School Board to Reduce Budget by $430K

The Town Council has sent back the Board of Education’s budget for 2012-2013 with $431,356 less than requested and tonight the board will meet to discuss where to find the savings.

The , set March 17, allocates $55,462,700 for the Board of Education’s operating budget — $1,484,404 more than the current year and a 2.75 percent increase.

But the more, despite flat salary increases in teachers contracts, to begin rebuilding the district after four years of cuts to Board of Education requests led to program reductions and the elimination of 24 teaching positions.

Included in the board’s proposal for the rebuilding year is the reintroduction to Latin at Irving A Robbins Middle School and the equivalent of nine new fulltime teaching positions.

Superintendent of Schools Kathleen Greider will likely give the board some options for where reductions to the board’s proposed budget could be made, then members will decide where to make the cuts.

The public is welcome to attend the meeting, which will be held at 7 p.m. in the library.