My Name is Paul H Cosentino. I started this Blog in 2011 because of what I believe to be wrongdoings in town government. This Blog is to keep the citizens of Templeton informed. It is also for the citizens of Templeton to post their comments and concerns.
Friday, April 26, 2013
School Budget
Here is the FY 2013 Budget and here is the FY 2014 Budget Request. Hopefully this will help people to make an informed decision. So let's have some comments
I can see why the Super may not wanted to have shared these documents with the general public. The administration salaries are through the roof. I hope all look carefully at these two documents. Not knowing what is mandated or not, not knowing who holds what position or if it is contracted or not, I am amazed at the salaries that are within these documents. Just look at the top page of the FY13 actual budget and take note. No wonder they are trying so hard to keep what they have (feels a lot like the L&W dept). And then they can only find $16,500 for text books when they spend almost that on sport officials? The schools sure seem too top heavy to this average Joe just scraping by, like most in town. Good luck with the override.
Ms.Miller got a ear full during candidates night. It must have been very different than sitting around a table, with everyone that agrees with her. It is good that she knows how people feel. I think it is in poor taste, that they found it acceptable to ask for so much money, when the rest of the town is doing with so little. It is that disconnect, I spoke about. As for asking candidates how they feel about the question, it is up to every individual person, if they can afford it or not. Really, myob. Sell the light company, and we could afford the new school and a lot of the things this town needs. There is a lot that will come out in the wash, in the not to far future. Hang on, it is going to be quite a ride. Bev.
I just looked at the FY13 budget ***ARE YOU FREAKIN' KIDDING ME ? *** I have never seen such salaries for administrators. Take a look at the guidance councilor's salaries-- the technology directors and assistant salaries and the principal's salaries. I said in public forums before that I didn't think the teachers were overpaid considering their requirements and responsibilities and I stand by that. But I CAN'T BELIEVE what administrators get paid. They are paid even higher than industry managers. I do not begrudge people making a living salary but c'mon, these people are out of control. I just tried to call Rae-Ann Trifilo (school committee member, the only one I know) to ask if perhaps I'm not understanding the numbers correctly, but all I get is an error beep on the phone number listed ?? I WILL NOT VOTE FOR OVERRIDE after seeing the budget!!
In all fairness, I contacted Ms. Miller directly about the salaries. She did explain that the guidance councilor salaries listed on the budget are lumped together. i.e. (from Miller's email) "The middle school guidance line represents 1.5 councilors as does the elementary school line. The high school line has 3 councilors. That is why these lines are so high". I felt that deserved to be clarified in order to be fair. Y'all can make your own decisions about this.
Sharon Manty replies (might come up as my son - but he didn't post): Got to thank Pauly for posting the line item budgets! I have been preaching the blown out of proportion salaries for a long, long time. The kids are suffering they say -- yeah right!!!
Sharon Manty again - not Tim - guess his name comes up because he logged in? I remember attending a school committee meeting several years ago where a teacher wanted 5000 dollars for new Math books - she was denied. Next agenda item was to give the Assistant Superintendant a 10,000 dollar stipend for taking over some of the duties of the retiring middle school principal - THAT WAS PASSED!!!! At that point, I knew what was going on --- administrators for themselves - not for the students. Only "for the students" when an override request comes about....
Pauly, you should link this to your Facebook page. There are a lot of people in town that need to see it before the election.
I'm all for providing a quality education for the kids, but come on, this is ridiculous. Top-heavy doesn't even begin to describe this school district.
One of the things I see and it especially stands out when I read "we have cut to bare-bones, budget wise" is that administratively, the costs and expenses have not really been dealt with. NRHS middle /high school are in the same building, one does not have to go outdoors to go from high school to middle school yet there are 2 principles and 2 vice-principles. If the middle school principle and vice principle were eliminated, that equals about a 200 thousand dollar reduction on just salary. There are, in my view, a few other positions that i question, such as guidance counselor for middle school, 5, 6 7 graders need to learn a good basic education, how many kids at that age really know what they want to do. Check colleges and see how many students change their major during the 4, 5 6 or more years they are in college. From the 2013 budget and the proposed 2014 budget, the school is top heavy on administration and low on spending on kids. This most likely not a problem or fact at just Narragansett either. This entire system needs looking at, statewide education and there was a good article in the Telegram about ways to address the limited avenue for communities to raise funds vs the ability of schools to continue to skyrocket. This is another example of why an all-inclusive town website is needed where we cann all information on ALL town entities available for everyone to see. I hope the next NRHS budget is an all year progressive effort so town residents can see, opine and be informed on some very good questions. As in what is required by law and we need to see the laws that require or mandate all of this. I would like to support the override but with the top heavy administrative costs, I just cannot.
