Newport Public Schools confronts a $900,000 budget shortfall for the upcoming school year, despite implementing 10 staff layoffs and after receiving reduced funding from the city council, Superintendent Colleen Burns Jermain announced during her monthly interview with What’sUpNewp on Wednesday, June 18.
The district balanced its budget by reducing the out-of-district special education line; however, Burns Jermain warns that the gap requires careful monitoring throughout the year. The financial strain comes after the city council voted to provide a 2% budget increase instead of the requested 4%, cutting the school department’s allocation by $500,000.
“We have balanced the budget while reducing our out-of-district special ed line just so we have a balanced budget. But we’re going to have to monitor that line very carefully where we have about a $900,000 gap at this point in time,” Burns Jermain said.
Of the 10 positions eliminated, the district has already called back two employees due to retirements and departures. Burns Jermain expressed hope that additional positions could be restored as the staffing picture becomes clearer.
“The good news is of those 10 layoffs, we’ve already been able to call two people back and we’re hoping that we may be able to pull back more people,” she said. “Everyone has a job that’s just due to union seniority and whatnot, those people all have a job.”
The budget challenges compound as the district prepares for the opening of the new Rogers High School after Labor Day. Staff currently pack belongings from the old building, with movers scheduled to begin transferring items Saturday morning.
Burns Jermain will relocate to the former NACTC building, completing what she calls a “full circle” return to where her Newport career began. The public will get its first comprehensive look at the new facility during a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Aug. 22 (Friday) at 10 a.m.
Construction crews work through final punch list items, including fire alarm system testing and building inspections. The fire department continues inspections, with the building inspector scheduled to examine the roof and other final elements Monday.
“We still have to go through our fire alarm, our alarm system that is working. But the fire department needs to go through its final stages,” Burns Jermain explained.
The district faces additional uncertainty from potential state funding reductions. Burns Jermain estimates the state allocation could be $200,000 less than expected, which would increase the budget gap to $1.1 million or $1.2 million.
Student enrollment projections remain relatively stable, with kindergarten registration pacing slightly ahead of last year. Burns Jermain expects enrollment to remain the same or decrease slightly from current levels.
The district eliminated some positions at the elementary level that could have been cut the previous year, when Pell Elementary had low enough enrollment to eliminate an entire grade level. Burns Jermain chose not to make those cuts while implementing new curriculum and addressing teacher certification issues.
“I literally, at the elementary level, could have eliminated one grade level at Pell, so a K, 1, 2, 3, and 4. I did not purposely do that because we were going through some labor strikes about certification and teachers in the classroom,” she said.
The certification disputes appear to be resolved, with many teachers now voluntarily pursuing Multilingual Learner (MLL) certification or obtaining emergency certification for the upcoming year.
“It’s in the rear view mirror. As far as I believe everyone understands the points that were being raised on both sides,” Burns Jermain said of the labor issues.
Several policy changes await implementation in the new school year. The school committee will consider raising graduation requirements from 20 to 22 credits in August, data shows that 85% of Rogers graduates already earn 22 to 24 credits.
The district also has plans to move fifth grade from Thompson Middle School to Pell Elementary, creating a grades 6-8 middle school configuration. Burns Jermain believes the change provides a more age-appropriate environment for younger students.
“We feel it’s a little bit more age-appropriate for them” to remain at Pell, where “they have a playground,” she said.
A new state law banning cell phones in schools takes effect July 1, requiring enforcement beginning with the new school year. The high school has experimented with phone-free Fridays with limited participation.
“The first three months are going to be very challenging. Very, you know, you’re going to have to stay on top of everyone for this,” Burns Jermain told Principal Vance.
The district expects to announce a new football coach soon. Burns Jermain also announced that second-grade teacher Sybil Grayko received the district’s Teacher of the Year award.
Before the move to the new building, the district will hold a “tag and take” event June 30 from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m., allowing community members to claim furniture, equipment and other items from the old Rogers High School rather than sending them to landfills.
Summer programming continues with various educational activities, including a cyber camp led by a high school student, sailing lessons through Sail Newport, and bike programs. The district’s Jean’s Closet food and clothing pantry will distribute bags to families before the move.
Despite the financial pressures, Burns Jermain remains optimistic about supporting staff and students through emergency certifications and careful resource management as the district navigates its transition year.
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