Thursday, April 18, 2013

An interesting time of year....

An interesting time of year....



Somehow, regardless of the month, weather is always a worthy topic of discussion in our area. This year, I see an unfortunate similarity between the unsettled nature of our weather conditions in April and the uncertainty associated with the tasks of organizing and proposing next year’s budget; the state’s negative stance on funding for public education has ensured that this is so.  Sadly, mid-April has also been a time of tragedy:
·      April 17, 1961 – failed Bay of Pigs invasion – how many of you remember that? (You don’t have to answer.)
·      April 19, 1993 – Branch Davidian compound standoff ending in tragedy
·      April 18, 1995 – Oklahoma City bombing of a federal building
·      April 20, 1999 – Columbine HS massacre
·      April 16, 2007 – Virginia Tech gunman rampage
·      April 15, 2013 – Boston Marathon bombing

Described by experts on terrorism as a “soft target,” the Boston Marathon was an event at which no one would anticipate violence of this nature.  Fortunately, the medical personnel, on hand to assess or treat runners as they completed the marathon, are credited with saving many lives with their quick triage response.  We at Central Cambria join the rest of the country in thought and prayers for those whose lives were taken, injured or forever changed by this tragedy. 

My wife had qualified for and run the Boston Marathon many years ago.  She remembers the celebratory atmosphere as families celebrated Patriots Day (an official holiday in Boston) with barbecues and picnics along the route.  I think it is safe to say that the Boston Marathon will be forever changed; how sad.  As an aside, our daughter Morgan was in Boston last week to present at a medical conference and stayed at a hotel one block from the bombings.  Fortunately, she flew home the Saturday before the race. This vignette serves to remind us just how suddenly our lives can be disastrously affected by the unanticipated actions of others.

On the subject of security, reflective of its commitment to the safety of our students and staff, our Board approved several security enhancements at all buildings. Installment will take place during the summer. The questions any superintendent has to consider when it comes to safety are “How much is too much?” and “How much is not enough?”  While it is true that one cannot put a price tag on safety, we must consider a two-pronged reality: first, we must live within our budget to remain fiscally sound, and; second, we must reluctantly acknowledge that the adage, “Where there’s a will, there’s a way,” applies to those who wish us harm. It is my hope that the federal government will provide some money for districts to continue their efforts toward a safe environment for students, our most precious possessions.

Mrs. Kaschalk, our business manager, will present the district’s user-friendly budget outline for the public on April 18.  Her presentation will show that almost 70% of our district’s budget is a fixed cost with zero “wiggle room.”  Each line item was scrutinized to see if a reduction or elimination was warranted.  For one thing, we have determined that hiring fewer teachers than the number of teachers retiring will lead to a very small small increase in class size. I do sincerely apologize to our teaching staff for the need to do this but, fortunately or not, enrollment is dropping across grade levels so this is a viable way to save money. We have also renegotiated our out-sourced services contracts in order to get better rates. Finally, we have implemented many of our own special education programs and services, which is far more cost-effective than contracting such services through the intermediate unit.

Our district continues to do wonderful things for our students, even with less money.  This is a source of satisfaction for me, board members and taxpayers but no district can function indefinitely with a monetary deficit; it is inevitable that, unless circumstances change, districts will be forced to sink into deficit spending. The governor’s proposed budget includes a minimal increase for our district – but this amount does almost nothing to offset the costs we incur to pay for unfunded or underfunded mandates.  For this reason, I must report that the cuts in place for the current school year will continue next year as well. 

The Board and I are determined to maintain programs and services that benefit our students even as we work to balance the budget.  As always, I urge you to contact the governor and/or your local legislators. Make your voice heard! Let officials know that public education is a critical investment in our children.  As costs continue to go up, and districts look to make ends meet, inadequate funding will undoubtedly have a negative impact on the youth of our society, and on our own well-being and safety. Consider this telling fact: Pennsylvania spends more money on its prisons than on its schools.

On a lighter note, I recall that last year at this time I wrote in my blog, “The Pens are pretty much history this year, and rightfully so.”  This year they are making history with the number of wins and shutouts (what a difference a year can make).  But how far into the playoffs will they go without their leading scorer, Sidney Crosby? Let’s hope that newcomers to the team can offset the loss of this star player. And it gives me great joy to note that the NFL schedules have been released, the draft begins April 25, the Blue and White game is this weekend, and voluntary NFL workouts have begun.  Is it possible? Does anyone else smell football in the air?

Dr. D.






No comments: