School seeks at least $450,000 in an override

PHOTO BY ROBERT BENCHLEY Robert Pellicone, superintendent of schools Superintendent of schools Robert Pellicone recommended a $450,000 override at Thursday's school committee meeting.

Pellicone's recommendation is controversial as the town and the school departments agreed to absorb a projected $3.8 million revenue shortfall for Fiscal Year 2010, with the school department cutting $1.8 million from next year's pro forma budget.

"I am advocating for an override of $450,000 to help us," said Pellicone. "I cannot balance the budget."

After targeting cuts of $596,367 to the elementary school, $319,848 to the middle school, $488,486 to the high school, $206,445 to the central office and $149,781 to the facilities department, Pellicone could not recommend any further cuts.

The elementary school is on the state's "corrective action" list for not meeting Adequate Yearly Progress on the MCAS (Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System) for the fourth year in row.

Almost $600,000 in proposed cuts would mean the elementary school, the most vulnerable school in the system, would cut substitutes, two fulltime preschool teachers, a part-time guidance counselor, a library teaching assistant, nine teaching assistants and a special education teacher.

Pellicone recommended keeping the guidance position and hiring two coaches for English Language Arts, two preschool teachers and an ESL (English as a second language) teacher. Almost 10 percent or 60 students in the elementary school do not speak English as their primary language.

Should the superintendent's recommendation to support the English Language Arts and ESL programs be enacted, the total cuts to elementary school for FY 10 would be $266,000.

Yet, to achieve the targeted cuts, Pellicone would have to cut one classroom teacher per grade in the elementary school.

"That would be six staff members from NES," said Pellicone during his power point presentation to the school committee.

The news to cut six elementary school teachers was news to teacher's union co-president Paige Martin.

"The possibility that one classroom teacher per grade at NES could be cut is new to us. It's horrifying," said Martin. "With the level of corrective action we are in, it doesn't make sense to bring in two ELA teachers at $200,000, when cutting costs. We need to start the drumbeats for an override. I am very happy to see that Bob [Pellicone] suggested it. I know the membership is ready to educate the town. We're the kids only option."

At least one school committee member was pleased with the recommendation to ask voters for an override.

"When I looked at his presentation this afternoon, I was getting more and more depressed until the last page, when he came out on the side of the angels," said school committee member Dr. Timothy Lepore, of Pellicone's recommendation for an override.

The $450,000 number could also increase, said Pellicone.

Pellicone proposed earlier this month that the assistant superintendent's position would be cut from the central office budget and that the newly created position of director of student services, the position which former Nantucket High School principal George Kelly now occupies, would take a 20 percent pay cut, the facilities manager position would be reduced to four days a week and that the director of finances position would take a 10 percent pay cut.

Pellicone and the three building principals would not take a cut in pay, but would assume more work, said Pellicone.

While the $450,000 in overrides would prevent further cuts to the school department, it would not make up for the proposed cuts to the three schools.

"Do you really think, Dr. Pellicone, that we can serve the kids this way with 15 fewer TAs (teaching assistants) and seven fewer teachers?" asked middle school teacher Steve Sortevik. I