The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
Board digs into $76.95M school budget
TORRINGTON — Facing a flat budget increase for the 2019-20 school year, Board of Education members and district administrators dug into a section of the 149page spending plan to decide what services must stay.
At a public hearing at Vogel Wetmore Elementary School on Monday, Superintendent of Schools Susan Lubomski said the budgeting process began by asking school principals what new items they couldn’t live without, based on the spending restraints.
The proposed budget for the next school year is 3.8 percent higher than the 2019-20 budget, totaling $76.95 million.
To get to that amount, Lubomski proposed eliminating positions, including a full-time French teacher, for a savings of $87,003 and a network manager, for a savings of $90,000.
Proposed increases would provide a raise for the business manager of $21,873. Using the network manager salary, in addition to $10,000 for a total of $100,000, the goal is to hire a network director.
“Money is obviously a factor, but we should focus on the cost (of not providing services),” said board Chairwoman Fiona Cappabianca. She mentioned the budget history of losing 14 literacy teachers and a number of custodians in 2016-17 school year.
An increasing need for “socialemotional support and mental health services,” was identified during the budget process, according to district documents. The school board focused on those priorities at the meeting. Members proposed hiring a full time behaviorist who would work with the district to provide mental health support, with a salary of $85,717.
Salaries for about 10 other mental health professionals are provided through grants from the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and a state Alliance grant.
The grants are funded for five years, Lubomski said. The district is in its second year of the cycle. “We’ll see if the positions work out or if they’re still needed (in the future),” she said.
In addition, a pilot program from a Community Mental Health grant, sponsored by Charlotte Hungerford Hospital, will provide mental health professionals at Torringford Elementary School, Torrington Middle School and Torrington High School.
The amount of funding for the grants was not available in the proposed budget document.
“We used to have a director of student services. It would be really helpful to have that (again),” Lubomski said. “It’s very important. We really need someone.” A student services director, she said, would be involved in special education services planning. But whether such a position will be added to the budget remains to be seen.
About 12 parents attended the public hearing. Several who were asked to comment on the budget process declined to do so.
One parent noted, however, “I haven’t read enough,” to make a decision.
Ann Perzan, the interim director for Student Services, said she thought the meeting went well. Board members “had answers and a way to look to the future.”
The next school budget public hearing will be at 6 p.m. Thursday at the Torrington High School Media Center. The district’s approved budget is scheduled to be submitted to the City Council and Board of Finance by April 15.