WARE SCHOOL COMMITTEE NOTEBOOK

By Melissa Fales
Reporter

Fiscal year 2012 budget balanced, includes layoffs
At the March 16 meeting of the Ware School Committee, Budget Subcommittee chair Aaron Sawabi updated the committee on the status of the working draft of the district’s fiscal year 2012 budget. An earlier version of the budget faced a $400,000 deficit but Sawabi said the subcommittee has, at least temporarily, been able to balance it. “This is not final,” Sawabi warned. He went on to say the balanced budget does include the loss of approximately 15 positions, a combination of layoffs and attrition losses. Superintendent Mary-Elizabeth Beach said the district has already informed some employees that their positions are in jeopardy.
Sawabi said the draft of the budget might be further affected by upcoming contract negotiations.
The community is encouraged to participate in the budget process by attending a public hearing on the working draft, set for April 13 at 6:30 p.m. in the Ware Junior Senior High School library. A second hearing will be held April 27. The budget will ultimately go before voters at the Annual Town meeting in May. Residents can also participate in the district’s budget survey available online at http://www.warepublicschools.com

Brindisi to retire at end of school year
According to Beach, Ware Junior Senior High School Principal Lucille Brindisi has announced that she will be retiring at the end of this school year.

PAC update
Special Education Parent Advisory Council (PAC) member Marilyn Niquette gave an update on recent PAC activity. “Our continued issue is attendance,” she said, adding that despite the fact that there are over 200 students in the district with an Individual Education Plan (IEP), the meetings rarely draw more than 4 or 5 parents. “It’s quite frustrating,” Niquette said.
In an effort to draw more parents into PAC involvement, Niquette suggested meeting in smaller groups based on age with separate meetings for parents of elementary school students, middle school students and junior/senior high school students. “Each group has different concerns,” she said.
Niquette also said PAC plans to send out forms for parents to fill out before the start of the school year to help teachers better understand students’ needs. The form would be an easy way for parents to share important information about their child with teachers, such as strengths and challenges.

Ware Public Schools/Holyoke Community College partnership to be honored
Niquette announced that Ware Public Schools will be honored for their partnership with Holyoke Community College on the Inclusive Concurrent Enrollment (ICE) Program held at the college. The ICE program is a dual enrollment program for high school students ages 18 to 22 with intellectual disabilities. Ware is one of six school districts participating in the program. The Holyoke/Chicopee Area Department of Developmental Services Advisory Board will honor the collaboration March 22 as part of their 9th Annual Community Celebration of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Month.
Niquette said her granddaughter attends the ICE Program. “It’s changed her life,” said Niquette.

Email address created for money-saving ideas
At the suggestion of Chair Christopher Desjardins, the committee approved the creation of an email address to be used solely for the purpose of submitting ideas on how the district might save money or generate revenue. The idea is to make it easy for people to make suggestions and to have them all collected in one place. Beach said although not all submitted ideas will be plausible, all suggestions are appreciated. There is a link to the email address on the district’s website.

District tag sale and recycling event planned for May 7
Beach announced that the district’s popular annual tag sale and recycling event is scheduled for May 7. This year, residents may rent spaces at the tag sale for $20.

Melissa Weise Announcement of Candidacy

Announcement of Candidacy

Weise will seek re-election to selectmen

I am running for re-election to the board of selectmen this year because I feel that I have much to offer the town of Ware. During my first term, I encountered a steep learning curve and would like the opportunity to put the knowledge I gained to good use. I want to offer myself as a representative of young families and working professionals in the town of Ware as we contemplate how we are going to continue to build a solid foundation in the rough economics and social uncertainties of the twenty-first century.

Political Philosophy

I believe that the town of Ware is on the road to positive change and has made so much movement in the last three years including developing efficiencies and policies and really looking at ways in which we can operate as a future-oriented town. In this time of rapid change and economic uncertainty, I believe it is imperative that the town of Ware continue to move forward with a realistic and optimistic plan for our social and economic future and that in order to do this our town needs active elected officials willing to work hard, take risks and educate the voters. I value clear communication and collaboration above all.