Jeff, regarding the guidance counselors, I don't think you have a realistic view of what their job encompasses. They are busy dealing with students who are having issues being bullied or harassed or maybe dealing with the bullies themselves. They are talking with students who are expressing suicidal thoughts, are being abused at home, or have significant emotional disturbances. They may be depressed, psychotic, and/or aggressive. When they are not dealing with students themselves, they are on the phone or in meetings with parents, foster parents, social workers, intensive care coordinators, juvenile probation officers and therapists to name a few. All of this to try and support the student and help them to focus on their education and future. I am sure some days they wish they could just focus on helping students to explore their futures and decide what to major in when they go to college.
I look at Narragansett and I see sort of a corporation, the stockholders are the teachers/school employees, the board of directors are the School Committee and the CEO is the Superintendent. The stockholders want to know what the board & CEO can do for them, the board has the ceo as the spokeman for the "company" and the ceo toes the Co line or the board fires em. Of course the product the Board sells is the educational value and or results, as in mcas scores and the facilities/programs. I and anyone can check on this and see that the product we get has really been going down, quality wise. If you doubt that statement, check on what U.S. business' spend on training and the problems they have of finding qualified workers for manufacturing. How much do colleges spend on offering courses on basic english, math, reading (as in non credit courses designed to get students up to par so they can just begin college) Even the military has problems with applicants who cannot sit down and take the asvab test. What ever side you fall on, one thing is for sure. Proposition 2 1/2 was passed in part to address concerns of city and town governments practice of just raising taxes to try and solve issues and now with the revenue constraints of that sysytem in place, there has to be some constraint on the expense of education, which seems to go up faster than and above the ability of communities to address those costs. I think it is time for the school committees to begin to live under the same constraints as the towns and cities within which the schools are located.
thanks for the info Pauly! i have had both of my kids graduate from Gansett and have never voted for any over rides. i have always thought and this document proves it that the administration and teachers are over paid. there are plenty cuts in the administration salaries that could be made without threatening the students will lose sports, etc. if the over ride doesn't pass. i didn't trust Superintendent Weiss nor Miller - they can make some cuts and still provide quality education. just my opinion.
With all due respect to guidance counselors and posters on this blog as well. There are a lot of people in this country that the general public doesn't "have a realistic view of what the job encompasses."
Correctional officers, Soldiers, Police, Fire, Teachers, etc. Walk a mile in their shoes before you explain how hard it is to work in the school department. It isn't to compelling to hear that the school department needs more money to fund high administrative salaries not student and teacher programs when the town has such a high forclosure rate.
I can see why the Super may not wanted to have shared these documents with the general public. The administration salaries are through the roof. I hope all look carefully at these two documents. Not knowing what is mandated or not, not knowing who holds what position or if it is contracted or not, I am amazed at the salaries that are within these documents. Just look at the top page of the FY13 actual budget and take note. No wonder they are trying so hard to keep what they have (feels a lot like the L&W dept). And then they can only find $16,500 for text books when they spend almost that on sport officials? The schools sure seem too top heavy to this average Joe just scraping by, like most in town. Good luck with the override.
ReplyDeleteMs.Miller got a ear full during candidates night. It must have been very different than sitting around a table, with everyone that agrees with her. It is good that she knows how people feel. I think it is in poor taste, that they found it acceptable to ask for so much money, when the rest of the town is doing with so little. It is that disconnect, I spoke about. As for asking candidates how they feel about the question, it is up to every individual person, if they can afford it or not. Really, myob. Sell the light company, and we could afford the new school and a lot of the things this town needs. There is a lot that will come out in the wash, in the not to far future. Hang on, it is going to be quite a ride. Bev.
DeleteI just looked at the FY13 budget ***ARE YOU FREAKIN' KIDDING ME ? *** I have never seen such salaries for administrators. Take a look at the guidance councilor's salaries-- the technology directors and assistant salaries and the principal's salaries. I said in public forums before that I didn't think the teachers were overpaid considering their requirements and responsibilities and I stand by that. But I CAN'T BELIEVE what administrators get paid. They are paid even higher than industry managers. I do not begrudge people making a living salary but c'mon, these people are out of control. I just tried to call Rae-Ann Trifilo (school committee member, the only one I know) to ask if perhaps I'm not understanding the numbers correctly, but all I get is an error beep on the phone number listed ??
ReplyDeleteI WILL NOT VOTE FOR OVERRIDE after seeing the budget!!
In all fairness, I contacted Ms. Miller directly about the salaries. She did explain that the guidance councilor salaries listed on the budget are lumped together. i.e. (from Miller's email) "The middle school guidance line represents 1.5 councilors as does the elementary school line. The high school line has 3 councilors. That is why these lines are so high". I felt that deserved to be clarified in order to be fair.
DeleteY'all can make your own decisions about this.
