Sunday, May 14, 2006
By NANCY H. GONTER
Springfield Republican
NORTHAMPTON - School Committee members expressed relief that the budget picture for next year will not be as bleak as it once was but said cuts and fee increases are still likely.
In April, the School Committee had learned it might have to cut more than $800,000 from its $26.5 million budget. Now it appears that approximately $530,000 will have to be cut.
Committee members hope that a proposal from the state Senate to increase education aid will eventually be approved. That proposal calls for Northampton to get $6.8 million from the state, a 5 percent increase.
"Our current state of affairs is less bleak because of the Senate's very generous allocation, but it's a still long way to go (before it's approved)," School Committee Vice Chairman Lucy G. Hartry said on Friday.
"It's still not enough. While it's a very generous amount, it's still not everything we need," Hartry said.
Besides the possibility of reducing the number of teachers or classroom aides, the committee is considering increasing fees as well as asking parents to send school supplies to school with their children at the start of the year, Hartry said.
Some changes under consideration are increasing the fee to ride the bus from $180 to $210 a year and doubling the athletic fee, from $75 to $150.
"It's certainly still possible that teachers or paraprofessionals will need to be laid off," Hartry said.
The School Committee is hoping to approve the budget at its meeting on June 22, at 7:15 p.m., but a vote could be delayed until June 29. The vote must be taken by the end of June, Hartry said.
Besides discussing the budget, the committee heard a report from Superintendent Isabelina Rodriguez Babcock about the activities she's participated in and efforts she has made to reach the five goals she had set for herself, Hartry said.
That presentation is the first step in the process of evaluating the superintendent. Each committee member has been asked to fill out individual evaluations by May 25. After the evaluation is complete, the committee will consider any pay increases, Hartry said.
By NANCY H. GONTER
Springfield Republican
NORTHAMPTON - School Committee members expressed relief that the budget picture for next year will not be as bleak as it once was but said cuts and fee increases are still likely.
In April, the School Committee had learned it might have to cut more than $800,000 from its $26.5 million budget. Now it appears that approximately $530,000 will have to be cut.
Committee members hope that a proposal from the state Senate to increase education aid will eventually be approved. That proposal calls for Northampton to get $6.8 million from the state, a 5 percent increase.
"Our current state of affairs is less bleak because of the Senate's very generous allocation, but it's a still long way to go (before it's approved)," School Committee Vice Chairman Lucy G. Hartry said on Friday.
"It's still not enough. While it's a very generous amount, it's still not everything we need," Hartry said.
Besides the possibility of reducing the number of teachers or classroom aides, the committee is considering increasing fees as well as asking parents to send school supplies to school with their children at the start of the year, Hartry said.
Some changes under consideration are increasing the fee to ride the bus from $180 to $210 a year and doubling the athletic fee, from $75 to $150.
"It's certainly still possible that teachers or paraprofessionals will need to be laid off," Hartry said.
The School Committee is hoping to approve the budget at its meeting on June 22, at 7:15 p.m., but a vote could be delayed until June 29. The vote must be taken by the end of June, Hartry said.
Besides discussing the budget, the committee heard a report from Superintendent Isabelina Rodriguez Babcock about the activities she's participated in and efforts she has made to reach the five goals she had set for herself, Hartry said.
That presentation is the first step in the process of evaluating the superintendent. Each committee member has been asked to fill out individual evaluations by May 25. After the evaluation is complete, the committee will consider any pay increases, Hartry said.
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