Johnston offered to take on the responsibilities of the School Department's curriculum coordinator.
Russell JohnstonWEST SPRINGFIELD – School Superintendent Russell D. Johnston has come up with a plan to trim about $786,000 from the $36,490,829 budget he says is needed in fiscal 2012 to maintain School Department services.
The reduction is needed to bring the budget down to the level of spending the mayor has recommended to the Town Council.
The mayor has proposed $35,941,394 in fiscal 2012 School Department spending.
Johnston outlined a plan Tuesday before the School Committee, which took it under advisement. The city does not have to have a budget in place until July 1, the first day of fiscal 2012.
This year’s spending is projected at $35,225,303.
Johnston told the committee he can reduce staff by $487,329 and make nonstaff cuts of $299,130 in such a way as to avoid paying as many unemployment benefits as possible.
“We are positioning ourselves to slowly contract while still offering a high quality educational product,” Johnston said.
The nonstaff reductions would involve cutting:
• $270,000 in supplies, conference and travel expenses and professional development.
• $5,100 in School Committee dues.
• $15,030 in student activities.
• $9,000 in the mentoring.
The reductions involving staff would mean cutting:
• $84,564 in police details without cutting the school resource officer.
• $69,345 in full-time equivalent administrator positions.
• $91,122 in three custodial positions.
• $11,666 for four lunch supervisors in elementary schools.
• $12,500 in clerical staff.
• $79,200 in six teachers aide slots.
• $138,932 in teaching salaries to be achieved by retirements, nonrenewals and programmatic changes.
“I think this is a very responsible way to reduce the school budget,” Johnston said after concluding a power point presentation on his proposals.
Part of his plan involves redistributing the responsibilities of the curriculum director so it will fall under his purview.