Education Officials Review the State of Tolland Schools

Tolland schools are in for another lean year after budget cutbacks by the town and the Board of Education have left school administrators to make reductions in instructional materials, staff and other classroom necessities.

Tolland Superintendent of schools William D. Guzman presented a "State of the Schools" Monday at Tolland High School, along with the town's four school principals. The aim of the meeting, attended by about 35 people and sponsored by the Tolland PTOs,  was to inform the community about where the schools stand currently, and what kind of impact further financial cutbacks could have.

Citizens will be able to vote at the first budget referendum Tuesday, May 3 on a $35.1 million schools budget, a 3.93% increase from last year’s $33.8 million budget.

The Board of Education had originally requested a $36 million budget for the next fiscal year.  The town sent the budget back to the school board with the bottom line reduction last month.

Guzman said the $880,000 reduction the schools have to make already this year is negatively impacting classrooms.

Tom Swanson, principal of Birch Grove Primary School, said his school will not receive any new library books for the fifth year in a row, and there is no money in the budget for upper level reading material. Supply money in all curriculum areas, including art and technology, has been significantly reduced, Swanson said.

Class sizes will also be increased, and there are concerns about having enough support for children with special needs, he said. The next step is staff reductions, Swanson said.

On a positive note, this year is the first with a full-time math interventionist, which was funded by an education jobs grant, said Swanson, and he hopes that that position will be retained for next year, too.

The library books, Swanson said, are in rough shape due to many years of use.

“It’s a good problem to have – it means our books are being read,” he said. “But we’d like to continue to keep it stocked with good books.”

On his wish list, Swanson said he’d like to maintain current staff, obtain a social worker, and enrichment teacher, more support for teachers to evaluate incoming 3-year-olds, additional SmartBoards (the school has four), more books and another custodian.

Jim Dineen, principal at Tolland Intermediate School, said his class sizes at the moment are manageable.

“But clearly there are things we need, like maintaining our current staff ratios,” he said.

Social workers are a growing need, Dineen said, as more and more students and families with special needs are coming up through the schools.

On Dineen’s wish list: maintaining current class sizes, obtain a social worker, a certified reading teacher, a technology paraprofessional, more guided reading materials for grades 3-5, multi-level curriculum materials and a playground.

“People have told me, ‘just have the PTO buy a playscape for you,’” said Dineen. “But what people don’t realize is that money from the PTO is going more and more toward necessities, rather than wants.”

Dr. Walt Willett, principal of Tolland Middle School, said his school’s needs center around staff and program materials.

During last year’s cuts, the world language program was cut completely, however with the education jobs grant, a French and a Spanish teacher were brought back. This year, those teachers, plus a math support teacher, are again, not in the budget. Also, an assistant principal, the ROPE program, a family and consumer sciences teacher, technology teacher, art teacher and computer teacher have all been eliminated, he said, on top of intramural sports and general program funding reductions.

“These teachers are not in the budget, unless we can find support for it,” Willett said.

Willett said the middle school is also in need of a social worker or guidance counselor to replace a previously eliminated position.  The current ratio of 1 counselor to about 373 students, he said, is much too high.

“This ration is not recommended by the state, and it needs to change,” Willett said.

Also, he said, the school could use some more text books, workbooks and library books, as well as teen leadership and anti-bullying program materials.

Willett said that the strength of the school system in Tolland is its parents, staff and paraprofessionals.

“Our weakness is the continued budget and program cuts,” he said. “What’s getting lost is becoming more and more important.”

Tolland High School Principal Dominque Fox said her school has been able to maintain the same staff levels from last year, but those class sizes are, mostly, all above state averages. In Algebra I, for example, she said average class size is 23.3 students, while the state average is 18.9 and the District Reference Group average is 17.9.

“Also, many of our elective courses are near or at maximum capacity,” Fox said.

The journalism, geology, and physical science classes have all been eliminated due to budget cuts, she said.

Fox said her school needs additional staff for core academics and elective classes and in supervisory positions. Also, 30-year-old textbooks need to be replaced as well as obsolete computer software.

Guzman spoke briefly about Tolland’s standing in the state, in terms of per pupil spending and staff salary range. He said in most cases, Tolland falls below average.

He showed a chart showing Tolland as ranking 163 in the state for staff salaries per student.

 “You all hear about how Tolland’s teachers are well paid or even over paid,” Guzman said. “Well this shows they’re not. We’ve also heard that about the administration – that we are top heavy. We are by no means. We’re a lean, mean machine.”

Guzman said he hopes that enough people will come out to pass the budget the first time.

“Every year the Friends of the Schools work very hard to get the word out, and that’s a good thing,” Guzman said. “I’m hoping we get enough support to pass the budget May 3.

At last year’s first referendum, the budget failed by 119 votes. This year, he said, about 1,400 votes will be needed to get it through.

“It’s important that the 3.93% increase is passed,” Guzman said. “If we don’t get it, I fear our district is at a crossroads.”