<div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face=Garamond>TO: <SPAN style="mso-tab-count: 2"> </SPAN>Cabot Community<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></div>
<div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face=Garamond>FROM: <SPAN style="mso-tab-count: 1"> </SPAN>Sue Covitz, Sarah Ecker and Isabelle Thacker, PTO Political Issues Co-chairs<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></div>
<div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face=Garamond>DATE: <SPAN style="mso-tab-count: 1"> </SPAN>January<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>31, 2008<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></div>
<div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face=Garamond>RE: <SPAN style="mso-tab-count: 2"> </SPAN>OVERRIDE AND ALLOCATION SCHOOL BUDGETS <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></div>
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<div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face=Garamond>The budget process is here, and it’s complicated this year.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Superintendent Young has presented two budgets to the School Committee for next year.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The override budget is the proposed budget that would be in place if the citizens of <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Newton</st1:place></st1:City> vote to approve an override this May.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The allocation budget is the proposed budget that would be in place if the citizens of <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Newton</st1:place></st1:City> vote against an override in May.<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></div>
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<div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face=Garamond>To give some context to the latest budget proposals, it is helpful to remember what happened last year. Last March, the School Committee directed Superintendent Young to prepare a budget that restored some (but not all) of the cuts made in previous years.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Mayor Cohen then gave the school department the additional funds to cover this comprehensive budget.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The direct benefits that your children see at Cabot this year from this budget are many.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The average class size for the school is 20 students.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The separate recorder program is back for 3<SUP>rd</SUP> graders.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The art, music, library and PE programs were not reduced.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The modular classrooms’ needs (teachers, supplies, furniture) were funded. <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>There is a full time literacy specialist at Cabot.<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></div>
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<div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face=Garamond>In order to maintain most of the services presently in our schools, the school budget for next year needs to increase by $11.5 million.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>That would cover the costs of contractual obligations, enrollment related increases and fixed and mandated costs.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Those three items are being called maintenance of effort.<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></div>
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<div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face=Garamond>In addition, in order to make some improvements and restorations to our current budget, the budget for next year needs to increase by a further $2.4 million.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The improvements and restorations in the override budget call for increasing funding for: the per pupil allocation, elementary school staffing, PE, health and wellness, curriculum and instruction, secondary education, pupil services, regular education transportation and benefits to cover the increased staff.<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></div>
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<div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face=Garamond>To continue the ongoing initiatives put into place this year would cost an additional $2.4 million.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The ongoing initiatives are: the middle school BRIM initiative, mathematics initiative, technology initiative, building maintenance initiative and benefits for increased staff.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>If the override budget passes, Cabot is one of the schools that has been chosen to receive a full time mathematics coach.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>A mathematics coach is similar to a literacy specialist for math.<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></div>
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<div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face=Garamond>If the citizens of <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Newton</st1:place></st1:City> do not approve the override this spring, there will be huge cuts in the school department budget. In the maintenance of effort category alone, over 100 positions will be eliminated.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>All the improvements and restorations will be eliminated, except one additional school bus and ELL translations.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>All of the ongoing initiatives will be eliminated.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></div>
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<div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face=Garamond>For the elementary schools, this means:<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></div>
<div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face=Garamond>•increased class size<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></div>
<div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face=Garamond>•reduction in specialist teachers (art, music, PE and library)<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></div>
<div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face=Garamond>•elimination of all existing math coach positions <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></div>
<div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face=Garamond>•elimination of curriculum specialist<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></div>
<div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face=Garamond>•50% reduction in literacy specialists (this means each literacy specialist will cover two schools)<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></div>
<div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face=Garamond>• elimination of 22.5 FTE literacy aids <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></div>
<div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face=Garamond>• reduction in social workers; and <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></div>
<div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face=Garamond>• reduction in support staff.<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></div>
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<div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face=Garamond>To see all the budget details, go to:<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></div>
<div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><A href="http://www.newton.k12.ma.us/schoolcommittee/_documentsFY08/FY09_Override_Budget_01_14_08.pdf"><FONT face=Garamond size=3>http://www.newton.k12.ma.us/schoolcommittee/_documentsFY08/FY09_Override_Budget_01_14_08.pdf</FONT></A><o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><A href="http://www.newton.k12.ma.us/schoolcommittee/_documentsFY08/fy09_allocation_budget.pdf"><FONT face=Garamond size=3>http://www.newton.k12.ma.us/schoolcommittee/_documentsFY08/fy09_allocation_budget.pdf</FONT></A><FONT size=3><FONT face=Garamond> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></div>
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<div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face=Garamond>The public hearing on the budgets is on Wednesday, Feb. 6, 7:00 pm at <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Day</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">Middle School</st1:PlaceType></st1:place>.<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></div>
<div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face=Garamond>To see a schedule of the budget hearings go to:<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></div>
<div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><A href="http://www.newton.k12.ma.us/schoolcommittee/_documentsFY08/schedule_09_budget_mtgs.pdf"><FONT face=Garamond size=3>http://www.newton.k12.ma.us/schoolcommittee/_documentsFY08/schedule_09_budget_mtgs.pdf</FONT></A><FONT size=3><FONT face=Garamond> <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></div>
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<div class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT face=Garamond>The budget process is not going to be fun to watch this year.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>As citizens of <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Newton</st1:place></st1:City>, as parents and guardians, we urge you to get involved in this process and consider what type of education you want for your children in the Newton Public Schools. <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></div>
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