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School system trims budget by 5 percent

What’s in the budget? Things you may not know about

$2,000: Cost to drug test bus drivers — the tests are random

$3,648: Cost to contract services with counsel on Adolescents for abstinence-based education

$3,750: High school graduation event — cut by 25 percent from 2008-09, from $5,000

$2,000: Cost to inspect Alpine tower at Newton-Conover Middle School

By Sarah Newell Williamson | Hickory Daily Record

Published: September 17, 2009

NEWTON - Newton-Conover City Schools will operate on a budget that's 5 percent less than last year.

The school system received an additional 1 percent in money from Catawba County, and while it did receive stimulus money, it received less from the state this year by 11 percent due to the economic crisis. Overall, Newton-Conover City School's budget for the 2009-10 school year is $30,051,627.68, compared with $31,622,463.79 for the previous year.

Some of the cuts the school system made to scale back were easy. Some were a little more difficult.

"This has been one of the toughest years with the reversion, freeze on spending and being in the dark (by the state)," said Kathy Carswell, director of finance for Newton-Conover City Schools.

The system cut some positions, which saved a large chunk of money in salaries and benefits. Salaries comprise 62 percent of the school system's budget, while benefits make up another 17 percent.

Newton-Conover City Schools eliminated two teachers, six teacher assistants and two translators for the school system, said Sylvia White, personnel director for Newton-Conover City Schools. The school system's class size, like the class sizes in Hickory Public Schools and Catawba County Schools, increased by a few students in grades four through 12. State law protects class sizes for kindergarten through third grade.

In addition, no one received raises this year, including the superintendent.

The school system has saved money by not purchasing some textbooks this year, saving several thousand dollars.

"There's still plenty of textbook money there," said Barry Redmond, superintendent for Newton-Conover City Schools. "We can still provide the textbooks we need by being frugal from year to year.

That's one of the funds that carries over from year to year. We can continue to provide books as needed."

The school system also saved money through clever bookwork. Some teaching positions are better served by being funded out of a state positional funding source. Although the process is complicated, it saves the school system money in the long run by allowing more money to be freed up for funds coming from other sources to pay for more things.

"We turned in an ESL position that was about $90,000 in benefits and salary, and we can pay for a less experienced position out of state positional allotment," Redmond said.

Newton-Conover City Schools also saved money this year because ABC bonuses have been eliminated.

"The state didn't do ABC bonuses, and a portion of that is from the NCCS budget," Redmond said, estimating that about $20,000 comes from the school system's budget. "It was eliminated from the 2008-09 school year and the 2009-10 year."

Elementary and middle schools' summer school has been eliminated. Instead, schools are doing three weeks of remediation for students who need it prior to school ending.

"Schools are doing an intense tutoring process," Redmond said. "We're trying to provide support throughout the year and do intervention throughout the year, instead of remediation done later."

If a student doesn't pass his end-of-grade test the first time, he can retest. If he doesn't pass it the second time, Redmond said there are two options left to the principal.

"The student can be retained, or they may be promoted by the power of the principal," he said. "It is up to their discretion if the kid doesn't pass after the second retest."

There are other cuts the school system has made, though, that have come more easily. The system was able to save $50,000 in food costs, just because the bids for bread and milk contracts came back lower due to the economy.

The school system did receive a boost in a few areas, from money from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). The stimulus money was designed to help in two areas: The first is to maintain services and the second is for instructional supplies, Title 1 money and to help teachers get technology.

Newton-Conover City Schools used its stabilization money to keep clerical and custodian positions on staff, Carswell said. The district is receiving $780,431 in stabilization money for two years. It is receiving $1,019,438 in ARRA stimulus money for two years.

The Title 1 money is going to Newton-Conover Middle School, which is going through the qualifications to be a Title 1 school this year, Redmond said. Money is also being used for exceptional children classrooms at Newton-Conover High School, including a new resource classroom, which will have computers with software related to instruction. The school already had two classrooms, and a third was added once the high school science wing was built since the space was available. The money is helping fund occupational therapy and speech therapy positions usually funded with local money, Redmond said.

Once the stimulus money runs out in two years, Carswell said she hopes the state budget will be able to pay for what the stimulus money is funding. If the economy is not in better shape, the district will have to make more cuts.