Officials: Budget Cuts Won't Affect Students' Education

As some districts deal with closed schools and mass teacher layoffs, Westport’s classrooms appear to remain comparatively unscathed in $250,000 of budget cuts proposed by Superintendent of Schools Elliott Landon.

“I think we maintained the promise that we wouldn’t cut our programs and services or increase class sizes,” said Landon. “I think it was very fiscally responsible in that it made sure the kids have everything we think they need in order to be successful.”

The $112.4 million school budget, a 1.65 percent increase over the current year, has . However, the effects of $250,000 in cuts were unknown until Landon’s announcement on Monday.

Of the quarter-million, $100,000 will be saved by taking money from the health insurance reserves, which Landon described as “ample.” Projected enrollment changes will results in savings by eliminating .1 physical education positions and .6  English as a second language instructors.

Having fewer personnel at some school events is expected to keep costs down. For a program aimed at transitioning student to high school, having fewer guidance counselors and psychiatrists over the summer is expected to save $10,000. Starting next year, teachers and paraprofessionals will no longer lead the freshman tours. By having high school students lead the tour, $15,000 can be saved.

The Board of Education will vote whether to approve the specifics in two weeks, and the proposal was already met with praise.

“I congratulate the superintendent and the principals for finding bits and pieces that, when they’re all added up, came to the total we were striving for,” said James Marpe, vice chairman of the Board of Education.

Chairman Don O’Day reiterated that the cuts won’t be felt inside the classroom.

“100,000 of the 250,000 coming from insurance and not the classroom was very helpful,” he said.