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Dec. 15, 2011
A somber tone was struck at Tuesday's monthly Garrett County Board of Education meeting, which centered around the projected budget shortfalls faced by the school system and the possibility that those financial woes may cause some major changes. Most notably, the financial deficit may force the BOE to vote to close a number of Garrett County schools.
Before a pair of presentations were given on the subject, extra chairs were brought into the board room of the Board of Education building to accommodate the larger than usual crowd in attendance.
The first informative talk was given by Larry Mc-Kenzie, director of finance, who presented tentative estimates on Maryland's state aid wealth formula and its effects on school budgets. McKenzie explained that according to the formula, Garrett County was on track to become the fifth wealthiest county in Maryland, and therefore receive increasingly less funding from Annapolis.
This trend was attributed to reductions in local student population, as well as to increases in real estate value, presumably properties in the Deep Creek Lake area and those connected with utilities. Estimates for immediate budget losses were thought to be somewhere between $1.5 and $3 million.
Following McKenzie's presentation, Sue Waggoner, interim superintendent of schools, addressed the board with proposals for balancing the budget. These proposals were to be taken under advisement by the board, and will be considered over the coming months.
Through the first year of Waggoner's five-year proposal, the board was asked to first consider eliminating the high school driver's education program. This action would reportedly net a saving of $200,000 per year. Coupled with this measure was a proposal to also consider the elimination of the full-time school-enrichment positions, allowing those duties to fall to the primary teaching staff and perhaps to part-time employees. The removal of these positions would reportedly reduce the budget deficit by around $165,000 per year.
Waggoner also asked the board to consider reconfiguring the current grade structure of schools, moving fifth graders to middle schools. This new configuration would have pre-K through fourth graders attend elementary schools and fifth through eighth graders attend middle schools. High schools would see no change.
Having middle school begin at the fifth grade level, Waggoner explained, was a somewhat common practice in the neighboring states of Virginia and West Virginia and would also allow for a smoother transition into the redistricting of students brought about by school closings.
The first school that the board was asked to consider for closure was Dennett Road Elementary, as its location would allow those currently enrolled there to be relocated to Broad Ford, Yough Glades, and Crellin. Dennett Road was also targeted because of its need for extensive renovations in the near future – renovations which could not be completed given the school system's current financial situation.
This maneuver would also allow for the removal of 16½ teacher, principal, and custodial positions throughout the school system.
Two other facilities – Kitzmiller and Friendsville elementaries – were also presented to the board as candidates for closure. If this were to occur, Kitzmiller students would presumably be redistricted to Yough Glades, while Friendsville students would be sent to Accident and Grantsville. Waggoner estimated a savings of around $279,000 per year if Kitzmiller were closed, while closing Friendsville would reportedly save around $674,000.
Beyond the closing of schools, reductions in spending on transportation, maintenance, and staff were proposed in order to balance the budget. Waggoner felt that the transportation budget could be reduced by around $128,000.
More here.
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