The Rochester Memorial School budget subcommittee is meeting regularly to figure out how to handle unanticipated expenses and state reimbursement cuts that are putting a strain on the school budget. At the RMS School Committee’s December 1 meeting, the committee said that the budget – which currently is frozen except for emergency expenses – has been hit with unforeseen utility and special education costs and less state aid.
“We know we have challenges with this budget. We are strategizing and working together. Stay tuned – more discussions are to come,” said Committee Chairperson Tina Rood, who serves on the subcommittee.
Even with the receipt of the rural education grant, school officials are “being cautious in the steps we are taking” in handling the budget, Superintendent Doug White said.
District Business Administrator Katie Isernio said, for instance, that the school is working with District Facilities Manager Steve Murphy on modifying schedules for boilers, the HVAC system, etc to ensure they are only used when needed. “It is an A-number one priority,” Ms. Isernio said.
In the meantime, the subcommittee is soon expected to present formal recommendations on how to handle shortfalls in the budget to the full committee.
In other business, the school committee presented a recognition award to Rochester Facilities Manager Mike Meunier for his contribution to the recently completed RMS expansion and renovation project. Chairperson Tina Rood recalled his contribution on the project since day one, and that his efforts serve as a strong example to students.
“[Mr. Meunier] is always looking to improve and increase expertise and that is an important lesson for our kids,” she said, adding that his research contributed to the use of certain pre-cast material – which has never been utilized in Massachusetts before.
The committee donated Everything on It to the RMS library and gave Mr. Meunier a copy of The Giving Tree – both by Shel Silverstein – in honor of his work.
“Thank you to the school committee. The project was about the team we had, a team that worked a lot of hours. The staff was great, the letters the kids wrote while we were doing construction, which at times is hard, was great. It was a success,” said Mr. Meunier.
At RMS and across the district, the Food Service program is continuing to show significant financial gains compared to last year. During the month of October, Food Service Director Caitlyn Meagher reported that RMS brought in a $1,342 in profit compared to $198 last year. District-wide in October the profit ran at $18,589 compared to $2,997 last year.
Ms. Meagher said she intends to augment these gains by getting more feedback from students on what they like or dislike about food and/or service. She hopes to increase RMS food service participation to 47 percent this year – currently it is 40 percent.
“The lines are going a lot faster now. Kids are excited to learn numbers and put them in,” she added on NutriKids, RMS’s new point-of-sale system that allows parents to pre-purchase lunch for their kids.
The committee acknowledged the change in direction of the food service, which until recently has been running in the red. Ms. Meagher assumed her post in September.
“It’s amazing and wonderful. Thanks for your hard work,” said Ms. Rood.
School Principal Jay Ryan also spent some time discussing the challenges of running RMS, 550 students strong, without an Assistant Principal. The school cut the assistant principal position from its budget two years ago.
He said his attendance at district-wide meetings, teacher observations, and student disciplinary practices have suffered by the lack of an assistant.
He said two school adjustment counselors are handling disciplinary occurrences, but no Assistant Principal is on hand to administer “more cut and dry disciplinary action.” He said the school has received a lot of help from teachers and administrators who have taken on additional responsibilities to help with the workload.
“The biggest area is not giving as much academic guidance and leadership as I want to,” he said. “The ability for a half-time Assistant Principal would allow the building to function more smoothly and efficiently given the things I have to let go on a daily basis.”
Mr. Ryan said, though, he has aligned his expectations with the reality that there is no assistant. “You can’t look at it as a problem, otherwise you’ll drown,” he said.
The committee acknowledged the need for an assistant, and Ms. Rood said despite recent budget challenges “FY 13 is on the horizon.”
In other activities:
• The committee noted that the fourth grade is hard at work rehearsing its production of Alice in Wonderful, which will be performed in January.
• The committee appointed Tim Scholz and Sharon Hartley to serve on the food service committee.
• Ms. Isernio and Principal Ryan decided to draft a memo explaining to groups using the school after hours that leaving the door ajar is prohibited. Doors are programmed to unlock 15 minutes before a scheduled meeting/activity begins.
• The committee approved Principal Ryan’s student goals – which pertain to greater communication between home/school, behavior by students showing Cooperation, Appreciation, Responsibility and Excellence, academic excellence, and teacher training and regular use of new technologies.
• Mr. White said a policy on concussions in under development and should be approved by the state deadline of March 15.
By Laura Fedak Pedulli