Schools

East Windsor School Officials Approve Final 2011-12 Budget

The board of education approved $320,001 in reductions from original proposed budget to meet the amount approved by voters on May 10.

The East Windsor Board of Education Thursday approved adjustments to its 2011-12 budget.

Those adjustments amount to $320,001 in cuts from the board’s original proposed budget.

The board of education had proposed a $19,726,451 budget or 4.77 percent increase. But the board of finance presented a budget which gave the schools $19,406,451, or a 3.01 percent increase and voters approved that as part of the overall $33,141,666 spending plan on May 10.

Business Manager Linda Giuliano said she and the administrative team went through the budget to see what could be cut.

Among those reductions is cutting a teacher assistant position in the in-school suspension program and replacing it with a para professional which saves $24,979. Adjustments to the school system’s health insurance benefits saves $164,301.

Giuliano said working with the district’s insurer, officials were able to reduce health insurance costs from double-digit increase to a single-digit increase.

School officials also reduced building repairs by $69,350, transportation and tuition costs by $74,863, and instructional supplies by $55,858.

Irene Parisi, director of curriculum and instruction, an $11,800 reduction in textbooks is possible because the district will be using more ebooks, which are less expensive.

Giuliano said she is trying to use some money from the current budget to pay for things that were proposed in the 2011-12 budget but were cut from it.

Steven Toth, who’s position in the in-school suspension program is being eliminated next year, introduced himself to the board during the public comment of  Thursday’s meeting.

“I understand I’m on the chopping block,” Toth said. “I just want to let you know I’m a real person not just a line item.”


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