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Spotsylvania School Superintendent Jerry Hill delivers the budget to the school board last night. His plan trims $14.7 million. |
Spotsylvania School Superintendent Jerry Hill eliminated 131 positions, plus freshman and middle school sports in his fiscal 2011 budget proposal announced last night.
Those cuts are being made to trim $14.7 million from the next budget. That $14.7 million is calculated based on a $14.2 million reduction in state revenue, a $3.6 million increase in federal revenue and a $4.3 million increase in the cost of health-insurance premiums, prescription premiums, state retirement costs and group life insurance.
The cut presumes the school division receives the same funding from the county as it is getting this fiscal year.
Hill’s proposal calls for a fiscal 2011 operating budget of $216 million.
Hill is taking a pay cut by including himself among top administrators who will take a three-day furlough. He is also forgoing three days of his annual leave.
The savings from Hill’s pay cut and the three-day furloughs of all assistant superintendents, directors and principals produces a savings of $75,173 from their salaries.
Hill is the highest-paid local government manager in the Fredericksburg region with an annual salary of $175,500 and a total compensation package of $234,000. He also plans to retire in June 2011, taking advantage of the retirement program the school division implemented last school year to save money and save positions.
In addition to eliminating 131 positions, Hill is calling for 12 people to take pay cuts. That will come by reducing four career and technical education educators’ contracts to 10.5 months, three Advanced Placement teachers’ contracts to 11 months, four Governor’s School employees’ contracts to 10.5 months and one instructional coordinator contract to 11 months.
The school division cut 132 positions in the last budget cycle, reducing staffing by 263 positions over two years. The school division would have 3,066 employees under Hill’s proposal.
“This is very painful,” Hill told the School Board last night. “Instead of adding programs ... I’m trying to figure out how to nip it and tuck it to save millions.”
The school division’s meeting room was packed last night, with people standing along the edge of the room.
Two members of the county’s Board of Supervisors—Gary Skinner and Jerry Logan—were among those present.
After finishing his 75-minute presentation, he was greeted by polite applause by the people jammed into the meeting room.
Fifteen people, including two Riverbend High School students, spoke in reference to the budget last night after Hill’s presentation. Most thanked Hill and his staff for their work and acknowledged the tough task the School Board faces.
Janine Wilson of the Lee Hill District criticized the board for having allowed the top paid administrators, including the superintendent, to sign up for the early retirement program that pays a 60 percent salary bonus to staff after they leave.
She noted that when upper-level managers leave, it’s unlikely there will be significant savings. She also expressed dismay at the many administrative layers between a classroom teacher and the superintendent.
Wilson also received support from people in the audience when she suggested more students should be asked to walk to school to save on transportation expenses.
Hill said he has written to members of Congress and people in the General Assembly to ask that they stop making requirements of school divisions.
“If ever there was a time to stop mandates, this is it,” he said.
In his closing remarks, Hill encouraged people to carefully evaluate his proposal before critiquing it.
“I hope that as a community, we take this as a time to rally together,” he said.
Pamela Gould: 540/735-1972 pgould@freelancestar.com
Below are positions Superintendent Jerry Hill proposes cutting for the fiscal 2011 budget and the potential savings achieved.
Hourly human resources specialist (temp) - $26,913Support staff positions (2) - $101,457
Part-time physical therapist (0.2) - $14,880
Elementary teacher positions (13) - $1,223,216. (Those people are scheduled to take early retirement this year.)
Elementary Spanish program (17) - $991,755
Elementary paraeducators (16) - $401,390
Secondary level teachers (30) - $1,732,593
College and career specialists (5) - $164,356
ESOL teacher, Alternative middle school teacher, CTC counselor, 2 SCOPE teachers (5 total) - $302,231
Elementary school counselor (1) - $71,109
2 Diagnosticians, 4 Special education teachers, 9 para-educators (15) - $670,368
Vacant teaching positions (7.75) - $467,426
2 Elementary interns, 1 Art teacher, 1 music teacher (4) - $278,252
Math specialists (2) - $186,419
Eliminate career switcher program (0.5) - $90,017
Clerical support staff in maintenance (1) - $54,157
Maintenance staff planning to retire (2) - $171,529
Unspecified maintenance staff (3) - $51,508
Maintenance facilities planner (1) - $112,264
Technology support staff (1) - $42,958
Two Systems operation and two instructional technology positions (4) - $190,247
