By Margaret Hopper

Silver Schools board and administration held a special GÇ£information onlyGÇ¥ meeting Thursday, April 6, with all board members present: Justin Wecks, Patrick Cohn, Ashley Montenegro, Frances Vasquez and Mike McMillan, chairman. The meeting began at 5:00 and adjourned just after 6:00 p.m. All presenters appeared to be well prepared and a lot of information was given in a short period of time, with support from PowerPoint-« visuals throughout, where figures and key facts were given.

The stated purpose was to inform the board and community, along with others, especially district staff, of the realities facing the 2017-2018 budget. McMillan introduced Superintendent Audie Brown, who explained the continuing cuts from the State of New Mexico, forcing creative solutions from administrators to keep everything possible for students and their academic needs in the coming year.

As the budget must be addressed, "it canGÇÖt wait any longer," he had called for options from his staff and principals to suggest where changes could be made with the least impact on school, students and community. He gave the background of these findings, noting that academics, Title I and other major considerations were being protected, then turned the next phase to Candy Milam, assistant superintendent and director of federal programs.

Milam and her assistant, Michelle McCain, gave projections of student numbers, expected SEG (state equalization guarantee) funding per student by the state, and what the district might expect in terms of the continuing cuts that would come soon. As those could be anywhere from 1.5 percent to 5 percent, she and her assistant had prepared figures for the GÇ£worst possible scenario,GÇ¥ at 5 percent.

The page of revenue sources included the SEG figure of $20,864,069, less than last year, and some eRate funds of $200,000, and a few other figures, including the $12,000 now coming in from the Verizon Tower, for a final total of projected revenues, $21,116,069.

The next pages gave expense projections, starting with salaries, substitute and benefits costs, which now take a larger percentage of the total operational budget, as other things have been reduced. By including substitutes in the salary figures, these would likely be about 91.87 percent of the budget, a higher percentage than in the past, but the effort would prioritize salaries and people.

The expense expectations then went on to utilities, insurances, land and equipment rentals, the annual audit and other expenses, JPPO expenses, (that department had written a grant to get the funds, which the District will dispense.) The board, itself, would have expenses; $50,000 for legal fees, and with travel, training, legal notices and other fees, she placed about $85,000 in that category. When all parts were figured in, expenses came to a little over $22,000,000, with the shortfall of just over a million dollars.

That is the GÇ£worst caseGÇ¥ figure. If cuts are not 5 percent, (and 3 to 3.5 percent is possible), the District could come out better. But rather than cross fingers and hope, Brown and his people were looking at a four-day week scheduling for next year to give some possible relief. By looking at available research and similar information, they raised the possibility of benefitting from a four-day scheduling,

Evidence suggests that utilities may not be much savings, but expected cuts to substitute and bus driver expenses might help, as more substitutes are hired for Fridays, with other days being progressively fewer, and Mondays the least. The District would avoid cutting actual salaries of maintenance, cafeteria and similar staff, it was said.

And there were other, non-financial benefits cited, such as both teacher and student morale, better attendance for both groups, fewer interference issues from business, medical and athletic requests. The big difference would be the question of child care for families with working parents. And children who are already struggling may find it harder to catch up.

At this stage, no decisions have been made. A committee is being formed to investigate, starting next week, with one representative from each school. Leslie Ormand, principal of Harrison Schmitt Elementary, and Jason Ping, principal of Opportunity High, who now has nearly a year of experience with four-day scheduling and all that went with that transition, are at its head.

Wecks asked if community would be on that committee; no, in this initial search period, it was a district project with plans to create some options. The community-parent phase would come as soon as it was reasonable and practical. They would be included. This meeting tonight was an effort to inform everyone that changes must come, but it was so early, the district needed time to do its part. This was very early and information would come out when it was available. Surveys aimed at students, parents and others might make a good starting place.

The committee was planning an informational briefing for parents and community on four-day week. Ping made the time comparisons between four- and five-day school years. The contact hours at high school would be 1080 and for elementary schools, 990 contact hours. The school calendars would look very different from a five-day plan.

Milam had done her paperwork, and she went through the known facts that would create the base for the coming planning. Moving 6th graders back to elementary schools might help them quite a bit, she said. La Plata could be a challenge for them.

Sixth Street would be reconfigured to take the pre-kindergarten, all kindergarten children and some other groups, perhaps the developmentally delayed, El Grito Head Start, and others to be determined. The peer groups would all be more similar, the playground equipment would be more for the same-aged groups.

Jose Barrios would be grades one through six, with self-contained special education students. Harrison Schmitt would be 1-6. Stout would be 1-6 with Little Lambs Daycare. La Plata would have grades 7 and 8 and self-contained special ed class; Cliff and Silver and OHS would remain unchanged. All schools would have their special education classes.

Then she looked at the schools from another angle. With the present numbers of children known, the teacher-to-pupil ratios were figured. All kindergartens would be 20:1 with one instructional aide. Others, 21:1 or even 24:1. Teachers were counted and in place. By this re-clustering, they could reduce the needed number of teachers but not cut staff.

On the Title I staff, there are presently 3 resource teachers at Schmitt, 2 at Stout, 1 each at Barrios and Sixth Street, etc. With reconfiguration, that could become 4.5 instructional coaches shared among at La Plata, SHS, and among Stout, Barrios, Schmitt and Sixth Street. Quite a difference, and a savings. And two curriculum coordinators, one for secondary and one for elementary.

(The above statement about instructional coaches and the curriculum coordinators is presumed to be correct, but without verification, there could be misunderstanding. Also, two paragraphs above, the DD Pre-K might not mean developmentally delayed. After not getting verification by the deadline, this is submitted with these explanations. MH)

At present, there are both some overlapping and some gaps. The system will be more efficient. There will be one curriculum developer for elementary and one for secondary schools. Milam said by this regrouping plan, there were also other potential benefits for the kids, still not stated, but that would enrich what they presently have. These are possible, but not yet decided.

Brown said that with all the extra activity this April, the board meeting will be on the 25th, the fourth Tuesday, not the usual third Tuesday. There can be community input at that time. But this meeting is only for information, to get the ideas out there. Much more will follow.

After this, board members asked a few quick questions. One pointed out that the four-day versus a five-day week would have to be board approved, but the configuration plan was administrative in nature, and was not subject to a board vote, the member was told.

While the four-day plan should result in some savings, the reconfiguration should also result in savings, up to $360,000 for the year. Brown said the proposed changes included the three-position reduction at the Central Office. They were approaching a balanced budget, and if the percentage of cutting was reduced, they might make it into the black.

The meeting adjourned shortly after 6:00 p.m.