The School Committee held its first round of budget hearings by department Wednesday night, as it looks to present a level funded budget to the city for approval.

Superintendent Philip Thornton’s recommended $161,135,284 budget for fiscal year 2017, if approved, would include a 1.25 percent ($2,049,279) decrease in expenditures from the most recently approved revised budget of March 8, 2016, while maintaining the current level of community support at $119,482,464.

Although the overall budget would decrease, a number of new initiatives have been included in Thornton’s request, which would be made possible through school consolidation at the secondary level and re-purposing those dollars toward the new initiatives as well as eliminating the practice of using prior year surplus to balance the budget.

New initiatives would include: adding eight new all-day kindergarten classes to bring all-day K to all elementary schools; increased staffing in the form of six math interventionists, social workers, middle school content leadership, and nursing at the elementary level; one-to-one computer devices for students in grades 6-8; 21st Century Modern Classrooms at both junior high schools, featuring Smart TVs and collaboration furniture; new language labs at both high schools; a $2,043,539 increase in programming and purchase services; and a $1,299,037 increase in supplies and materials costs.

According to Chief Budget Officer Anthony Ferrucci, consolidating from three high schools to two (Pilgrim and Toll Gate) and from three junior highs to two (Warwick Vets and Winman) will result in a net reduction of staff in the amount of 51.52 local fund budget full-time equivalents (FTEs). This staff reduction translates to a net salary cost reduction of $4,294,713 and a fringe benefit cost reduction of $1,554,346.

Another notable reduction is in the amount of $3,183,726, which is achieved by not relying on prior year surplus to balance the budget.

ELEMENTARY

Elementary Education Director Lynn Dambruch was first to present. The total amount requested for Elementary is $602,973, which is an increase of $112,745 over the 2016 budget. Major differences include $37,500 in the salaries/substitutes line item; $48,651 in professional development; $15,250 in the conferences/workshops line item; $53,904 in general supplies; and $85,792 in equipment/furniture.

SECONDARY

Secondary Education Director Steven Ruscito requested $851,322 for secondary, an increase of $570,506.64 over the 2016 budget. Among the major differences, are a $10,346 increase in costs to pay for all juniors to take the PSAT and a $200,000 increase in costs for furniture that will be needed for the Warwick Vets Junior High School.

Ruscito said there are an increased number of advanced placement programs in the FY 2017 program of studies at both high schools due to seeing an increased interest in those types of courses. As part of that, there’s a $16,000 cost for professional development advanced placement courses training for teachers to attend a four-day workshop in either Connecticut or Vermont.

Other new initiatives and associated costs in the secondary budget include $128,000 for equipment for middle school electives and exploratory courses; $60,000 for digital photo Mac labs at both high schools; and $63,600 for tech upgrades at Pilgrim.

School Committee member Jennifer Ahearn said she is happy to hear of the emphasis on professional development, which she said needs to happen in order for students to advance with technology.

“We offered three levels of technology training, beginning, intermediate, and blended learning, taught by our faculty during the March 4 professional development day,” Ruscito said. “And we’re planning a half-section for staff to receive four one-hour trainings at the substitute stipend.”

Ahearn said she doesn’t feel like there’s enough professional development in the classroom.

In response, Ruscito said four technology integrators (current staff) have been included in the budget. Those integrators will be available to support their colleagues with tech issues in the classroom.

Athletics

The athletics budget nearly doubled from 2016, mainly due to the addition of middle school sports. The total amount requested for athletics is $614,930, which is an increase of $346,006. In addition to middle school sports at a cost of $169,000 (to account for uniforms, transportation, and coaching salaries), a number of other new initiatives have been requested, including: an athletic trainer at both high schools; professional development for coaches and athletic directors; a student athlete education and concussion assessment; equipment at the middle and high schools; and fitness centers at both high schools.

Ruscito said the district plans to have Warwick participate in all middle school leagues, both boys and girls, which will include: cross country, soccer, basketball, co-ed wrestling, baseball, and softball; there will be no middle school volleyball or swimming. High school athletics will be fully funded and supported from last year, Ruscito said.

