For many of us private sector types, creating a budget is an important planning, prioritization and financial reporting exercise. For anyone who manages their own family finances, budgeting also means thinking about today and planning for tomorrow. Usually its up to the managers, leaders or adults to drive the planning process and to think about tomorrow.
In the world of school governance, I’d suggest that it’s the School Committees job (as overseers) to drive the planning process and to ask and answer the question: “and what about tomorrow?”
The school budget the Administration presented last night is decent. It's balanced (for now) and it appears to prioritize and deliver student services in a manner that is sensible, easily understood and in keeping with current academic priorities and areas of focus. The budget is a solid “B” maybe “B+” effort from the Superintendent, Business Manager and school administrators.
What was missing from the discussion last night and what’s been missing from every budget discussion of the School Committee is a discussion of the future; or, asking and answering the question: “and what about tomorrow?”
Examples of this failure to plan include the following:
The current proposed budget does not contain any money for teacher pay increases. At current contractual rates the budget is at least $500,000 short maybe more.
The current proposed budget does not contain any money for legal settlements. Today, the schools owe the former Assistant Superintendent $80,000 (not budgeted). Perhaps next year’s budget should set aside at least $150,000 for legal settlements.
The current proposed budget contains at least $750,000 of grant moneys that expire next year. When that money is gone then what?
The current proposed budget cut the fuel and utilities line items by at least $250,000. When old man winter and Middle East unrest drives up the cost of oil then what?
The above list (and it’s a short one) totals more than $1.5 million in what if’s.
Planning and discussing the "what if’s" is suppose to be the job of your School Committee. They’re supposed to be thinking about the future and asking and answering the question: “and what about tomorrow?”
This Committee's failure to plan and envision the future should be alarming to parents, teachers and taxpayers. The costs of this Committee's unwillingness and inability to discuss and plan for what’s next will be paid by many future generations of Sandwich students and the costs will be staggering.
6 comments:
Just to prove you CAN get blood from a stone -- Mr. Guerin was spotted donating blood at the Corpus Christi blood drive today.
Thank you, Bob!
Did the nurse get red blood or cold ice water?
Bet this town is wishin for the Bobs couple back now! Bob Guerin and Bob Simmons always advocated for the children first, Bob G was a strong leader, he accomplished many things in short amount of time.
The Bob Team was moving too fast the town couldn't handle the pace and actually accomplishing real goals.
Sandwich screams for change but most people just can't handle change.
Keep re electing Sherry Marshall to keep the time warp school system.
I suspect it was ice water .... with just a hint of a fine single malt scotch !
Discussing the future should be a topic for ever meeting considering the projections the town has for it's financaial future as well as the reasons Bob G. mentions. With a highly dysfunctional SC, a not so good prospect of a a new super. (who will not have a clue or be part of the problem by representing the old system of cottage industry), no trust from the public for the SC or from other committees in town, what do you think local appropration is going to look like down the road? Increases in out of school assessement (a reflection of unsatisfied parents) coming out of the municipal operation budget where revenues are decreasing, will mean looking at not being able to give the schools what they need. The decisions being made today, the battles being waged (that represent illogical thinking, outside influences on the SC) continue to point to real problems in school funding. We need leadership. We need it now, but I think that ship has sailed. So we need it after the May elections more then ever.
Mike Merolla, yikes. I've also heard Frank Pannorfi is thinking about running for school committee or the BOS again. I think new leadership is the key word and as Bob Simmons always says, people with backgrounds and skills that support executive organization and decisions. We need people with "snap" at the table. We need solid professional communicators and yes that means civility and executive level conversations at the table. We need people who fully understand their role, the responsibility they undertake and their oath of office. Ideology, personal agendas, answering to outside groups and speaking on their behalf, etc are not things that will help our town if that is the only tool someone brings. We need problems solvers, collaberators, critical thinkers, researchers, and networkers. We need people who get the current big picture about how their decisions effect the stability and reputaion of our schools/town and it's sustainable furture.
To the person who complained that it was unfair that I was unwilling to publish unsubstantiated half-truths from somebody who was unwilling to sign their name -- get a grip!
First, I'm not discussing any kid's IEP. Second, it's not illegal to hire a qualified person ... just because you have worked with them in the past.
Is that the best you can do?
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