Lots of reports related to the budget at the October 20th meeting...new Superintendent Jerome Belair interviewed by "About Town"...

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First, the draft budget schedule.
Next, this October's enrollments; estimates and projections;  and then,
Some budget assumptions...

Acting Superintendent Dr. John Reed.  His side of the combined Town-School budget for Fiscal 2009 approved by the Board of Education in a jiffy.

ATBM APRIL 21 APPROVED WITHOUT MOTION TO REDUCE ANYTHING...
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Board of Ed adopted its final budget January 22 (at regular Board Meeting at the Library)
5.48% increase: Weston school board approves budget
FORUM
by TERRY CASTELLANO
Jan 23, 2008

It took only one half hour into their monthly meeting for the Weston school board to approve the 2008-09  operating budget. The unanimously approved $43,975,601 budget is 5.48% higher than the current year’s budget.  Since board members had discussed the budget in detail during three previous workshops, comments were limited to the overall budget and the related process.

“I feel the administration did a very conscientious job,” Phil Schaefer, board vice-chairman, said, referring to the budget crafting process. “Since first becoming a board member, I have seen the administration respectful of keeping a tight budget.

This budget is no exception; perhaps, it is even tighter. They have addressed the decrease in enrollment with staffing reductions. I am very content where we are at this point.”

Board member Les Wolf, who made the motion to approve the budget, said, “The Board of Finance, when supporting the $550,000 reduction in the proposed 2007-08 operating budget, challenged us to think of new ways of managing the budget in light of decreasing enrollment.

“The administration has done just that with not only the proposed budget, but also with their three-year forecast. Throughout their presentation, there was a consistent theme of continued improvement coupled with efficient use of resources indicating their thinking and direction is on track.”

However, one member, Joe Fitzpatrick, who voiced his approval of the budget, told the administration, “If you have to touch class size, don’t consider it a hot stove; sometimes you have to make that call.”

Mr. Fitzpatrick then reiterated a statement he had made during one budget workshop: “I still say, it is the teacher in front of the room that, in the end, determines the quality of the learning process, not necessarily the number of students in the class.”

Board member Dick Bochinski, who noted the presence of most of the finance board members and two of the three selectmen at at least one of the three workshops, thanked them for “dedicating that additional time” to the budget review process.

“The schools are in very good hands,” Mr. Bochinski added. “This is reflected in the budget. The decrease in student population has been addressed with a reduction in staff. The administration has been responsive to the town’s concerns. As Dr. Reed [interim superintendent of schools] so aptly described it, this is an authentic budget.
I hope it will be embraced enthusiastically by the other boards.”

Both Mr. Bochinski and Mr. Wolf are former finance board members.  Ellen Uzenoff, board chairman, concluded individual board members’ comments, saying, “communication was the key” to this budget’s success. “This budget is very solid.”

The approved school budget will be reviewed by the Board of Selectman on Wednesday, Feb. 6, and is then sent for review and approval by the Weston Board of Finance on Wednesday, Feb. 27.
Strategic School Profile: Weston educators learn from data
FORUM
by PATRICIA GAY
Jan 14, 2008

Although the town of Weston is proud of its top-notch school system, school administrators can always learn a little bit more. One tool the state education department has developed to help schools examine themselves is the Strategic School Profile.

In November, the state education department released profiles of every school district and each school in Connecticut for 2006-07, including separate profiles for special education.  The profiles contain information on student needs, school resources, and school and student performance. They may be viewed in their entirety at www.csde.state.ct.us/public/der/ssp/index.htm.

In 1990, the state legislature passed a law requiring school districts to compile the profile information every year with the primary goal of improving schools through “informed decision making.”

Comparative data

The various sections of the school profiles provide not only data about a district or school itself but also comparative state data.

The profile for Weston compares the information to other schools in Weston’s District Reference Group (DRG). The DRGs are a classification of districts whose students’ families are similar in education, income, occupation, and need, and have roughly the same enrollment.

Weston is in DRG-A, along with Darien, Easton, New Canaan, Redding, Ridgefield, Westport, and Wilton.

John Reed, the interim superintendent of Weston schools, has reviewed the profile and said there will be a report on it to the Board of Education in March or April.

Since the schools provide much of the information that appears in the report, he said, there really aren’t that many surprises.

High school

In some areas, such as the high school’s graduation credit requirements, the profile shows that the town is ahead of the curve.

“Weston High School is already meeting the new proposed state graduation requirements. The state may require 20 credits, but Weston is already at 24. We require 20% more credits to graduate than the state currently requires,” he said.

The profile also shows that Weston has a high success rate on Advanced Placement exams. Weston students earned a score of three or more on 90.1% of the AP exams they took. A score of three or higher is generally required for earning college credit.

In contrast, the state average was just 71.9% with a score of three or higher.

In other good news, the Class of 2006 had a 100% graduation rate, compared to the state average of 92.2%.

“The AP exam rate and 100% graduation rate are achievements to be proud of. The school has done a lot of work with the adviser/advisee program and social interaction between students and teachers,” Dr. Reed said.

He said the one surprising piece of information from the profile was the high school’s physical fitness score for grade 10. According to the profile, 38.4% of Weston sophomores passed all four parts of the test, compared to the state average of 39.5% who passed.

