Schools face $2.6 million shortfall

Costs for pensions and fuel increase

St. Mary’s public schools’ officials on March 23 noted a widening budget gap.

That news comes in spite of the county commissioners meeting most of Superintendent Scott Smith’s request for more funding for staff and bus driver and attendant salary increases. The commissioners approved $6.1 million during a budget work session on March 1.

Tammy McCourt, assistant superintendent of fiscal resources for the school system, told the school board that the system recently received news of the need for $1.33 million more for pensions. She also said they were likely going to have to budget more for fuel costs based on $4.50 a gallon for diesel.

That $2.73 million is in addition to $917,693 that the system needs to find to fully fund salary increases for bus drivers and attendants over the next two years.

“This leaves us exceptionally tight,” Smith said, referring to the system’s unrestricted fund budget. “There are no extra things in this budget. We’re squeaky tight.”

Before the system asks local private sources or the county commissioners to help, he said they will reach out to the Maryland Department of Education, which funds a substantial part of the budget.

“The state is doing really well this year,” he said, noting funding formulas weren’t adjusted.

“They weren’t really set up except for the five big counties,” board vice chair Cathy Allen said, referring to the state’s funding formula for schools.

Smith said a supplemental funding request is being made in conjunction with the state school boards association.

“The state ... that’s where our challenge is coming from,” he said.

“We hope it finds traction,” he said of the request. “If it does, it solves our budget issues.”

Updated bullying, harassment policy

The board voted unanimously to make some changes to its bullying, harassment and intimidation policy.

The first reading was held Feb. 9 and a public hearing was held March 9 and no one commented, school officials said.

Cheryl A. Long, director of student services, and BeeJay Dothard, assistant principal at Great Mills High School, presented the revised policy. They were part of a 15-member committee that held forums on

Jan. 18, 26 and Feb. 2.

Cyberbullying was added to the policy, which board chair Karin Bailey noted

takes place 24/7.

Cyberbullying that takes place outside school hours applies when it comes into the school, Long said.

In response to a question from board member Jim Davis, Long said, “I don’t see a lot of [repeat offenders].”

The wording in regard to harassment was updated to match the state’s board of education’s model policy.

Allen noted the changes were required by the state board.

Categories under harassment include: race, ethnicity, national origin, immigration status, family/parental or marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, religion, ancestry, physical attributes, socioeconomic status, physical or mental ability and disability.