STEVEN COLAROSSI BUDGET QUESTIONS

1. The budget doesn’t seem to reflect the changes that Mary B. had suggested we make
to early childhood. I think we should.

ANSWER: No new initiatives had been included in the 2010-11 Budget document. The
following information was provided by Mary Budrawich, Instructional Specialists Early
Childhood Education:

Just to clarify information shared with the Finance committee when I met with them in
early December:

The recommendations I made could not be reflected in the BOE operating budget
because my recommendations specifically did NOT ask for any increase from either the
BOE or the City budgets. I was proposing a restructuring of the management for the
Norwalk Early Childhood Council in order to assure proper oversight and management of
the Brookside Preschool Program, the Brighter Futures program, and other initiatives of
the Council. The only part of the proposal that should appear in the BOE operating
budget would be my salary and small budget, which I have been assured, will continue.
The posting for my replacement is expected to happen next week, and I am optimistic
that a replacement will be found before I leave in June.

I want to emphasize, as I did that night, that this is only a PROPOSAL…these ideas have
yet to be presented to the full Early Childhood Council (which will happen at the regular
meeting on January 13). The Council may or may not endorse this proposal. In any case,
continuation of the Instructional Specialist position is expected.

There are four positions in the proposal. The two “restructured” positions that I
suggested were to be funded by already existing commitments and grant or private
foundation support (as yet to be committed). Again, no additional funds from the BOE
were requested. The Instructional Specialist position should be in the operating budget,
but represents no increase or change. The School Readiness assistant position is funded
by School Readiness grant funds and partially from the Instructional Specialist’s small
operating budget, but again, represents no increase or change.

2. Norwalk High School has 10 more teachers than BMHS. I recognize that NHS has
tech/voc teachers, but that still doesn’t explain the complete difference. I would like us
to review if we can’t have a hiring freeze for new teachers in Art, Science and Social
Studies at NHS until those numbers match BMHS.
ANSWER: Some of the differences relate to the CGS (Center for Global Studies)
Program at BMHS. For example: a .5 guidance counselor is committed to the CGS
Program, the 2.6 World Language staff difference is due to the CGS program having the
additional languages in Japanese, Chinese, and Arabic. CGS has a Social Studies
component and that would explain the additional Soc. Stud. teacher at NHS, Language
Arts is also taught in the CGS program thus a reduction of the Language Arts staff at
BMHS. 3.0 Tech teachers at NHS and NO Industrial Arts Program at BMHS. NHS also
houses the Developmental Handicap Program for the Special Needs population adding
the additional 2.0 Spec Ed teachers. NHS added a new Science program hence the
additional science staff at NHS.

3. We need to break out secretarial overtime from the various school budgets—quite
frankly, I don’t think we should allow any overtime. As for custodial staff, unless it is in
their contracts, we should be able to schedule custodians for evening events at the schools
(with PTO’s paying for custodial staff for their events).

ANSWER: The custodial overtime is reimbursed from any non-school sponsored

function and funds are put in the custodial overtime account to offset the charges. Other
custodial OT may be based on Sonitrol calls during the night, evening sporting events,
custodial coverage for staff being out ill, vacation, injured, etc.

Secretarial overtime is part of the schools per pupil allocation and that is determined
by the needs of the school and the school administration. i.e. Graduation, Open House,
etc.

4. BMHS has dues and fees of $15,825. Why?

ANSWER: $8,000 is for Athletics FCIA (Fairfield County Interscholastic Athletic

Conference, Inc.) membership dues that all schools in Fairfield County participate in and
additional fees throughout the year are for CIAC (CT Interscholastic Athletic
Conference). Details listed below:

Dues for Fairfield County Interscholastic Athletic Conference, Inc. $2,250

Indoor Track (Boys) 700

Indoor Track (Girls) 700

Officials Fees Indoor Track (2 X $300) 600

Wrestling Fee 250

Girls Track Entry Fee 150

Boys Track Entry Fee 150

Boys Cross Country Entry Fee 55

Girls Cross Country Entry Fee 55

Boys Tennis Entry Fee 50

Girls Tennis Entry Fee 50

Boys Golf Entry Fee 75

Girls Golf Entry Fee 75

TOTAL: $5,160

The $2,840 is for fees paid to CIAC when teams or individual athletes qualify for state
competition.

The school has enrollment fees for the CT Association of Schools membership and the
New England Association of Schools and Colleges, National Association of Secondary
School Principals, etc. Most mandated for school accreditation. $7,825 -- Details listed
below:

New England Association of Schools and Colleges $2,600

Enrollment fee for CT Association of Schools 4,250

National Association of Secondary School Principals 325

Association for Supervision and Curriculum Dev. 100

Assorted Department Membership Dues (Music, etc.) 550

TOTAL: $7,825
Please Note: Membership fees increase yearly at the discretion of the organization.

5. Norwalk High School has a large jump in the budget for aides—from $502,519 to
$527,619. What explains approximately 5% increase?

ANSWER: With the elimination of the .733 clerk at each school and with the moving of
staffing plus the contractual obligation various schools will fluxgates in the aides account
due to seniority. (This includes object codes: 121, 122, and 123)

6. BMHS budgets $60,000 for athletic transportation, but NHS budgets $84,000. It
seems to me that we need to look for some cost-savings for NHS. What explains this
difference?

ANSWER: NHS budgets the transportation for the Co-op teams, for example Ice
Hockey, and Swimming. An NHS has more sub-varsity teams than Brien McMahon.

7. In general, the schools each have budgets for PD presentations. However, I think
that perhaps we need to centrally control hiring for PD meetings—that way, we could use
one presenter to travel to 2-3 schools. I would like some input from the school principals
on that issue.

ANSWER: Professional Development days are coordinated by Central Office. The

topics for discussion are generated from our District Improvement Plan and the individual
School Growth Plans. Usually they are site based. When teachers present on PD days
contractually they receive a stipend. In the past when possible some schools have
collaborated to have a presenter and both schools joined their finances together to have
the speaker. Submitted by T. Daddona

8. The budget for aides at Marvin is dropping by approximately $60,000 and the budget
for aides at Rowayton is declining by approximately $79,000. What explains this
decrease? I want to be certain that we are not cutting aides (are there changes in needs or
different sources of funding?).
ANSWER: With the current Board of Education Budget (2010-2011) there are no
reductions of Aides positions. At Marvin 2 Aides positions were moved to Title I ARRA
Funds and at Rowayton 1 position was moved to a Grant position. Again, although the
dollar amount decreased the number of Aides for 2010-2011 remains the same as 2009-
2010.

Note: We will revisit all salary accounts in order to do a double check of the salary
numbers.

9. The IT has $25,000 for overtime. I think we need to eliminate that number entirely.

ANSWER: Many times the IT Department needs to complete various tasks after the
normal work day in order to not interfere with the classroom instruction, and the work
place productivity. They also attend evening meetings to set up equipment for
presentations.

10. Our legal services budgets are still high under the Superintendent’s budget (which I
assume is for Sullivan and Schoen) and under Pupil Services. I think we need to
seriously consider cutting those amounts.

ANSWER: The Bd of Ed will be issuing a RFP for legal services after the New Year.
Legal services that are required by the Bd of Ed need special expertise in Educational
Law and most importantly in the Special Education Area.

11. Given how much use our portables are getting, are we near a tipping point where it is
cheaper to buy them? Is there any secondary market to sell them when we are done with
them?

ANSWER: This has already begun. Last years lease is on a lease purchase basis.