“Every student athlete will undergo a concussion assessment in order to establish a baseline for comparison should an athlete develop a concussion later on,” he said. “We’re putting in an athletic trainer at each high school for education, training, and workshops to ensure students are getting proper training and nutrition.”

Ruscito said the number of practices as well as home and away games was looked at to determine the needs of the athletic trainers, which will utilize the 1,600-hour service model used in Lincoln.

Ruscito said the operating budget does not include school locker rooms, but he said there are plans to update both high school locker rooms “so they are clean and comfortable.”

“The showers work, but they need attention and will be addressed in the summer,” he said.

TECHNOLOGY

The total amount requested for the Technology budget is $1,839,600, which is an increase of $391,988 over the 2016 budget.

Technology Director Douglas Alexander said, “We have many new initiatives. We plan to enhance our membership in organizations and increase our attendance at conferences to keep ourselves sharp.”

Alexander said there’s a major need for infrastructure improvement throughout the district, but especially at Pilgrim since it will be nearly doubling in student population. The total infrastructure upgrade cost is projected at $85,000.

New initiatives include Chromebooks for grades 6 and 9; wireless network upgrades or replacements in all buildings; a network security audit to be aware of network vulnerabilities throughout the district; high school CAD lab upgrades; administrative device upgrades; and network enhancements at Gorton, which will used for administrative office space.

BUILDINGS & GROUNDS

The total amount requested for Buildings & Grounds is $4882,883, which is an increase of $524,774 over the 2016 budget. Initiatives include one new heating system and one new roof (to be determined by priority list); new uniforms to identify staff ($38,000); double the painting budget, as building interiors are in need of it; one vehicle replacement; and new lock and key hardware for classroom doors to replace old style hardware for better safety and key control.

Initiatives that were desired but not included in the budget request included a second shift supervisor position; a sidewalk snow remover machine ($38,000); a three-bay 30x60 accessory building for storage, warehousing, and workshop needs, as the district is lacking storage space for warehousing and total inventory control.

BUSINESS AFFAIRS

Ferrucci said there would be an $85,000 reduction due to the elimination of contracted nursing, which will be replaced by redeploying nurses from consolidated schools into the district. He said further cuts have been requested in the superintendent’s office, including: $44,000 in administrative support; $30,000 in legal services; and $27,000 in negotiatons/arbitration.

Transportation

The total request for the Transportation budget is $8,561,455, which is an increase of $1,240,000 over the 2016 budget. Ferrucci said $1.1 million of that increase is due to fuel costs and the addition of eight new buses needed as a result of consolidation. He said the $1.1 million is actually $400,000 less than initial consolidation projections. There is also a $135,000 cost due to a 2 percent contractual increase.

SPECIAL SERVICES

The total request for the Special Services budget is $6,843,753, which is an increase of $485,635 over the 2016 budget.

Thornton said the goal with the Special Services budget is to bring students back in the district. He said the district currently pays approximately $4 million for 120 out-of-district tuition special education students. He said that number is very high in comparison to most other districts, using his former district of Cumberland, which he said is half the size of Warwick, as an example, where he said there were 17 students out of district when he was there.

PUBLIC COMMENT

Following the department presentations was a public comment period.

Tracey McDermott said there were “a half-million dollars’ worth of line items categorized as “other” in the budget and wanted that clarified before the next budget hearing.

“In years past, eliminated positions were listed. We have 51 full-time employees being lost, but we don’t know where they’re coming from; it’s important to know,” she said. “To have the budget for 16 elementary schools be less than athletics makes my head hurt.”

Darlene Netcoh, English teacher and department head at Toll Gate, said she went through the budget twice and found $126,800 in the budget that is not needed, such as the high school fitness centers.

“You should have a full year of P.E. [physical education] instead of electives,” she said. “You need to cut administration, not in the classroom. You’re getting rid of 40 to 50 teachers, who will teach the kids?”