School District Warrant Articles

           I want to explain the warrant articles as clearly as I can, so I will make this a two part series (if just "2" constitutes a "series").  I will discuss School District Warrant Articles Numbers 2 and 3 this week (Warrant Article Number 1 is for the election of School Board members- we have two openings this year), and will continue next week with the last two warrant articles that will be presented by the School District to the voters.

           Warrant Article Number 2 asks if voters will approve funding a bond for the purpose of adding an addition and a gym on to the Lamprey River Elementary School. If this is approved, the portables will be removed and ample space will be available for special education needs, guidance offices, physical education classes, and the nurse's office.  The "temporary" portables will be gone and will no longer be an expense (rental fees and maintenance issues).  The bond amount requested is $8,250,000.

           The Building Committee used a needs assessment to determine the following reasons to ask for this bond:  overcrowding, lack of special education areas, physical education held in classrooms, inadequate nursing facilities, closet spaces for guidance, and drop-off and pick-up issues.  Add to this that LRES is built in a flood plain.  This plan calls for flood proofing the original building with a FEMA approved dry flood proofing material. The new addition will be built away from the flood plain and in accordance with the town regulations.

           Warrant Article Number 3 is for the Raymond School District’s Operating Budget.  This is the money raised each year to pay salaries and benefits, purchase supplies and books, and buy everything else from food to heating oil to electricity!  The Operating Budget for the 2016-2017 school year has been approved by the School Board and the Budget Committee at  $23,285,667.   
  . 

            This huge number comes after much work on the part of the Principals, the Facilities Director, Food Service Director, Special Education Director, Technology Director, the Superintendent, our School Board, the Budget Committee, and our Business Administrator, Ron Brickett, who begins the process by calculating the cost of the district employees.  This includes all employees from administrators to teachers to special education aides to kitchen help to custodians.  Our schools are a business and all of these wonderful employees help us to be successful. 

Next, we look at expenses for the coming year.  For the 2016-2017 year our largest "bill" is contractual obligations- those things we must pay due to contracts we have signed.  This includes such things as transportation costs; student tuitions for both special education students and those who attend the Seacoast School of Technology; and rising health insurance costs.  We also have to take our best “guess” about the cost of oil (hopefully, staying down), electricity, insurances, and unanticipated emergencies (think about shoveling snow off the school roofs last year). When all the increases were added together it came to $477,161!  After making cuts and adjustments of more than $326,732, the budget that is proposed is an increase of $150,429 over the current year’s budget.  
             

This is never easy:  putting a price on our students’ education.  But it is a reality and must be done in a sensitive, caring, and thoughtful manner while taking into account the taxpayers.  In 2015-2016 our average cost per student has dropped below the state average.  We put much time, energy and effort into creating this budget and believe it is a budget that will accomplish what we set out to do:  provide the best educational experiences possible for our students while being careful about the concerns of our citizens.  

Thank you for reading about these items.  I will discuss Warrant Articles 4 and 6 next week- just in time for the Deliberative Session!