News

SAD 15 High School proposed budget information
Written by and provided by SAD15 Administration

Budget proposal goals

The projected enrollment at the high school is estimated at 771 students. Our budget goal for the 05-06 school year will be to continue our plan of increasing teaching and learning opportunities while supporting instructional resources for teachers.

This is the largest student enrollment in the history of the high school.

Projected Student demographics for 05-06:

20 students per content class
Grade 9: 198 students
Grade 10: 203
Grade 11: 178
Grade 12: 192
Total : 771 students

Staff
47 classroom teachers
4 ed techs
6 special education teachers
8 special education ed techs
1 social worker
1 librarian
4 secretarial staff
3 guidance staff
1 SRO (police officer)
1 nurse
7 custodial staff
5 kitchen staff
Guidance

The increase in the Guidance budget is 5.05% which reflects the increased cost of consultations, and tutoring. Guidance supplies increase reflects related costs of program implementation.

Library
The Library and Media Center needs to update fiction and non-fiction book collections. The increase is due to fixed costs and the increase in the book and periodical line. The library books and periodicals budget in 02/03 was $20,650. The proposed budget is $9,500.

Principal's Office
The Principal's account has decreased 8.86%. The budget process change has caused some lines to be removed from this budget and others added to this line. Staff travel and dues/fees were decreased and copier rental and service added.

Instruction
Instruction is separated into repairs and maintenance, equipment lease, student travel (field trips), printing and binding, tuition to other schools, staff travel, general supplies, books and periodicals, technology supplies, audio visual supplies, equipment.

The focus of our budget proposal is to be fiscally responsible while meeting the instructional needs of departments. The increase of 4.01% represents our need to update textbooks, replace and purchase equipment. Fixed costs and budget realignment account for some of this increase.

The physics textbooks are 15 years old, and other books we want to replace range from 8 to 10 years old. The average price of a textbook is $75.
In 02/03 the textbook budget was $37,000 and this budget proposes $30,660.

Summary
How does this budget move us forward? The high school budget proposal supports teaching and learning opportunities for all students. The goals of this budget proposal are to replace outdated textbooks, replace equipment, increase reference and periodicals materials, and purchase supplemental teaching materials. These resources will provide support for our teachers as they strive to help all students to meet the graduation standards.

Programs not included in the 05-06 budget proposal,
But are being considered:
--Literacy teacher: The high school does not qualify for Title 1 services. Therefore, students matriculating into the high school who received these services at the middle school cannot be appropriately supported at the high school. If this position is approved, the Literacy Teacher's primary teaching responsibility would be to meet the needs of those students. Additional elective courses could be offered in reading and/or writing.

--Assistant principal: An additional assistant principal was a priority of the district administrators and the DIC (District Improvement Committee). If approved, I would work with the administrative team to develop appropriate alignment of responsibilities. The additional administrator would increase our capacity to lead school reform outlined by the NCLB (No Child Left Behind Act), meet the recommendations outlined in the NEASC report, and complete other supervisory responsibilities.

--Increase in secretary time: Currently, the assistant principal utilizes the secretarial services of the office receptionist. Adding a second assistant principal would require additional secretarial support. I am recommending that we increase one of the employees from their current 240-day contract to a 260-day contract to support this administrative position.