Proposed New Beginnings v1 4

Engage All Constituencies

 Taxpayers: absorbing burden of lower state

aid, declining demographic trends
 Students: development of program / service
alternatives
 Administration: staffing changes
 Educators: engage members for staffing
changes and compensation review
 Staff: cost efficiency improvements
 Vendors: contractual reviews and rebidding

Proposed New Beginnings v1 5

Interim Planning Needs
 Designate Transition Leadership Team
 Representatives from Administration, BOE, New
BOE members, Staff, Educators, PTO and
Community
 Designate responsibilities
 Consolidate MS/HS Principals
 Restart Superintendent recruitment process
 Involve community in Graduation activities
 Keep Grafton open for next school year
 Transition Team to quickly recommend budget
changes for Amended Budget consideration

Proposed New Beginnings v1 6

Budget Objectives

 Amended Budget is Stop–Gap, and not a

Long Term Plan
 Similar school districts accomplished 2%
reduction in yr over yr expenditures
 Propose Amended Budget: target
expenditure reduction by $800,000 to
$17.9 million
 Facilitate smooth transition to new BOE
and new Administration

Proposed New Beginnings v1 7

Savings: $619,000 - Personnel

Action Plans Annual Est. Savings

Terminate Interim Superintendent Contract $151,100

Consolidate MS / HS Principal Position $123,000

Freeze Compensation of All BCSD Personnel for 1 yr $385,000

Recruit New Superintendent (Jan - Jun 2011) -$75,000

Pay Recruitment Fee over 2 yrs -$12,500

Reduce Teaching Assistant Expenses by 10% $48,200

Sub-total $619,800

Proposed New Beginnings v1 8

Savings: Keep Grafton Open

Action Plans Annual Est. Savings

Cancel Modular Leases and Set-Up $288,500

Eliminate Related Prof Fees and Contingency $102,600

Reinstate Grafton Utilities -$38,300

Reinstate Grafton TA and Substitutes at 50% -$7,100

Return Reserves -$308,000

Sub-total $37,700

Proposed New Beginnings v1 9

Savings: $550,000 – Other Expense

Action Plans Annual Est. Savings

Renegotiate Legal and Audit Arrangements by 15% $15,000

Reduce Travel and Conferences by 50% $2,000

Reduce BOCES Budget by 8% or $175,000 $175,000

Forgo Distance Learning for 1 yr until Cost Benefit Review $175,000

Review Out-of-district Placement Program; target $60,000 savings $60,000

Reorganize Bus Routes target 75% Seat Utilization $125,000

Sub-total $552,000

Proposed New Beginnings v1 10

Framework for Savings

Proposed Changes Annual Est. Savings

Personnel $619,800

Grafton Reinstatement $37,700

Other Expenses $552,000

Total $1,209,500

2009 / 2010 Approved Budget $18,281,716

Proposed BCSD 2010 / 2011 Budget Expenditures $18,757,983

Suggested 2010 / 2011 Amended Budget Expenditures $17,548,483

Proposed New Beginnings v1 11

A New Beginning

 As a community, we can come together

for the best interests of the students,
staff, and taxpayers
 A Transition Leadership Team should be
appointed ASAP
 Reflect the will of the people; conduct the
people’s business with full transparency
 Commitment to education excellence
begins NOW

Proposed New Beginnings v1 12