The Rochester School Committee met on Thursday, March 1 evening amid a standing room only crowd. The main order of business was to review the current draft of the FY13 school budget, which, despite its numerous cuts across the board, is $82,676 short of projected required cuts.
The school system was originally instructed to develop budgets level with the funding of the previous year, but increases in a number of areas have made it difficult. During his presentation, Superintendent Doug White explained that increases in the cost of utilities, special education services provided throughout the district, and various contract obligations have been considered the main budget drivers.
Mr. White highlighted some of the strategies the school system is implementing in order to save money. A science lab teaching position is being eliminated and there will be a reduction of support personnel. These moves would save the school system about $50,000 and $131,000 respectively. Cuts to technology services would save about $23,000 over the course of the year.
Those in attendance largely felt that the staffing changes in the schools would be the greatest direct detriment to the students. Many specifically praised the special education programs offered by the schools, but these programs are also subject to cuts under the proposed budget draft.
Resident Steve Dremmer warned the committee that cuts to the staffing would have dire consequences on other aspects of the town.
“We’re on the verge of walking down a very slippery slope. A lot of these people here moved to this town because the school district is so good. The school districts start getting cut, these great teachers we have here start disappearing. People don’t move to this area. So your tax base begins to decrease. Without these teachers doing everything they do on a daily basis, the whole system, Rochester, Marion, and Mattapoisett, gets set down that slope,” Mr. Dremmer said.
The Rochester School Committee is planning on holding another public hearing on the budget in April.
In other business, the committee discussed ways to improve the RMS summer reading program, and introduced the necessity to figure out how to implement new anti-bullying programs. It was announced that Rochester schools were recently ranked No. 7 in the Keep America Beautiful effort to promote recycling habits and environmental awareness among children.
Also, Rochester has been approved for a waiver for the No Child Left Behind initiative based on improved student performance. They also voted in favor of allowing the County Fair to use the parking lot of Rochester Memorial School for the festival scheduled for August 16 to 19. In the past, the fair has been held on Plumb Corner and more recently Dexter Park, but this year it will be on Pine Street, near RMS.
By Eric Tripoli