Sharon Manty replies (might come up as my son - but he didn't post): Got to thank Pauly for posting the line item budgets! I have been preaching the blown out of proportion salaries for a long, long time. The kids are suffering they say -- yeah right!!!
DeleteSharon Manty again - not Tim - guess his name comes up because he logged in? I remember attending a school committee meeting several years ago where a teacher wanted 5000 dollars for new Math books - she was denied. Next agenda item was to give the Assistant Superintendant a 10,000 dollar stipend for taking over some of the duties of the retiring middle school principal - THAT WAS PASSED!!!! At that point, I knew what was going on --- administrators for themselves - not for the students. Only "for the students" when an override request comes about....
DeletePauly, you should link this to your Facebook page. There are a lot of people in town that need to see it before the election.
ReplyDeleteI'm all for providing a quality education for the kids, but come on, this is ridiculous. Top-heavy doesn't even begin to describe this school district.
One of the things I see and it especially stands out when I read "we have cut to bare-bones, budget wise" is that administratively, the costs and expenses have not really been dealt with. NRHS middle /high school are in the same building, one does not have to go outdoors to go from high school to middle school yet there are 2 principles and 2 vice-principles. If the middle school principle and vice principle were eliminated, that equals about a 200 thousand dollar reduction on just salary. There are, in my view, a few other positions that i question, such as guidance counselor for middle school, 5, 6 7 graders need to learn a good basic education, how many kids at that age really know what they want to do. Check colleges and see how many students change their major during the 4, 5 6 or more years they are in college. From the 2013 budget and the proposed 2014 budget, the school is top heavy on administration and low on spending on kids. This most likely not a problem or fact at just Narragansett either. This entire system needs looking at, statewide education and there was a good article in the Telegram about ways to address the limited avenue for communities to raise funds vs the ability of schools to continue to skyrocket. This is another example of why an all-inclusive town website is needed where we cann all information on ALL town entities available for everyone to see. I hope the next NRHS budget is an all year progressive effort so town residents can see, opine and be informed on some very good questions. As in what is required by law and we need to see the laws that require or mandate all of this. I would like to support the override but with the top heavy administrative costs, I just cannot.
ReplyDeleteJeff, regarding the guidance counselors, I don't think you have a realistic view of what their job encompasses. They are busy dealing with students who are having issues being bullied or harassed or maybe dealing with the bullies themselves. They are talking with students who are expressing suicidal thoughts, are being abused at home, or have significant emotional disturbances. They may be depressed, psychotic, and/or aggressive. When they are not dealing with students themselves, they are on the phone or in meetings with parents, foster parents, social workers, intensive care coordinators, juvenile probation officers and therapists to name a few. All of this to try and support the student and help them to focus on their education and future. I am sure some days they wish they could just focus on helping students to explore their futures and decide what to major in when they go to college.
DeleteI look at Narragansett and I see sort of a corporation, the stockholders are the teachers/school employees, the board of directors are the School Committee and the CEO is the Superintendent. The stockholders want to know what the board & CEO can do for them, the board has the ceo as the spokeman for the "company" and the ceo toes the Co line or the board fires em. Of course the product the Board sells is the educational value and or results, as in mcas scores and the facilities/programs. I and anyone can check on this and see that the product we get has really been going down, quality wise. If you doubt that statement, check on what U.S. business' spend on training and the problems they have of finding qualified workers for manufacturing. How much do colleges spend on offering courses on basic english, math, reading (as in non credit courses designed to get students up to par so they can just begin college) Even the military has problems with applicants who cannot sit down and take the asvab test. What ever side you fall on, one thing is for sure. Proposition 2 1/2 was passed in part to address concerns of city and town governments practice of just raising taxes to try and solve issues and now with the revenue constraints of that sysytem in place, there has to be some constraint on the expense of education, which seems to go up faster than and above the ability of communities to address those costs. I think it is time for the school committees to begin to live under the same constraints as the towns and cities within which the schools are located.
ReplyDeletethanks for the info Pauly! i have had both of my kids graduate from Gansett and have never voted for any over rides. i have always thought and this document proves it that the administration and teachers are over paid. there are plenty cuts in the administration salaries that could be made without threatening the students will lose sports, etc. if the over ride doesn't pass. i didn't trust Superintendent Weiss nor Miller - they can make some cuts and still provide quality education. just my opinion.
ReplyDeleteWith all due respect to guidance counselors and posters on this blog as well.
ReplyDeleteThere are a lot of people in this country that the general public doesn't "have a realistic view of what the job encompasses."
Correctional officers, Soldiers, Police, Fire, Teachers, etc. Walk a mile in their shoes before you explain how hard it is to work in the school department. It isn't to compelling to hear that the school department needs more money to fund high administrative salaries not student and teacher programs when the town has such a high forclosure rate.
Just my opinions... and as always, my real name.