Budget proposal avoids layoffs
Published 12:11 am Saturday, May 28, 2016
- St. John the Baptist Parish School Board members are reviewing a budget proposal for the 2016-17 academic year that does not include a reduction in fulltime staff members, according to School District leaders.
St. John the Baptist Parish Public Schools offering reduced summer school options
RESERVE — St. John the Baptist Parish School Board members are reviewing a budget proposal for the 2016-17 academic year that does not include a reduction in fulltime staff members, according to School District leaders.
School Board members took the proposed budget under advisement Thursday during their regularly scheduled meeting and anticipate approving a budget June 16 when meeting again.
School District Executive Director of Finance Felix Boughton said the School Board’s finance committee started reviewing the budget this week and would meet again Wednesday to continue the process.
“We will probably meet once or twice a week until everybody’s questions are answered,” Boughton said. “I have cleared my schedule until June 16. I will be here everyday. If somebody has a question, they can show up. If it is a budget question, I will stop what I am doing and try to answer it.
“I’m offering myself to any committee or any group who wants to hear what we have to do and why we have to do it. It’s not a pleasant thing, but the facts are the facts.”
Under the proposed budget, District leaders are grappling with an estimated $6.9 million deficit in revenue for 2016-17 compared with 2015-16 thanks in large part to the loss of one time funds from a BP oil settlement ($2,165,222) and East St. John Elementary insurance proceeds ($3,824,750).
To make up the difference, School District administrators propose cutting $5,672,095 in expenditures from a combination of more than 20 sources.
Before this week’s meeting, School District leaders said fulltime staff members would not lose their jobs, explaining contracts coming to an end this school year may not be renewed and active personnel would be reassigned to positions of need within the District without hiring additional employees.
“We’ve introduced (the budget) to the Board so that the public knows that there is a budget out there that can be reviewed at any time,” Boughton said. “It gives (Board members) three weeks to look at it. We want to make sure that everybody’s questions are answered before you vote June 16 on the final version.”
In other business, Superintendent Kevin George said the School District would offer summer school to students in eighth through 12th grades. There is no charge to eighth grade students and a $50 fee for those in ninth through 12th grades.
The School District’s revenue drain led to the elimination of in-parish summer school options for grades kindergarten through seventh.
Parents of younger students are welcome to seek summer school assistance from private tutors or third party summer schools, George said.
School District leaders ask parents to check with their principals to ensure whichever summer promotion help is sought meets the standard set by the individual school principal.
