Oxford School Board Approves $25.4 Million Budget

The Board of Education unanimously approved a $25,415,480 operating budget for the 2010 – 2011 fiscal year Tuesday.

The budget shows a spending increase of $1,195,000 — or 4.9 percent — from the current budget.

Rose McKinnon, board chairman, said the increase is due to rising health insurance costs, proposed new staffing and state mandated special education costs.

Finance Director Al Pullo could not provide the final percentages Wednesday, but here are some of the areas to where more money is going:

Special Education: Increasing by $391,000

New Teachers: $479,000

Health Insurance: $700,000

McKinnon said the budget focuses on lowering class sizes, updating textbooks and addressing computer needs in the district.

“All the things we set out to do are intact,” she said.

The board anticipates hiring five teachers and four non-certified staffers a throughout the district in the budget to address increasing class sizes.

According to a March 2008 study prepared by Superintendent Dr. Judy Palmer, class sizes in throughout the district range from 22 students in kindergarten to 28 students in eighth grade. 

Staff increases include a third grade and fourth grade teacher at Center School, a social worker and a special education teacher at Center School and a technical instructor at Great Oak School.

Non-certified positions in the budget include a custodian and a clerk/typist at the high school, a paraprofessional for Quaker Farms School and a special education paraprofessional for the district.

However, reductions in the budget include eliminating the assistant principal from Great Oak Middle School and a financial services assistant paid for through the American Reinvestment Recovery Act.

Board member Paula Guillet opposed cutting the assistant principal, noting in past years the board fought to have that position included in the budget.

“I don’t want to see things moving backward,” she said.

Oxford High School Principal Frank Samuelson agreed.

“To think that the principal at Great Oak School can handle all of the responsibilities is unfair,” he said.

Board member Mike Macchio said the cut was made due to the high cost of health insurance.

“It was a tough decision to make,” he said. ​“No one wanted to do that.”

McKinnon added the position could possibly be added back at a later date, if money is freed up through retirements.

The budget now goes to the Board of Finance for budget workshops before being presented at a town meeting May 3.

The town has scheduled a referendum for both the town and education budgets on Tuesday, May 11.

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