Personal Skills, Activities and Achievements

In addition to being your selectwoman for the past three years, I am a licensed social worker in the town of Ware as a therapist and care coordinator for chronically mentally ill adults in order to help them live safely in the community. I also teach sociology and psychology at Holyoke and Asnuntuck Community Colleges. In the past, I have developed award winning adolescent programs like an After School Program and Peer Mentor Program for the town of Bedford, written and obtained grants for social programs and developed cutting edge Youth Advisory Boards in a four county area in Oregon for youth with serious emotional disturbances.

I use my education and training as a social worker continually in the town of Ware.
It has provided me with priceless training in social structure, government, communication and economics.

Political Achievements
• Wrote Town Meeting series published in the WRN in 2009
• Brought Rail Trail Committee back to life and worked for 1 year on it before placing
It appropriately under Open Spaces to continue the work
• Brought Fund for Impoverished Elderly to the Board’s attention to be placed under the care of
the senior center
• Advocated for transparency and clear communication with the public
• Served as Vice Chair for two years and provided parliamentary procedure information to the
board
• Advocated for increased business activity in the downtown
• Advocated for services to meet the needs of the public
• Advocated for increased collaboration and communication between boards and departments
• Helped with effort to eliminate illegal adult entertainment in the town and pushed for Adult
Entertainment Bylaw to help regulate this activity in the town
• Advocated for proactive and thoughtful work towards a more vibrant plan for the town
• Advocated for efficiency in our financial workings

I am also a published writer and active in a local writers’ group, Carpe Stylum, and have been involved with other local projects such as the 250th Anniversary Celebration and the Farmer’s Market.

Board projects 15 school layoffs to reduce budget deficit

$400,000 still needed to balance budget

By Melissa Fales
Reporter

WARE – Prior to the March 2 School Committee meeting, the Budget Subcommittee met with Superintendent Mary-Elizabeth Beach, Andy Paquette of the Management Solution and the district’s principals to review the draft budget for fiscal year 2012. While the budget is still in its preliminary stages, Budget Subcommittee Chairman Aaron Sawabi warned, “It’s not looking good,” and announced that the district was anticipating 15 layoffs.
Paquette said the district initially expected to have a $1.9 million deficit, based on projections that the state would be reducing Chapter 70 funding by five percent. When that didn’t happen, the budget was left with a $1.4 million deficit. By factoring 15 proposed layoffs into the equation, the district has been able to reduce that to $400,000. Paquette explained that over the past two years, the district enjoyed grant funding that is no longer available. Growing expenses and a lack of revenue also contribute to the deficit.
Stanley M. Koziol Elementary School Principal Marlene DiLeo shared how her school has been impacted by budget concerns. She said over the past two years, programs such as the Education Express school points program at Big Y helped her school save “a significant amount of money” on office supplies such as paper and glue sticks. However, Big Y has temporarily suspended that program while it is redesigned. “That missing paper needs to get added to the budget for next year,” said DiLeo. DiLeo said in order to help fill in the gaps in the budget, SMK has been participating in several programs to increase revenue including collecting Box Tops for Education, empty ink cartridges, and empty Capri Sun packets and hosting a magazine drive.
Sawabi said the budget group is moving forward to reduce the remaining $400,000 deficit. By adjusting the district’s current insurance policies, he anticipated that deficit could be reduced by as much as half. All district employees will be completing a survey about insurance that will help determine which policy changes would make the most sense. Sawabi also said union negotiations will start soon and there may be some variables there to consider. According to Sawabi, the main consideration when choosing where to make these difficult budget cuts is to try to keep them as removed from the students as possible.
Budget Subcommittee member Brian Winslow said he hoped the layoffs and other budget cuts would only be for one year. “We’re just looking at 2012,” he said. “It’s hard to predict 2013, 2014 and beyond.” He noted the district is in the same situation as many other districts across the state and across the country. He mentioned the gains the district has made in terms of School Choice and expressed concern that by making “the wrong cuts,” the district could see those numbers slip. “Let’s not go backwards,” said Committee member Danielle Souza.
Paquette noted the district’s current budget freeze might help to recoup some of the $400,000 needed for next year’s budget. He added that because the district locked into a low rate for oil, it might not spend as much as budgeted for heating. Paquette said it’s too early to project how much money might be saved by the end of the school year, but it could be as much as $200,000.
Sawabi said the public would once again have the opportunity to review the proposed budget and offer their input. “If anyone has any ideas on how to generate revenue or ways to save, we want to hear it,” said Winslow.