Administrative school budget proposal up 1.64 percent

Earlier this month the Board of Education rolled out preliminary plans for developing its 2017-18 budget with a promise that it wouldn’t pierce the tax cap. On Tuesday night the school board had a look at the initial spending plans for administration.

That’s the part of the budget that covers salaries, benefits, service and contractual expenses, material and supplies and Eastern Suffolk BOCES services. The difference between the current year’s budget in that area is $17,198 higher than what is projected to be spent next year. The current year’s spending for administration totals $1.048 million while the projected budget for next year is $1.065 million.

Most of the difference comes from a 1.6 percent increase in administrative salaries, up by $12,888, bringing that spending from $806,706 this year to a proposed $819,594 next year.

Thanks to a decline in health insurance costs since the district changed carriers, that number is anticipated to drop from $153,500 this year to $137,935 next year. There’s also a drop in the cost of payments to the Teachers Retirement System going from $68,394 this year to $61,013 next year and a small drop in payments to those who waive medical coverage. That cost is $10,226 this year as compared with $9,684 next year.

Numbers for administration costs, as with numbers for the rest of the budget, could change once the basic presentations end in mid February and the Board of Education starts hitting away at cuts to contain spending further than what is currently projected.

The educational component of the budget will be examined next at a workshop on January 30 at 6 p.m.

Change of position
In an effort to streamline the administration and for reasons of economy, efficiency and reorganization, Todd Gulluscio’s position as director of athletics and district operations is changing to director of athletics, physical education, health, wellness and personnel.

Superintendent Leonard Skuggevik, in recommending the change, noted that 50 percent or more of Mr. Gulluscio’s former responsibilities will remain in the new structure while the rest of his responsibilities will be in the area of physical education, health, wellness and personnel.

Mr. Gulluscio will retain his tenure and salary and benefits were established in line with his employment agreement, but were not immediately made public.

External audit
David Tellier, a partner in the Melville accounting firm, Nawrocki Smith, told the board that after its external review of district finances, it got a clean opinion with no material weaknesses or significant problems.

Policy changes
The board adopted a policy affecting its shared decision making team of faculty members, support staff,  parents  and students to be involved in collaborative planning for student development with the administration. The original shared decision making policy was adopted in the 1992-93 school year, revised in the 2006-07 school year and revised again now.

It outlines those areas of involvement for the team’s participation, including basic district philosophy, goals and outcomes; curriculum evaluation and development, budgeting , discipline, and a number of other areas where input from various sectors is considered valuable.

District policies are on the school’s website.

Two other policies were presented in a first reading — one on what constitutes a quorum for doing district business and parliamentary procedure for meetings and the other on sexual harassment of district personnel. Those are likely to be adopted next month, but anyone wishing to suggest changes before adoption may do so through phone calls, letters, emails or requesting a meeting with the superintendent.

The district needs to make a decision on a request from Our Lady of the Hamptons to transport Shelter Island students at an annual cost of $67,800. That’s the cost of a single extra bus, regardless of how many students are on it. By law, the district has to provide transportation to students within a 15 mile radius. But Our Lady of the Hamptons on North Main Street in Southampton is 16.1 miles per Mapquest. If Shelter Island agrees to the transportation, any school within that same distance would be eligible to request that this district pay for transportation.

Board president Tom Graffagnino said he would be inclined to put the proposal to Shelter Island voters in May when they act on the 2017-18 budget. The issue was tabled pending further discussion with officials at Our Lady of the Hamptons.

Students seek housing solutions
Shelter Island government students who expressed their concerns to the Town Board  earlier this month about housing costs they fear could prohibit their return here after college are investigating possible solutions and will bring their ideas back to the Town Board at a later date.

Beyond expectations
When National Honor Society advisor Janine Mahoney learned of a medical mission trip to Haiti by a Stony Brook nursing student, she brought back the idea of students getting involved by putting together personal kits for Haitians that would include such items as toothpaste, toothbrushes, soap, anti-fungal cream and other items. Student Sophia Strauss opted to lead the effort and collected items that were “beyond expectation,” according to nursing student Joey Ryan.

He brought slides of his January trip to Haiti to deliver the goods and assist at a medical clinic there and also a plaque to honor the district and Ms. Strauss. He also presented her with a souvenir from Haiti.

The plaque was inscribed with a quote from author John Bunyon: “You have not lived today until you have done something for someone who can never repay you.”

In other business, the Board of Education:
• Approved extra teaching periods for English as a second language teachers Laura Mayo and Bryan Knipfing. Ms. Mayo carries five extra periods on a biweekly basis and is paid $2,819 while Mr. Knipfing carries seven extra periods, also on a biweekly basis, and receives $5,243.
• Appointed Christopher Kline as a teacher’s aide for special education  at a prorated salary of $11,810.
• Appointed Libby Liszanckie as a substitute teacher aid at the rate of $95 per day.
• Appointed Jacqueline Brewer as varsity softball coach at the rate of $5,711.