As part of a sweeping overhaul of the music department, including the addition of a strings program, the 4th grade band program has been eliminated. I actually wrote about this two weeks ago, but apparently few read that far down on my posts. I buried the lead then, but it's more interesting than anything that happened last Wednesday so I'm starting with it this time.
The music presentation (video, slides in the agenda), includes the following:
In addition to the presentation, the music teachers sent around a letter detailing the new program. The teachers claim the research shows that the more mature fifth graders will have more success as instrumentalists. As the parent of a third grader I was looking forward having my boy begin a band instrument next year and I'm a bit disappointed.
Bus Accident in Madbury
There was a fair amount of news from the last meeting. I learned that there was a bus accident in the district (Dr. Morse tells the story). Bus driver Cindy Bushong was commended for her defensive driving which avoided a head-on collision with an out-of-control truck in Madbury on that last slushy day. The 14 students on board were uninjured. The superintendent himself had ordered the two hour delay that morning -- the assistant superintendent who normally handles snow days was off.
Language Teacher Reinstated
The 0.4 FTE World Language teacher position that was eliminated in the recent budget has been reinstated. Wendy Gibson gets to keep her job because an inordinate number of students signed up for French next year. You may recall that an effort to reinstate this position failed at the deliberative session.
Slush Fund Revealed
Where does the district get the money to pay a teacher after the budget is approved? The superintendent revealed the health insurance budget line is used as a slush fund. Typically a large increase is budgeted for and if the actual increase is smaller the difference can be directed as needed. This little game resulted in the large fund balance from 2009 (I usually say $2.2 million but I've heard the superintendent say $2.8 million) which was used to lower taxes the next three or four years.
End 68 Hours of Hunger Funded
Member Maria Barth (absent due to back problems -- get well soon, Maria) and Assistant Superintendent Carolyn Eastman were commended for raising $12,000 to fund End 68 Hours of Hunger through the rest of the year. This is a program to give underfed students food to take home for the weekend. The fundraising largely came from a meeting with local business leaders.
Board Approves Administration Raises
The board approved about $50,000 in equity raises for administrators. The stated rationale was to raise the pay among administrators to the top quartile in the state in order to reduce turnover. The district suffered from a whole lot of turnover around 2012, which has quieted lately. (Carolyn Eastman was reportedly a finalist for superintendent of SAU 50, Greenland, Newington and Rye, but she didn't get the offer.) I mistakenly reported the raise would be $50,000 a year for two years last time -- it's $50,000 total over two years. The superintendent was given some latitude because Director of Special Education Catherine Plourde's salary was not raised sufficiently on the approved salary schedule.
Principal Allen reported on Oyster River's success in one act play and robotics competitions, and the upcoming Todd's Trot and production of Oliver.
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