April 7, 2003

Superintendent's budget will be presented tonight

By Kate Spinner
Daily News Staff

NEWBURYPORT - Superintendent Mary Murray said the fiscal year 2004 school budget will definitely have an "impact on the school system."

Murray recommends asking the city to appropriate $18.3 million for next year's budget. This recommendation includes an increase of $751,578 from last year's $17.5 million budget.

Murray said she couldn't give anymore details about what kinds of impact her recommended budget will have until the School Committee meting tonight at 7 p.m.

"It was a very, very painful process," Murray said about working on the budget. Murray said she followed Mayor Alan Lavender's recommendation to develop a budget that includes an increase of only the contractual obligations.

Then, Murray said, she has developed two different alternatives which is essentially the best and worst case scenarios.

The best includes no additional reductions to the $18.3 million recommended budget. With no additional cuts and a predicted revenue of $1.5 million, the total school budget will be $19.8 million.

Murray said the $19.8 million is where the school needs to be.

The worst case scenario includes a 10 percent reduction or $1.8 million cut to the $18.3 million bringing the total budget, including $1.5 million in predicted revenue, to $18 million. "Just trying to envision what that 10 percent reduction to the schools would look like is very upsetting," Murray said.

Murray said in both scenarios she has developed a prioritized list of where cuts may have to be made. However, she wouldn't give any details on that list.

Murray said her budget doesn't reflect any charter school budget. Reportedly, Newburyport public schools will lose almost $1 million to the charter school next year.

After the School Committee reviews Murray's budget, the committee will prepare its own budget, which will eventually be voted and passed onto the mayor for review. Ultimately, the City Council will vote on the budget.

Also at the meeting tonight, the School Committee will interview Murray's recommendation for assistant superintendent at 6:45. Murray is recommending Deidre Farrell, the current business manager for Concord/Carlisle Public Schools. Farrell has worked there for seven years. Previously, she worked in education and business. The public is invited to attend the interview.

In addition, the School Committee may vote to amend their decision to grant local diplomas to students who fail the MCAS.

A few weeks ago, the School Committee voted unanimously to grant a local diploma to high school seniors who fail the MCAS, but otherwise meet all graduation requirements. Now Murray said she recommends the committee include that students participate in MCAS tutorials in order to receive the local diplomas.