Board approves 6.5 percent increase in school budget, by Amanda Estes
Board approves 6.5 percent increase in school budget
Budget now moves on to Town Council for its approval
By Amanda Estes
Staff writer
The Scarborough School Board has unanimously approved amendments to the $28.9 million budget for the 2008 fiscal year that will reduce operating costs by $50,000 and increase several new positions from part-time to full-time positions.
The reduction in operating costs is due to a decrease in the cost for employee health benefits. The budget was drafted with a projected 15 percent increase in health care, but the actual percent increase for next year is 8.6 percent. Christopher Brownsey, the chairman of the School Board’s Finance Committee, determined that the decrease in health care costs would reduce the budget by $150,000.
Board members voted to reduce the budget by $50,000 and use the remaining $100,000 to fund a full-time Spanish teacher at the high school, a full-time guidance counselor at Wentworth Intermediate School and one mathematics support position at each primary school. The new estimated operating budget is $28,887,511 and calls for a 6.5 percent total increase. Prior to the board’s meeting last Thursday, the budget called for a 6.81 percent total increase.
The budget also calls for a part-time mathematics support position at Wentworth Intermediate School, but Superintendent David Doyle recommended the position not be increased to full-time because the need will not be as great after the 285 students that currently make up the fifth grade move on to the middle school. He said improving access to math support for K-2 students would prevent students from falling behind at the intermediate level.
Board member Colleen Staszko said she had heard from parents who wanted more guidance counselors at Wentworth. She said improved access to guidance professionals at Wentworth would better prepare a student to handle future academic and emotional stresses.
“There could be pieces done at the intermediate level that would benefit the middle school,” Staszko said.
In addition to the amended positions, the budget calls for the following new positions: a part-time music teacher, a part-time speech/language therapist, a part-time gifted and talented teacher, and a part-time video production teacher at Scarborough High School, a full-time teacher at Scarborough Middle School, a full-time literacy teacher at Wentworth, a full-time guidance counselor split between Eight Corners School, Blue Point School and Pleasant Hill School and a full-time assistant transportation supervisor.
Budget now moves on to Town Council for its approval
By Amanda Estes
Staff writer
The Scarborough School Board has unanimously approved amendments to the $28.9 million budget for the 2008 fiscal year that will reduce operating costs by $50,000 and increase several new positions from part-time to full-time positions.
The reduction in operating costs is due to a decrease in the cost for employee health benefits. The budget was drafted with a projected 15 percent increase in health care, but the actual percent increase for next year is 8.6 percent. Christopher Brownsey, the chairman of the School Board’s Finance Committee, determined that the decrease in health care costs would reduce the budget by $150,000.
Board members voted to reduce the budget by $50,000 and use the remaining $100,000 to fund a full-time Spanish teacher at the high school, a full-time guidance counselor at Wentworth Intermediate School and one mathematics support position at each primary school. The new estimated operating budget is $28,887,511 and calls for a 6.5 percent total increase. Prior to the board’s meeting last Thursday, the budget called for a 6.81 percent total increase.
The budget also calls for a part-time mathematics support position at Wentworth Intermediate School, but Superintendent David Doyle recommended the position not be increased to full-time because the need will not be as great after the 285 students that currently make up the fifth grade move on to the middle school. He said improving access to math support for K-2 students would prevent students from falling behind at the intermediate level.
Board member Colleen Staszko said she had heard from parents who wanted more guidance counselors at Wentworth. She said improved access to guidance professionals at Wentworth would better prepare a student to handle future academic and emotional stresses.
“There could be pieces done at the intermediate level that would benefit the middle school,” Staszko said.
In addition to the amended positions, the budget calls for the following new positions: a part-time music teacher, a part-time speech/language therapist, a part-time gifted and talented teacher, and a part-time video production teacher at Scarborough High School, a full-time teacher at Scarborough Middle School, a full-time literacy teacher at Wentworth, a full-time guidance counselor split between Eight Corners School, Blue Point School and Pleasant Hill School and a full-time assistant transportation supervisor.
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