The BoardsCorner
Update from CCS - Budget Forum
By Kristin Wright, CCS Board Member
November 10, 2010, page 7.....

The Charlotte Central School Board was pleased to see more than 30 community members at our first budget forum, which looked at the values and priorities that mark a CCS education. Co-Principals Greg Marino and Audrey Boutaugh, together with Superintendent Elaine Pinckney, provided a PowerPoint presentation (available at ccsvt.us/board) regarding CCS’s core curriculum, supports to academic programs, co-curricular activities, action plans and initiatives, class sizes in comparison with state guidelines and supervisory union averages, a history of the budget process in Charlotte, a list of recent reductions in the budget, and an explanation of the state’s “Challenges for Change.” In order to meet the recommended challenge for fiscal year 2012, CCS would need to find an additional 2-4% in reductions from our current budget.
Community members then divided into five groups to consider the following questions:
• What are essential program elements for a quality CCS education? • What areas need additional focus?

The groups then presented their collective and individual priorities and values to everyone else, including:
- finding and retaining the most
talented educators possible
- keeping class sizes at the present levels
- keeping physical education
- retaining co-curricular activities as they provide a lot of bang for
the buck
- world language instruction in middle school.

In addition, community members provided input about areas where they felt money could be saved, such as:
• looking first at areas that are furthest from the core curriculum,
such as infrastructure and the physical plant
• sharing staff with other schools to increase efficiencies
• installing renewable energy devices
• looking at the costs of CSSU assessments, buses, alternative
compensation models and fees for extracurricular activities
• looking at the costs of administration
• considering other ways to deliver programs if we cannot fund
them, and looking into more fundraising and grant writing
• conducting an audit of the delivery of instruction and other
services at CCS.

If you were unable to attend the forum, the board encourages you to look at the PowerPoint presentation and the notes Principal Marino took during the group presentations. These materials, together with a list of future budget meetings and additional budget information, are on the CCS website (ccsvt.us). If you have specific suggestions or questions, you may contact the School Board at schoolboard@ccsvt.us.

Please mark your calendars and plan to attend the next budget forum where we will ask for input around the following question: Given current fiscal realities, how can we adapt some of our expectations to CCS programs and services to reduce costs? We hope to have background material for this forum posted on the website within the next few days. The forum is scheduled for November 11 at 7 p.m. in the school library.