Schools brace for budget cuts with public meetings

Windsor school officials are bracing for a series of painful
budget cuts that could mean layoffs of classroom aides, counselors,
elimination of bus routes and cuts to classroom supplies.
Those are just a few of the reductions being considered to cope
with the state’s budget crisis, which could force the Windsor
Unified School District to cut as much as $1.2 million out of its
$30 million annual budget.
In an effort to put the proposals out in the open and involve
the community in the process, several public meetings are planned
in advance of any school board action on the budget cuts.
Superintendent Robert Carter, who is in his first year on the
job in Windsor, said the intent of the meetings is to keep the
community informed. “We want people not to be surprised by this, to
know this is coming down,” he said. “We are well aware that there
are going to be people upset. We want people to at least know what
is going on and be able to give their input.”
Meetings are scheduled for the PTA on Wednesday, Feb. 12 at 7
p.m. at Mattie Washburn School and at Cali Calm/cac on Thursday,
Feb. 13 at 9 a.m. A budget presentation for the entire community is
planned for Thursday, Feb. 20 at 7 p.m. at Mattie Washburn.
The WUSD School Board will hear recommendations from the
district administration and the Board Budget Advisory Committee
(BBAC) on Tuesday, Feb. 18 at the board’s regular 7 p.m. in the
Town Council chambers.
A special board meeting is planned for Tuesday, Feb. 25 for the
board to discuss and possibly take action on budgets, and another
meting is set for March 4. Board meetings are also televised on
Windsor Channel 27.
The BBAC was scheduled to finalize its budget recommendations
this week (Tuesday, Feb. 11 after the Times went to press). The
Administrative Council, made up of Carter and the other district
administrators, has already approved a proposed series of cuts.
Carter believes the two sets of recommendations will be
similar.
The largest reduction proposed by the administration would be
elimination of seven bus routes, saving $128,000 per year.
Reduction in teacher supplies would save $105,0000.
Administrative furloughs, non-paid time off, are proposed for
district office employees. A week of furlough is proposed, with a
savings of $57,000.
A one-day furlough for teachers, which would be on a teacher
training day, could save nearly $200,000. But Carter said that item
must be cleared with the teachers union before it is
considered.
Also proposed is elimination of the swimming program, which
would save $13,405 and affect the 35 students who participated in
the athletic activity.
Layoffs and reductions are being considered for teachers’ aides,
custodians, yard duty workers, counselors, librarians and office
staff at all schools and the district office. The cuts are intended
to be across the board, said Carter. “That is what we need to do,”
he said. “I know what the board wants to do is get in a situation
where we are fiscally sound, but not decimate programs.”
Carter added that the budget crunch is being caused entirely by
the state’s fiscal crisis. Windsor’s enrollment, currently at about
4,500 students, continues to increase.
“This is a complex, difficult situation. This is not a simple
problem and it is not a local problem. This is a state funding
problem,” he said. “For that reason it is not as easy to fix. There
are people that will say, ‘how can you cut kindergarten aides?’ We
don’t want to cut anything. But decisions have to be made to remain
solvent. This board is well aware that people are going to be
unhappy.”
Anyone unable to attend any of the meetings, can email comments
to rcarter.wusd.org or leave a voicemail message at 837-7701.