2008 could be a make or break year for the future of the Monadnock Regional School district. Last January, the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) put the High School on probation, citing serious infrastructure deficiencies, curricular issues and a general lack of public financial support for the schools.
Two months after the initial NEASC report, voters narrowly rejected a staff contract and a modest operating budget, leaving the district to struggle with its fifth default budget in six years. Time is running short for voters to turn things around and demonstrate progress. A positive vote (particularly on Articles 1, 3 & 4) would help get the schools back on track.
Failure to pass the budget and staff contracts would be a serious blow to the district and would move the district one step closer to a loss of accreditation. With this in mind we have developed the following information we hope you will find helpful in guiding your voting decisions.
Article 1: Vote YES…for the Monadnock District Operating Budget
This budget represents a 2.96% increase over last year – lower than last year’s inflation rate. Lack of public financial support has been cited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, (NEASC), as a key reason why the Middle/High School was placed on probation last year. The next NEASC progress report is due this Fall, let’s show them that we support our schools! The School Board and Budget Committee approved this budget.
Article 2: Vote YES…for the SAU Operating Budget
The Monadnock Regional School District, which is part of SAU 38, pays a share of the cost of the SAU’s administrative budget. This proposed budget increased 4.8%. It includes money for a new boiler for the SAU building, a 3% salary pool to be allocated for SAU employee raises, and a personnel change due to the retirement of the payroll manager. The School Board and Budget Committee approved this article.
Article 3: Vote YES…for a new Monadnock Staff Contract
This three-year contract includes major concessions in favor of the district. It includes a pay increase for staff for each year in the contract, but includes no retroactive pay. It doubles the staff contribution toward their health insurance premiums to 20%. Having a staff contract helps fulfill NEASC requirements. The percentage increases are 7.83% in year 1, 8.09% in year 2 and 5.96% in year 3. When spread over five years (three years of the contract plus the last two years when staff received no raises) the average raise comes to 4.6%. The School Board and Budget Committee approved this article.
Article 4: Vote YES…for a new Teacher Contract
The proposed four-year teacher contract includes a wage increase for staff with no retroactive pay for the last two years, when our teachers worked without any raises (or a contract!). The contract also doubles the employee contribution toward health insurance to 20% and phases out early retirement benefits for teachers within three years. Having a teacher contract helps fulfill NEASC requirements. The average annual increase is 4.3% and if you look at it over six years (four years of the contract plus the two years teachers worked without any increases), the average increase for a teacher over the period comes to 2.87%. The School Board and Budget Committee approved this article.
Article 5: Vote YES…to Address Health & Safety-Related
Facilities Maintenance. This article budgets $400,000 to help address the backlog of health and safety-related problems in the schools. Years of failed budgets have left maintenance budgets lacking and the school district’s infrastructure in a sorry state. Fortunately, in recent years voters have approved warrant articles that have provided money to gradually chip away at the backlog. This warrant article continues the work of addressing the most urgent problems.The School Board and Budget Committee approved this article.
Article 6: Vote YES…to Repair Leaking Roofs. This article is a continuation of work
to provide ongoing repairs to worn out and leaking roofs. It puts $123,000 toward repairs at the Wilcox Building, Mt. Caesar Elementary and /or the Middle/High schools. The School Board and Budget Committee approved this article.
Article 7: Vote Yes …to continue emergency fund. This article adds $0 to an expendable trust for emergency repairs. It was placed on the ballot in case emergency funds were needed prior to the deliberative session. They were not. This article continues the fund with no additional monies and has no tax impact. School Board and Budget Committee approved this article.
Article 8: Vote Yes … to set up a building capital
reserve fund. This article will not raise money from taxes. It sets up an account where the district can set aside funds that voters decide to approve for the purpose of building construction and renovation projects. It does not raise funds but simply sets up this account, called the 2009 School Building Capital Reserve. The School Board and Budget Committee approved this article.
Article 9: Vote Yes…to receive monies from Surry Elementary sale into
capital reserve fund. This article does not raise money from taxes. It allows money coming from the sale of the Surry Elementary School to be placed into the 2009 School Building Capital Reserve. This may be used in future years for renovations to address the deficiencies at the Middle/High School that currently threaten its accreditation. Money put into this fund cannot be spent without future approval from voters. The School Board and Budget Committee approved this article.
Article 10: Vote Yes … to discontinue this trust fund. This article has no tax
impact. Two years ago the district set up an expendable trust fund to fund an emergency notification system to alert residents in emergency situations. This has been moved into the general operating budget and is no longer needed. The balance in the account is approximately $95. Both the School Board and Budget Committee approved this article.
Article 11: Vote Yes… to set up Athletics Revolving Fund. A yes vote
establishes a “nonlapsing” (we will not need to vote for it each year) fund where proceeds from ticket sales of high school sporting events can be held. Proceeds will be applied toward expenses related to sports programs. The School Board and Budget Committee approved this article.
Article 12 Vote Yes..housekeeping article.
Article 13 : Vote Yes… To rescind (abolish) the Budget Committee.
Thirty people on two boards is no way to run a school district. In order to tackle the large issues in front of us we need to be organized for success. Most school districts in NH do not have a separately elected budget committee and neither should Monadnock. Having a budget committee wastes time, money and hinders progress towards improving educational outcomes. Let’s stop the blame game by giving the school board the responsibility for the budget and hold them accountable to balance between the needs of our children with our communities’ ability to pay.
Article 14: Vote No…To move 6th graders to the Middle/High School.
It is difficult to understand the intention of this petition article, which was signed by members of the Monadnock Taxpayers Association. It states: “Do the voters/parents of the Monadnock Regional School District want the 6th grade students moved from the individual elementary schools (Cutler, Emerson, Gilsum, or Troy) to the existing Middle/High School facility?” Sending 6th graders to an already overcrowded Middle/High School facility makes no sense.