Schools Can Save Positions, But Local Boards Question That Wisdom

By Amber Lester Tuesday, March 16, 2010

The General Assembly’s approved budget brought good news for Williamsburg-James City County schools, where decreased costs could save several positions slated to be cut in the superintendent’s proposed budget.

At a joint meeting of the WJCC school board, Williamsburg City Council and James City County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday morning, superintendent Gary Mathews said the GA’s budget reduced the division’s Virginia Retirement System payments by $2,004,702. As a result, Mathews recommended restoring several of his proposed cuts announced last week.

Mathews’ revised budget proposal would restore support positions for an executive director for human resources, a special education instructional specialist, three high school guidance office assistants, eight part-time school receptionist support positions and nine elementary Teacher Assistant positions.  In addition, the budget would preserve 17 instructional faculty positions originally planned to be cut.

Last year, 17 positions were saved from budget cuts when federal stimulus monies became available; the stimulus will be gone, however, by the 2010-11 school year. Mathews also recommended restoring funding for summer school and tuition assistance for teachers.

The good news about the budget didn’t sit well with some supervisors and council members, who worried the school system was “kicking the can down the road,” or delaying the inevitable. Councilman Paul Freiling said he appreciated saving jobs, but wondered if it was wise to restore noninstructional positions. Mathews said he considered tuition assistance, summer school, teacher assistants and guidance counselor assistants all part of instruction in schools.

School officials explained why they felt it was best to restore some cuts. Mathews said that according to the division’s contract with the county and city, it can only keep $500,000 of any surplus. Any additional funds must go into the capital improvement fund. Assistant Superintendent of Finance Scott Burckbuchler added the division anticipates savings from its recently adopted early retirement incentive plan. Employees have until March 31 to opt for early retirement; so far, around 20 people have decided to retire, which would bring in approximately $1 million in savings.

Freiling encouraged the school officials to consider putting the VRS savings toward the increased VRS costs down the line. “So that down the road when we go to kick that can, it’s not so big that it kicks us,” he said.

Supervisor Bruce Goodson was concerned about the plan to add a human resources director position and instead, proposed sharing services with the county’s human resources department. Burckbuchler, who currently oversees human resources in addition to finance, said the division already shares some of the workload with the county. School Board Chair James Nickols said it is an important position in a division with 1,300 employees.

“It can be a very sticky wicket if someone perceives they have a claim,” he said. “It’s taking care of the employees.”

“As long as the public understands we may have to make additional cuts to preserve this job,” Goodson said.

School board member Denise Koch pointed out the board might want to delay any action regarding the human resources position until a new superintendent is in place. In November, Mathews told the board he was pursuing jobs further south because he wanted to be close to his aging father, who lives in Louisiana. Last week, he was named a finalist for a superintendent position in Newton County, Ga.

“If I were coming in as a superintendent, I would not want these decisions to have been made ahead of time,” said John Alewynse, a school board member.

Supervisor Jim Icenhour said he would like to see some real in-depth analysis of the division’s funding requirements. “But looking at the budget, I see that is a real false ray of hope,” he said.

Williamsburg Vice-Mayor Clyde Haulman echoed his sentiments, saying, “We will be in economic hard times for a long time. I’m not hearing what schools and the school board are doing to transition to a different way of operating.”

Alewynse said the school board has attempted to address how the division could be more efficient, but did not have the time to do the necessary in-depth analysis. “No, we have not had that conversation, but it cannot be under the duress of making the budget” by April 1, he said.

While the joint meeting was dominated by budget talk, time was also devoted to discussion of the redistricting of elementary and middle schools. Nickols told the city and county leaders the board has tried to balance the concerns of the citizens and the needs of the school board.

“We’re not going to make everyone happy,” he said.

School Board member Joe Fuentes explained the challenges that lie ahead, namely adjusting the capacity for the elementary schools. Rawls Byrd Elementary is currently at 95 percent capacity, while the new school, J. Blaine Blayton, is under 85 percent capacity.

Fellow board member Ruth Larson said moving any neighborhood creates a domino effect; if neighborhoods come out of Rawls Byrd, the students then go to Clara Byrd, then some Clara Byrd neighborhoods move on to Matoaka and so on.

Fuentes shared that he had come up with his own redistricting maps and had concluded the neighborhoods with the most potential to change schools are on News Road and the Longhill corridor, both part of his district.

“I’m going to get slaughtered on this,” he said. “But no one is going to be happy.”

The redistricting plans must be finalized by mid-April to begin drafting bus routes.