Nancy Barr

Do you think that the continued growth of class sizes will have a positive or negative impact on the district?

I think, if at all possible, I would like to keep the class sizes on the smaller side. But that will depend on how we can manage the budget because we have an obligation to the taxpayers to keep the budget to a reasonable amount.

What are possible alternatives to eliminating teachers’ positions?

The alternatives are eliminating and cutting back on programs, school activities, having larger classes, and raising money.

Larry Engle

What changes will have to be made if class sizes continue to grow?

The specific changes are up to the administrators of each building. Even within each particular school, it’s how the administrators will deal with each change. Some of the things that could happen is you could either have larger class sizes, or they could change the schedule. Every year they look at the schedule itself and see how they could accommodate [the students]…It certainly would be up the High School principal to make the specific changes. He may look at a minimum class size for AP courses–to raise the minimum for an AP course.

What are alternatives to eliminating teachers’ positions?

Increase taxes so you can pay for it—that’s one way to do it. Another is to reallocate funds from a different area. You may cut down in an area that does not involve personnel. Take money from that type of budget line and put it into the personnel budget line. Some of these could be extracurricular activities or non-teacher personnel.

Why did you give administrators a raise knowing that the budget this year would be difficult?

I think that all staff are entitled to getting a raise in the first place. I think the perception is that administrators are on the high end of the spectrum. I’m not sure that that’s an accurate assumption. Administrators are always on the high end of the spectrum in any district. Compared to other districts, they are very average. Some of it is based on an evaluation done a few years ago in our community regarding high turnover rates and what should be done to decrease this. The salaries we pay our administrators certainly benefit the district in that our administrative staff has been quite stable due to these recommendations from the community. If the salaries we pay our administrators help, I think they are appropriate.

Glen Schuster

What were your class sizes like compared to the ones at Blind Brook?

I think there was a pretty wide range just like in Blind Brook. AP classes were sometimes very small, and you could get a math class sometimes in the high twenties. I’d say they are very comparable.

How set is the Board on eliminating teachers’ positions?

The superintendent is the expert and is in charge. They decide what they want to do. Recognizing that the economic times are not the grandest right now, you have to make choices. But, for the most part, it is the superintendent and his team that makes these choices. It could be teachers; it could be curriculum program; it could be athletic programs; it could be other staff. I think you don’t necessarily go for one area.

Why did you give administrators a raise knowing that the budget this year would be difficult?

I think that from year to year, you have to have a plan. Some of the raises were based on performance. One of the things that could have been done is deciding that all raises were not going to be issued. If someone is exceeding or meeting expectations, then not putting raises could be called into question. However, the economic times weigh heavily on that. I think that basically there was a rubric in place, and we decided to before this, with a particular plan that everyone understood. One of the things is to recognize you wanted to have competitive salaries with other districts. You want to not only attract them to Blind Brook but make sure they don’t look somewhere else because of the money. Blind Brook’s administrators’ salaries are not the highest in the county. You have to look at what other towns are doing because you don’t want administrators to think they’re underpaid. You want your administrators to be paid like other administrates in the area. I think one of the things is that there is a high perceived turnover that had gone on in Blind Brook for several years. Pulling raises was not a thing we wanted to do if it could encourage this.

Sheri Zarkower

How did your class sizes compare to Blind Brook’s?

Similar. Very close, if not the same.

Is there anything in particular you will do regarding the budget to avoid eliminating teachers’ positions?

I think that when the superintendent presents his recommended budget it’s going to encompass a well-rounded approach.

Steve Kaplan

What potential problems arise if class sizes continue to grow?

As you know, we’re starting to see some of our largest class sizes ever hitting the high school. There’s good and bad. There are opportunities for more course offerings. This is one of the problems we’ve had in the past, and now we are able to hit the minimum threshold we were not able to reach before. This is something that is positive. On, the negative, in commons, there’s more crowding.

What are possible alternatives to eliminating teacher’s positions?

One way might be to get some voluntary concessions from various unions that we have collective bargaining with. If teachers agree to have reduced salaries next year that would certainly make it easier to not eliminate certain positions.

What is one thing that will be cut if the budget is cut?

The biggest area obviously is in the personnel area. There could be cuts in the athletic program, cuts in extracurricular and cuts in how many field trips–all those other extra type of things that make this school special. Unfortunately you have to look at all these things. The board with the superintendent is trying to spread this throughout all areas so there’s as minimal impact as possible. It’s a school. The classes are what we’re trying to protect more than anything else. Fewer course offerings will go hand-in-hand with fewer teachers. The cuts will be made in all different areas.