The Berlin Community School Board of Education approved its 2019-2020 tentative budget at its meeting Wednesday, March 20. The budget will be submitted to the executive county superintendent of schools for approval.
The tentative budget is $12,808,461, which includes $11,754,764 in operating funds and $572,500 in debt service payments. The total local tax levy is $8,063,655.
The school will receive $3,990,939 in state aid, approximately a 2 percent increase in the amount it received the previous year.
School administration would not comment on the expected increase or decrease in taxes at this time.
A public hearing regarding the budget has been scheduled for Thursday, April 25 at 7 p.m., and will be followed by the regularly scheduled board of education meeting.
Also at the meeting, the board passed a motion to place Superintendent of Schools Kristen Martello on administrative leave with salary and benefits. The resolution also states Martello is not allowed to enter “any district property, except to retrieve personal items under escort of the school resource officer.”
Additionally, all district property belonging to Martello is to be returned and, effective immediately, she may not access district files.
The format in which the public can address the board is continuing to undergo a change, according to interim Acting Superintendent Joseph Campisi, and was discussed at the meeting, but it’s continuing to be worked through committee. At a previous meeting, a board member had pitched the idea of removing the three-minute timer from the screen behind the board, as well as allowing more time and ways for residents to sign up for the public portion to allow their voices to be heard.
The board approved numerous donations to BCS, much of which came from the Berlin Community School and Home Association. Despite his short time here, Campisi says he’s already noticed how much those involved the association work to care for students and their education.
“They’re very generous and I’m very thankful for what they give,” Campisi said.
Included in the donations are five keyboards for classrooms for iPads, championship jackets for the field hockey team, SmartMusic and multiple items to assist with the STEAM program, such as VR goggles and Chromebooks.
Lastly, the search for a new superintendent of schools is moving forward after the district received input from the community and faculty.
This past week, a focus group met at Berlin Community School comprised of teachers and parents to discuss what they would like in the next superintendent, including resume items, education, vision and more. Parents and faculty were also able to respond to a survey highlighting their individual thoughts.
According to board President Jocelyn Lewis, the combined information will be given to the search committee, comprised of eight individuals, who will use such information to comb through resumes for what might best fit what the collective community wants in the next superintendent.
Lewis says the goal would be to hire the next superintendent by the beginning of July, but before the beginning of the next school year would be a positive as well.
After the committee has chosen the final two or three candidates, Lewis says the community will have the opportunity to meet them and hold a question and answer session.
“At that point, it will be a non-confidential search and the community will be able to come out to a community forum where the candidates will do a short presentation and take questions and answers from the audience,” Lewis said.
