Superintendent Landman presented his preliminary 2012-13 (FY13) school budget at the Dec. 20 School Committee meeting. Some highlights are included below. Please note that nothing is final at this point, this is just the beginning of a process. The School Committee will provide feedback to the Superintendent who will then refine the budget before the School Committee votes on a budget to submit to the Town Manager by the Feb. 1 deadline. If you have an opinion, question, comment or concern about any part of the budget you should feel free to contact the School Committee hpsschoolcommittee@hopkinton.k12.ma.us and Superintendent jlandman@hopkinton.k12.ma.us at any time. You may also voice your opinion publicly at the School Budget Public Hearing coming up on Jan. 26.

Thumbs Up:

• Maintains close to level services for 2012-13
• Continues to work toward Strategic Plan goals such as:
  • Aligning our math curriculum with Common Core standards
  • Intervention Pyramid for struggling students
  • 21st Century Learning (such as online classes at the HS)
  • Technology Infrastructure Updates, such as replacing teacher laptops that are more than 5 years old
  • Critical Language (Mandarin) at the HS
  • Exploration of how to add the study of world languages to grade 6 and below
• Create a school bus parking lot in town to save fuel, as well as save on excise tax paid to the other town where our buses currently park.

Thumbs Down:

• $707,268 Decrease in budget offsets from last year such as state circuit breaker special education funding and education job grants
• Increased class sizes in grades K, 1, 4, 6 and 8 (see chart below)
• More high school classes with over 25 students (17% this year vs 20% next year)
• A net cut of 2.6 Staff Members compared to last year (a net cut of 20.4 staff members since the 2006-07 school year)

Proposed Class Sizes:

Mixed Bag:

• Increase student bus fees from $210 to $250 per year
• Increase student athletic fee from $125 to $200 per sport
• Increase student parking fee from $210 to $250 per year
• Assess a daycare drop-off bus fee of $100 per student
• Creation of a “walking zone” and elimination of the bus for Middle School and High School students living close enough to walk to school.

Summary of the Preliminary 2012-13 Budget:
$32,957,722 This Year’s Approved Budget 2011-12
+$1,518,755 Fixed Cost Payroll Increases (contractual obligations)
+$62,401 Other Fixed Cost Increases
___________
$34,538,878 Level Services 2012-13 Budget
+$285,425 Strategic Initiatives
+$71,000 Extraordinary Maintenance
-$69,342 Cost Cutting Measures
-$208,368 New Revenue (Fees)
-$359,608 Net Staff Positions Cut
_________
$34,260,733 Total Preliminary 2012-13 Budget

Budget Meeting Dates - Not Televised:

School Committee Meeting
Thurs., Jan. 5, 2012 @ 7:00 PM
Middle School Library, 88 Hayden Rowe St
Regular Meeting/Working Session - FY13 Budget Topics: Center School, Elmwood School, Hopkins School, Draft Town Meeting Articles, Daycare Drop-Off Fee, Bus Fee, Full-Day Kindergarten Fee

School Committee Meeting
Thurs., Jan. 12, 2012 @ 7:00 PM
Middle School Library, 88 Hayden Rowe St
Working Session/FY13 Budget Topics: Special Education, Buildings and Grounds, Central Office, Curriculum, Technology, Town Meeting Articles

School Committee Meeting
Thurs., Jan. 19, 2012 @ 7:00 PM
Middle School Library, 88 Hayden Rowe St
Regular Meeting/Working Session - FY13 Budget Topics: Middle School, High School, Athletics, Town Meeting Articles, Athletic Fee, Parking Fee, F1 Visa Tuition, Walking Zone, 1:1 Laptop Initiative, Bus Parking Lot

School Committee Meeting
Mon., Jan. 23, 2012 @ 6:30 PM
Middle School Library, 88 Hayden Rowe St
Joint meeting with the Board of Selectmen

School Committee Meeting
Thurs., Jan. 26, 2012 @ 7:00 PM
Middle School Library, 88 Hayden Rowe St
Public Hearing – FY13 Budget
ATTENTION! If you can only attend one school committee meeting a year, this is the most important one to attend. It is your chance to voice your opinion on the budget.