School Board Notes 12.05.05

School Board Notes 12.05.05
By Nicole Achs Freeling
GreatSchools.net Correspondent

• Possible school closures assessed
• Committee presents new sunshine policy
• Community to aid in superintendent selection
• State of District's budget reviewed

Possible school closures assessed

The district's Buildings and Grounds Committee recommended removing six schools from the district's possible closure list and investigating whether two schools not on the list -- School of the Arts and George Peabody Elementary -- should be moved or consolidated into other facilities.

Commissioners Mark Sanchez and Eric Mar identified six schools they said they did not believe should be considered for closure: Aim High, June Jordan, Newcomer, Chinese Education Center, New Traditions and John Swett. The commissioners said McKinley should probably be excluded as well. Its large population of special education students affects the school's enrollment to capacity ratio, as special ed classes are limited to 14 students.

The commissioners suggested Gloria R. Davis and Willie L. Brown, Jr. be merged into one school as they are both Dream Schools and "share the same mission," said Sanchez. The district might also save money by moving School of the Arts (SOTA) and Peabody to different locations. "SOTA is the most valuable, large piece of property we own," Sanchez said. "We would be remiss not to look at it."

The commissioners recommended Aim High and June Jordan be removed from consideration because these schools deliberately cap enrollment in an effort to give more personalized instruction. The schools receive many more requests for enrollment than they are able to accept. Enrollment trends at Newcomer and Chinese Education Center suggest these schools will reach or exceed the 75 percent capacity requirement by the end of the year. New Traditions and John Swett Elementary Schools would be above 75 percent capacity if the bungalows, portable facilities put on the property at one time for extra space, were not counted as part of the facility. The district is trying to phase out use of bungalows.

The full board will hold a discussion on school closures at a Committee of the Whole meeting Tuesday, December 6, at 7 p.m.

Committee presents new sunshine policy

The Budget and Business Services Committee presented recommendations for an open government policy designed to give the public better notice and access to district meetings. The recommendations were estimated to cost the district $41,200, a fact which prompted Commissioner Jill Wynns to vote against it. Commissioners Sara Lipson and Norman Yee voted to forward the resolution to the full board, saying the measures were worth the cost.

The policy would allow members of the public to speak at meetings by submitting speaker cards at the meeting, rather than having to call in advance. It would require the superintendent and board president to maintain calendars, available to the public, with the time, place and subject matter of meetings specific to district business. It would also require the board give 72 hours notice for Special Meetings (Emergency Meetings could be called in 24 hours) and, while not legally binding, would make it Board policy to give more than 24 hours notice for closed session meetings.

The proposal will now go to the BOE for review.

Community to aid in superintendent selection

The Committee adopted a resolution to create a community advisory council to help in selecting a new superintendent. The resolution outlines 11 organizations to be represented on the council, all of which have some official role in the district. These organizations include the Parent Advisory Council, PTA, several teachers associations and union representatives. The CAC would help develop the criteria for selecting the new superintendent. It also could be included in interviews and in the final selection process. Dennis Kelly, president of the teacher's union, questioned whether the committee would have a substantive role. "From the way this reads, it looks like window dressing," he said. Wynns responded: "We're committed to having the public involved. But we don't want to constrain the Board to a process that may or may not be workable."

State of district's budget reviewed

The district's unrestricted fund balance this year is greater than it has been in four years -- but the district is still well below being able to fund the reserves it is supposed to be keeping, according to its unaudited actuals for 05/06. The district's general fund will have a balance of $5.7 million at the end of this year, up from $3.4 million it had at the start of this school year. Projections for next year show a $10.2 million unrestricted fund balance.

However, the district is required to keep certain funds in reserves, an obligation which would put the district at a $9.5 million deficit this year, and a projected $9.3 million deficit next year. These reserves include a 2 percent set-aside for economic uncertainties and a $10.3 million reserve for School of the Arts, for completion of a facility at 135 Fell Street.

SOTA was awarded this money from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) after the 1989 earthquake, but the funds have gone to cover district budget shortfalls over the years rather than remaining in reserve. In order to reimburse SOTA and stay in the black, staff suggested funding the SOTA reserve with Developer Fees rather than Unrestricted General Funds. "A quick pass of the numbers suggests Developer Fees currently has a pretty substantial balance of uncommitted funds," Chief of Policy and Planning Myong Leigh said. That fund -- which can only be used for facilities construction and improvements -- is at about $8.2 million and collects about $4 million a year, Leigh said.