Schalmont school budget forum today ROTTERDAM — The community is invited to a public forum tonight as Schalmont school officials begin putting together the 2012-2013 budget plan. The event is open to all district residents and school community members and will take place at 7 p.m. in the Schalmont High School auditorium. Superintendent Valerie Kelsey will give a presentation on the current issues facing the district including the new property tax levy cap. Last year, Schalmont voters approved the district’s $41.8 million budget, which contained no increase in the tax levy. The district saw $1.3 million in savings when the Board of Education voted in February to close the Woestina and Mariaville elementary schools, leaving Jefferson as the sole elementary. Also, a total of 24 full-time equivalent positions were cut.
Schalmont budget forecast dreary District could raise tax levy around 2.5 percent within tax cap By John Purcell As of Thursday, January 19, 2012
#Rotterdam — After closing two elementary schools this school year, Schalmont officials are starting to evaluate what difficult decisions might be in store in 2012.
#The Schalmont Central School District held its first budget forum on Tuesday, Jan. 17, at the high school’s auditorium, with around 15 people attending. The forum focused on understanding how the state mandated property tax cap effects the district and identifying some of the challenges facing the district as it crafts the 2012-13 school budget.
#Earlier the same day, Gov. Andrew Cuomo revealed his executive budget, which allowed the district to have insight into state aid for the upcoming year.
#Despite claims from Cuomo of inefficiency within public education, Schalmont Superintendent Valerie Kelsey stood behind the district’s fiscal responsibility.
#“Public schools have been under great criticism. Our governor stood and spoke today … how schools are inefficient, how schools are not successful,” Kelsey said. “I look at the sacrifices we have made over the last years. It has not been easy to close two neighborhood schools that were very much loved.”
#Kelsey said it is “very difficult” for her to continue to hear Cuomo lump public schools together and criticize them as a whole.
#Cuomo’s budget calls for an $850 million, or 4.1 percent, increase in state school aid. Kelsey said the majority of the increased aid won’t reach Schalmont, though. If Schalmont did get a 4 percent increase in aid, the district would see an additional $240,000.
#Under the property tax cap, Schalmont would be able to raise the tax levy 2.5 percent next year without needing an override. The current budget is $41.8 million and a “rollover” budget maintaining all programs and services would be $42.5 million, or an increase of $730,000...................>>>>......................>>>>...................http://www.schenectadyspotlight.com/news/2012/jan/19/schalmont-budget-forecast-dreary/
ROTTERDAM School district plans to cut 8 jobs Proposed tax hike less than 2 percent BY MICHAEL GOOT Gazette Reporter
Eight positions would be eliminated in the Schalmont Central School District under a $41.9 million 2012-13 budget proposed by Superintendent Valerie Kelsey. Kelsey said the proposal would increase the tax levy by 1.94 percent, slightly less than the 2.33 percent the district could propose under the state cap on property tax increases and still require approval by a simple majority of voters. The spending plan would preserve core programs and class sizes would remain largely unchanged from the current range of 19 to 24 for kindergarten through fourth grade and 22 to 26 for fi fth through eighth grades, according to Kelsey. “We’ve maintained all of our sports programs, all of our music, all of our things for kids,” she said. Kelsey said Schalmont’s budget picture was helped by $3.5 million in cuts the district has made during the last two years, including closing the Mariaville and Woestina elementary schools last year. During that time, the district has cut the equivalent of 41 full-time positions, reduced the equipment budget by 25 percent, centralized bus stops for middle- and high-school students and cut athletic programs. Kelsey said Schalmont has held the line on spending, the district’s budget increasing only by $375,000 over the past fi ve years. The district was facing a budget gap of about $340,000 because of rising costs and slightly declining federal and state aid. Two full-time equivalent teaching positions would be lost because of declining enrollment. There would also be reductions in staffing levels for the home and careers, physical education, English, math, science, computer and foreign language programs. In addition, the plan would eliminate a high school security person and a half-time social work position and reduce library and teacher aides, maintenance personnel and hall and bus monitors. There is also a reorganization of administration at the middle and high schools to save roughly half a position. Other cost-saving measures on the table include eliminating the elementary school literacy summer school to save $15,000 and eliminating contracted transportation to a private school to save another $15,000. Kelsey is also exploring alternative transportation for fifth-graders, who currently ride elementary school buses. ..............>>>>................>>>>......................http://www.dailygazette.net/De.....r00901&AppName=1
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