Jaffrey-Rindge School District’s proposed operating budget is $25.8 million for the 2017-18 school year, a .56-percent increase over this year’s approved operating budget.
The School Board met Saturday to discuss the proposed budget, with principals and department heads presenting individual budgets to the board and public. The meeting lasted over seven hours.
“There was a School Board goal of no more than a one percent increase over last year, which we have met,” said Superintendent Reuben Duncan, referring to the increase in the district’s operating budget. If the board chose to analyze the general fund this year over next, the budget is up $385,847, or 1.61-percent.
Duncan said increases in retirement (about $200,000) and collective bargaining agreements (around $250,000) raised the budget.
In the proposed budget are a number of teacher reductions and position shifts. Two positions are proposed to be cut at the high school (one full-time science and one full-time arts position). One full-time middle school classroom teacher is proposed, although Duncan said there is a retirement in the school, which could account for the reduction.
One full-time position is proposed to be cut from Jaffrey Grade School, with two full-time additions to Rindge Memorial School.
“The goal is not to lose any course offerings,” said Duncan. “We are being thoughtful about our class sizes.”
Some student services positions are also due to be cut, including two full-time high school associates and one full-time middle school associate. Two full-time associates will be added to Rindge Memorial School.
Additionally, there will be a shift in preschool teachers, as 2.5 positions in both elementary schools will be reduced to 2. Positions will now be spread equally throughout the two schools, giving one full-time preschool teacher to JGS and RMS.
One budget that received a lot of discussion was the student services budget. Despite coming in at 1.58-percent less than last year at $7.3 million, a few board members asked if the budget could be reduced further.
“I would recommend that the student services budget be cut by $300,000,” said board member Dan Aho.
Much of the concern at the school board level was looking at average expenses for the budget, with many years being underspent. A few board members argued that the budget should be based on actual expenses, not hypotheticals, something Duncan didn’t agree with.
“I would caution from a blanket amount to be reduced from a budget like special education,” said Duncan. “This is an area of the budget where you should be happy with a surplus.”
No specific motion was made to reduce the student services budget, but it was requested that the district’s administration look at the budget again, to see if further cuts could be made.
The School Board did not discuss any potential warrant articles on Saturday. In the 2016-17 school year, $650,826 was appropriated for various warrant articles.
As the board had not finished its discussion about the budget on Saturday, the board will pick the discussion back up on the 17th at 9:30 a.m. at Conant High School.
Nicholas Handy can be reached at 924-7172 ext. 235 or nhandy@ledgertranscript.com. He is also on Twitter @nhandyMLT.