As Board Talks Budget, Parents Ask for Library Paras

As the Board of Education continues its budget talks, some parents are asking the library paraprofessionals that were eliminated last year be added back for the next school year. 

The positions were eliminated in an effort to cut the budget, which has caused elementary school libraries to be closed on occasion during the school day. At last week's board meeting, some district employees and parents spoke about how the lost resource is affecting students' access to information and independent study.

"If the library media paras are not restored this year there is little likelihood it will happen in the future and the erosion of the program will be much worse over time," said Bill Derry, the district's coordinator of information technology and literacy. "This is much bigger than most people can see. It's the foundation of the library media program. I ask you consider restoring the library media paras."

Susanne Armstrong, a mother to five children and volunteer at Greens Farms School, said the board made a mistake by cutting the library paraprofessionals last year. 

"The library is closed to the students now and it's something you are deeply going to regret and 10 years from now you are going to see it in your test scores, in your graduation," Armstrong said. "I ask you not to continue cutting the paraprofessionals. It's a job that's needed. It's a job that's demanded."

Fellow parent and Greens Farms School volunteer Marianne Goodell agreed, saying that when children notice the library is closed it becomes undependable as a place to spend free time for independent study.

"The library is very critical for that and we will see this down the road as the kids move on to middle school and high school," she said. "The reason they do such amazing things at the high school may be because at the elementary school they were given an opportunity to do such amazing independent research."

Westport Public Schools Superintedent Elliott Landon said tough choices had to be made to propose his budget of $97.3 million, which is a 2.9 percent increase over last year. 

"When we attended the Board of Finance meeting, I got the distinct impression we may be asking 2.9, but it's feasible the Board of Finance may be thinking zero," Landon said. "... That's really frightening because that would mean a $3 million cut."

District officials said they would get back to the board with the exact number of hours the libraries are closed to students in the elementary schools.

The board is scheduled to meet at 7:30 tonight at Staples High School to continue evaluating budget needs for the upcoming 2010-2011 school year.

To view the proposed budget online, click here.