The North Syracuse Central School District Board of Education met for its regular meeting at 7 p.m. Monday Jan. 25 at Cicero Elementary School. NSCSD Superintendent of Schools Dr. Jerome Melvin talked about the preliminary budget that he reveals around this time each year.
Melvin lays out the reductions and tax rate with no revision so that taxpayers can see where the school year’s budget begins. He described the current budget situation as “critical” because the state funding has been decreased by $7,124,145 or 11 percent.
“This reduction represents a 9.8 percent tax increase,” Melvin said. With other reductions in revenues, there is a 0.2 percent tax increase. As of now, Melvin said the budget increase is $6 million, a 4.3 percent increase, which represents a 8.2 percent tax rate increase.
Altogether, the loss of revenue and the increase in expenditures represents an 18.2 percent tax increase, according to Melvin.
{Q}”This [budget] is simply unacceptable,” Melvin said.{Q}
There will be extensive work done on the budget to bring the tax rate and budget to a more realistic level, Melvin said.
Health Oversight Committee
The NSCSD revealed a savings of $2,601,748 over a three-year period from investing in a self-funded health insurance program for district employees. The Health Oversight Committee gave a report with recommendations regarding plan administration to the board of education and the North Syracuse Education Association.
At the present time, the plan ahs a fund balance of $1,284,798. Consortium members received both prescription rebates and lower rates as a result of the district starting the self-funded health insurance program.
The committee presented a breakdown of the health plan expenditures that shows a 35.1 percent total of funds that are delegated to prescription drug costs and major medical costs at 29.6 percent.
“I am convinced that the plan provisions under review also have the potential for future cost savings,” said Wayne Bleu, NSCSD Assistant Superintendent for Management.
The committee meets monthly during the school year and will give an annual report to the board of education.
Improving teacher effectiveness
The district has been invited to participate in the New York State United Teachers’ Innovation Fund grant program, along with six other state school districts and four Rhode Island school districts.
The project’s goal is to create new teaching standards, develop a meaningful teacher evaluation system and create a peer assistance program. The North Syracuse planning team will consist of seven representatives to be named by the NSEA.
The next NYSUT meeting will beheld Feb. 4 through 6 in Albany.
The board of education approved that a commitment letter authorize the school district to participate in PAR PLUS: Improving Teacher Effectiveness through Standards and a Comprehensive Teacher Evaluation System.
Spotlight on Cicero Elementary
The board of education viewed a presentation about Cicero Elementary School’s blended program. The school has two regular education classes per grade level, with three in kindergarten. There is an additional classroom exclusive of kindergarten is assigned to each grade level for special education students when they are not scheduled for inclusion in the regular education rooms.
The presentation highlighted the different ways the services were delivered to students according to “individual student needs,” the roles of the teachers and teaching assistants and student achievements.
GRM renovations
Because of necessary emergency HVAC repair work at Gillette Road Middle School, the district established as emergency contract to Airtech Heating and Air Conditioning Systems, Inc., in the amount of $59,125, according to the terms indicated in correspondence between Daniel Canino and King & King Architects.
King & King has recommended that the district purchase two heating units which will be places int eh basement to heat the classrooms. The motors and fans on the two rooftop units will be removed with only the energy recovery wheels remaining in the rooftop units.
