WESTFIELD – At the Special School Committee meeting on May 28, Superintendent Stefan Czaporowski presented an amended budget proposal that was $3 million less than the first one presented on April 6, including the elimination of an additional 33 positions. The School Committee is scheduled to vote on the proposal June 1.
Mayor Donald F. Humason, Jr. had asked the district to cut more than $4 million of the city’s anticipated $8.1 million shortfall for fiscal year 2021.
“We are short of the $4 million goal,” Czaporowski said before presenting the revised budget of $61,320,439. He said the original budget presented in April already included $1.1 million in cuts and fourteen fewer positions, including some by attrition and unfilled positions, because the district did not receive anticipated Student Opportunity Act funds.
Czaporowski said several weeks ago they were made aware of the expected deficit in the city budget..“WIth the significant loss of funding, we have a revised budget. We tried to stay true to district strategies while closing the budget deficit. It’s been very difficult in a lot of ways, very difficult when you don’t have a number. When the state funding does come out, I fear that we’ll have to revisit the budgets once again,” Czaporowski said.
The 33 positions to be cut in the new proposal include English language, math, and literacy coaches, an elementary band teacher, a social studies supervisor, and HVAC/plumber that serve district-wide; six kindergarten paraprofessionals at Abner Gibbs, Highland, Munger Hill and Paper Mill; an English as a Second Language teacher that serves Highland and Munger Hill; a first grade and a half-time music teacher at Paper Mill; a secretary, music teacher and ESL teacher at Westfield Intermediate School; a library para and math, special education, science, social studies, ELA and reading teachers at Westfield Middle School; a career center para, graphic arts and construction shop assistants at Westfield Technical Academy; a library para, special education, physical education and half-time criminal justice teachers at Westfield High School; and a preschool teacher and classroom para at Fort Meadow.
Czaporowski said principals were informing the affected employees on Thursday morning.
In addition to layoffs, savings were anticipated in transportation by hosting remote summer schools for special education students. He said a restructure of assistant principals, supervisors and coordinators also brought $40,000 in savings.
The shop teachers at Westfield Technical Academy gave up $50,000 in their shop accounts; and the site budgets of all the schools were cut by 10 percent across the board.
Increases to the budget include $55,000 in out-of-district fees for two students that signed up for animal husbandry at Smith Vocational after the deadline was extended; a program that is not offered in Westfield.
Czaporowski said $1.1 million in CARES Act funding recently granted to the district, that was intended for two years, is included in the budget proposal. He also said that there will be an additional savings to the city of health insurance for the district employees that were cut, which Chief Financial Officer Ronald R. Rix estimated at approximately $500,000.
Czaporowski said to get to the four million would include cutting extracurricular activities, fall athletics, any assistants for kindergarten teachers, additional chromebooks and technology, “when we need it the most,” and custodians who he said are needed to go back to school safely.
“Additional cuts keep us unsafe in terms of cleanliness and compliance. I know that we didn’t reach it. The amount of cuts that we have gone through, ought to let people know the severity of our situation,” Czaporowski said. He also said further cuts would mean bigger class sizes.
Following the proposal, School Committee members engaged in a heated debate with the mayor over the budget. While some said they would reluctantly support the revised proposal with no more cuts at the June 1 vote, at least one member said he would not.
“I’m an emphatic no on this budget,” said Bo Sullivan. He said with the students at home, there is no way for the district to do what it needs to do with such drastic cuts.
Sullivan also questioned the need to do the budget at this time when surrounding communities are waiting for more numbers to come in from the state and federal governments.
“Why do we need to go so far out in front of the ball, when no one is even talking about it. I am an emphatic no. If the City Council tells us we have to cut half of the budget deficit, when does the School Committee get half of the Free Cash. There’s also a Stabilization Fund,” Sullivan said, adding, “I don’t know how the city budget is being constructed. I think there are some grants coming our way. We’re doing a disservice.”
Heather Sullivan noted that the district has to stay in compliance with special education requirements. “There are certain laws that protect special education students. We’re hitting it pretty hard at this amount. We have to hold our line on special education,” Sullivan said, adding, “Stefan, I don’t know where you go from here. The kids are (already) behind.”
“Before we ask for what’s next, he’s got to consider that there will be many more cuts coming down the pike. We have no hope at the moment either from the state or the federal government. This $8 million is what I need now,” the Mayor said.
“Strictly, it’s being asked for because we don’t have that money. The state isn’t looking to do their budget until August. They’re already cutting local aid to cities and towns and educational money by 10%. We’re not just protecting this $4 million – I have to ask the School Department and other departments to start looking at the several million we’ll need for the next round,” Humason added.
Cindy Sullivan asked Humason how he got to the $4 million cut for the School Dept. and how it came to be half of the projected deficit of $8.1 million..
“Because the school budget is actually larger than the city budget,” Humason said, adding that the numbers came from the city auditor, “an $8 million hole, $4.1 million from departments, $4 million from school.”
“We have thousands of students to educate. That’s not a fair formula. You can’t put a price tag of half of what needs to be cut on the School Department. I am not supporting any more cuts at all,” Cindy Sullivan said.
“No disrespect to anyone, but for years, all we’ve had to do is listen from the City Council how every year the School Department goes up. From the time we started public schools, it’s always been the most expensive department in the city, because that’s what we want to invest in. I will approve this $3 million, but I will not approve a $4 million budget cut,” said Diane Mayhew.
Ramon Diaz, Jr., agreed. He said he also has a child in the school system, and understands the city government, but asked that the rationale that because the school department is half the budget, they take half the cut not be applied. “We do have students; we have to invest in their future. I just ask that what the school district has presented is the bare minimum, beyond the bare minimum, and as we look forward, we take that into account,” Diaz added.
“I think everybody has said a lot of good things,” said School Committee Vice-Chair Tim O’Connor. “It’s not an attack on the Mayor or City Council. There is a lot of passion and emotion, but it is Important to understand that we are in extraordinary times. I will say to our colleagues that we have to do our share. I think the budget that Stefan, (and his team did) brings us down to a bare bones level. It puts us in a position where we can’t lose any more,” O’ Connor said.
O’Connor also said if the School Department is being asked to contribute half, then there has to be Free Cash and Stabilization that they get for their budget. “I will support this budget, but it’s not ideal. I’m not for layoffs. As aggressive as this budget is, if we have to move it any further, it’s going to have a detrimental effect. I understand some of my colleagues might not be in favor of it, I”m in favor of it, but no more cuts,” he said.
Cindy Sullivan asked for clarification on the process after the School Committee votes on a number. Rix said the number approved by the School Committee becomes a line item in the city budget. He said the mayor can approve it or cut it further, and the City Council can approve it or cut it further, but not add to the amount.
The School Committee’s vote on the budget will take place at a remote meeting on June 1 a 7 p.m. Public participation is welcome by email, and will be read into the record if the name and address of the sender is included in the body of the email, and it is sent to: [email protected].
Several emails that were sent before Thursday’s meeting could not be read into the record, because there was no name and address, or they had not been sent to the proper email.
One email from parent Rachel Bullock was properly sent and read into the record. Bullock said asking for a cut of over $4 million at a time when children have suffered emotionally and educationally, was “shameful and a slap in the face.”
“More money will be needed not less. Please consider what these kids have gone through,” Bullock said.
“We are in ambiguous times, and we don’t know the numbers, so it’s very difficult to vote on a budget right now,” Czaporowski said after the meeting.