“When you look at the total, only 38% are passing in Weston, and 39% in the whole state, so no one is doing that well. There is a lot of talk about physical fitness. But we can’t confront the issue alone. It’s a community and family situation as well,” Dr. Reed said.

Middle school

Dr. Reed said the profile shows Weston Middle School is showing improvement in a number of ways. “There is an emphasis on change,” he said.

One of those changes is discussed in the supplemental school information section in the profile. It explains how a team of teachers participated in a workshop called Breaking Ranks in the Middle,” geared toward the improvement of middle schools.

The profile also shows an improvement in test scores, which is the focus of the school’s principal, Lisa Wolek, who has been there a short period of time.

Another positive for the school is the area of world languages. “In Weston we have made a significant commitment to the study of world languages,” Dr. Reed said.

The profile reveals that grade eight students in Weston received 140 hours of world language instruction in a year, compared to the state average of 97 hours. “In turn, this poses other challenges, such as finding the time for those additional hours,” Dr. Reed said.

But he said there are significant rewards for students who get a firm foundation in world languages when they are younger. “We have a partnership with Yale University for students to take Mandarin in the evening. This is a stepping-stone to the Mandarin class being offered this year at the high school,” he said. Approximately 20 students are taking the preparatory Mandarin class, he added.

Class size

Looking at class size, the profile shows the average fifth grade class size in Weston is 22.8 students, compared to the state average of 21.5. In grade seven, Weston has an average of 18.9 students compared to the state average of 20.8.

“There is a great similarity between Weston’s average class size and the state’s. When people focus on budgets, sometimes there is a question about Weston’s class size. The data looks like Weston is similar to average class size in the state. We are comfortable with the direction the schools are moving in without extraordinarily small classes, which could be jeopardized in a budget,” Dr. Reed said.

Grades K-5

For Hurlbutt Elementary School and Weston Intermediate School, the profile shows that more than one-third of the teaching staff is new in the past three years.

“There are many reasons why there is such a turnaround,” Dr. Reed said. “About 82% of the teachers in the country are women, and the child-rearing phase of a person’s life contributes to turnover in public school systems. When some teachers have a family, they stay at home for a period of time. That is one variable. Some teachers marry and relocate. Others retire. In Weston, we hire the best teachers we can find.” he said.

To bring the new staff up to speed, Dr. Reed said, a great deal of training is provided. “Schools can start initiatives, but they wither away if there is no training. Our strategy is to create a safe school environment,” Dr. Reed said.

Hurlbutt has devoted a lot of time to its Responsive Classroom Model and early intervention programs, Dr. Reed said.

At the intermediate school, Dr. Reed said, Principal Mark Ribbens would like to raise the level of success on the mastery test results in mathematics for special education students. “That’s one area where we didn’t have the progress we wanted,” Dr. Reed said.
IT BEGAN HERE...THE MARCH TO ATBM ON APRIL 21, 2008.
You may stay home and watch the Board of Education on Town TV, beginning January 14 at 7pm at Weston Library!!!
We attended the first hour, received the large document which is the school budget, and with four members of the Board of Finance present, Dr. Reed gave a quick summary to the 7-member Board of Education - budget up more than 5% (including big amount for GASB);  planning for 96 fewer students over the next two years;  potential layoffs;  pointed out that Special Ed costs equal the cost of running the high school.
BOARD OF EDUCATION BUDGET CALENDAR 2008-2009

1/14/08
Monday
7 - 9 PM 

 Budget Workshop #1
Town Library (televised)
Budget Overview
1/16/08
Wednesday
7 - 9 PM		 Budget Workshop #2
Town Hall Meeting Room
(televised)
Schools; Athletics; Technology
1/18/08
Friday
8 - 11 AM		 Budget Workshop #3
Town Library (televised)
Special Education; Program Development; Plant & Operations; Transportation; Other
1/22/08
Tuesday
 Board of Education Meeting - Town Library (televised)
6:30 PM Regular Meeting
7:30 PM Budget Presentation
1/23/08
Wednesday 		 Board of Education Approval and Adoption of the Budget
(Special BOE meeting - if needed)
1/31/08
Thursday		 Board of Education submits budget to the Board of Selectman
(Charter requires by February 3rd)
2/6/08
Wednesday
7:30 PM		 Board of Selectmen review Board of Education Budget request 
2/7/08
Thursday
7:30 PM		 Board of Selectmen reviews First Selectman's budget request (if necessary), Board of Selectmen vote on and transmit First Selectman's and Board of Education budgets to Board of Finance. (Charter requires by February 25th).  Board also nominates moderator for Annual Town Budget meeting. 
2/27/08
Wednesday
8:00 PM		 Board of Finance reviews Board of Education budget request.
2/28/08
Wednesday
8:00 PM		 Board of Finance reviews Board of Education budget request (if necessary).
4/1/08
Tuesday
8:00 PM		 Board of Finance holds public hearing on budget request.  Weston Middle School cafeteria (Charter requires at least two weeks prior to annual budget meeting).
4/2/08
Wednesday		 Additional public hearing on budget request.  Weston Middle School cafeteria  (if necessary).  Time TBA
4/21/08
Monday
8:00 PM		 Annual Town Budget meeting.  (Charter requires by April 22).  High School Auditorium.