Finance Committee Discusses School Budget

Schools Superintendent John Crowe said he did not know what to think when he saw what the Woodbridge School District received in state aid for the 2011-2012 school budget.

“My first thought was to be happy,” he told the crowd who attended the public finance committee meeting on Feb. 24. “Then I realized that [adequately funded] districts like Old Bridge received a $1.3 million to $1.4 million increase this year. We get a $1.7 million increase, it doesn’t make sense.”

The district received $19,414,560 in state aid for the 2011-2012 budget year, a $1,757,518 increase from last year.

Crowe said the way the state has treated the district is “unacceptable.”

“Make no mistake, even with the increase in state aid this year, we lost a considerable amount of aid last year,” he said.

However, Crowe said he believed the increase in funding was a step in the right direction as they move forward.

“I hope this is just the beginning,” he said.

With the increase in state aid, Crowe said the administration’s recommendations include maintaining and upgrading curriculum initiatives.

Algebra 1 in the 8th grade will keep in line with what other districts are doing across the state, which has a value of $219,574; a 7th and 8th grade math revision in the amount of $108,100; calculators for grades 7 and 8 valued at $80,132; chemistry upgrade valued at $154,157; and G&T Arts totaling $154,305.

Among the items in curriculum, Crowe said they will maintain the current eight literacy coaches and upgrade the third grade language arts curriculum in-house.

Other items or personnel that will remain in the budget include a substance abuse counselor in the amount of $100,003; contracted substitute teachers in the amount of $1.3 million; nurses and extracurricular sports in the high school.

Crowe said he can say that all certified staff in the district will remain intact and he said the administration will work on minimal amount of cuts to noncertified personnel.  

Despite the increase in state aid, the administration also recommended cuts and privatization of services that would save the district $1,837,253.

Schools Business Administrator Dennis DeMarino said they are still dealing with a $5 million cut to the budget from last year.

The cuts include one attendance officer, which will save the district $66,093; two carpenters, with a savings of $171,338; 13 bus drivers, with a savings of $451,185; a driver trainer position with a savings of $11,283’ computer supplies with a savings of $54,563; legal services with a savings of $100,000; PERS Pension costs in the amount of $605,033, utilities in the amount of $409,645; and hospitalization in the amount of $585,475.

Crowe said after they finish the budget, the administration will continue the fight for its fair share of state aid as well as develop a five year plan as they move forward in the district.

Items that will be looked at for the five year plan include moving towards online textbooks.

“Some textbooks are so old and are not made to be used as textbooks anymore,” said Crowe.

The Board of Education will hold a public meeting to discuss the budget at 7 p.m., Feb. 28 at Avenel Middle School. They will vote on a proposed tentative budget for adoption on March 3. A public hearing will be heard on March 24 on the budget and on March 29 a public hearing and final adoption of the budget will be held.