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NORWALK, Conn. – Five Norwalk teaching positions were restored at Tuesday night's Board of Education meeting, using Medicaid reimbursement funds and money that was meant for unemployment payments. Board members agreed not to "kick the can down the road" with other funds that were available, declining to use that money to reinstate more teachers.
Several school system employees and residents urged the board to consider reinstating library staff. But board members Rosa Murray, Mike Lyons, Mike Barbis, Sue Haynie and Jack Chiaramonte voted unanimously to approve Superintendent Susan Marks' latest restoration budget, reinstating the five elementary school teaching positions and one assistant principal position.
That was a distribution of $470,530. Five assistant principals – Marybeth Crupi, Hugh McKeirnan, Jenna Masone, Patti Mattera and Christopher Weiss – have resigned, relieving the board of $75,000 in unemployment payments. That was added to the $365,606 in Medicaid reimbursements announced last week.
The $475,000 leftover from the last budget year was also discussed. Chief Operating Officer Elio Longo recommended using the money to pay down the school board's debt to the city's health insurance fund, which covers school employees. But Kendall Elementary School Principal Tony Ditrio asked that that money be used to reinstate more positions, leaving more to be repaid next July.
Board members sided unanimously with Longo. "This is the beginning of long-term responsible budgeting," Lyons said.
The assistant principal addition would mean there is half an assistant principal at every school, Marks said. Staff members are keeping a close eye on classroom sizes, she said, explaining that she wanted to hold one teaching position in abeyance as classroom size figures come in, thinking it might go to Wolfpit Elementary School. Currently, five fourth- and fifth-grade classrooms in five schools are expected to have 27 students or more. And three third-grade classes have 25 or 26 students.
School staff members would be placed and "know where they are going to land" by Aug. 17, her last day as superintendent, Marks said. She promised to call everyone who is laid off to personally thank them for their work and acknowledged that it was hard on everyone, with many people changing schools.
The board members also voted unanimously to enter into a one-year agreement with CompuClaim, a web-based Medicaid billing service. The company will receive 5 percent of the revenue it collects as payment.
Updated 9:30 a.m.
Comments (12)
Great news, fourth and fifth grade classes with 27 students!! My daughter will be in fourth grade at Marvin this year. We Love Marvin, very Warm & Friendly! Marvin had larger classes last year though, than her previous school, Naramake.
I think the schools should also be redistricted to balance them size wise, socio-economically and racially. But Naramake would have a huge hissy fit if that were to occur! I could just see Colarossi standing outside Naramake again, as he did several years ago as school was starting, to promote his choice for then Asst Principal, with his flyers claiming the BOE has a political agenda!! Hmmm....
"Snoopy7" has concocted a fanciful conspiracy theory that, as outlandish as it is, still requires refutation.
Norwalk's schools are principally drawn from neighborhood districts. I have been asking for three years that the Board of Education needs to begin the long and difficult process of examining our neighborhood districts because some schools are overcrowded. Although my children had an amazing experience at Naramake, and although I count many staff there as personal friends, I believe that my responsibility is to all students and all schools (and to ALL TAXPAYERS and CITIZENS AS WELL).
Regarding the student-teacher ratios, Snoopy7 should know that my alternative plan called for far fewer teacher position eliminations because I believe that larger class sizes are not advantageous to our students.
The protest which Snoopy7 references was not about the selection of the Naramake Asst. Principal but about the appointment of the principal of the school who had been recommended by the then-superintendent and had been the unanimous recommendation of the duly-appointed interview committee. That matter occurred prior to my running for the Board of Education.
Yes you are correct , it was for the vacant Principal position at Naramake that you stomped for then Asst Principal Ockasi after interviewing her, they wanted to interview more candidates. I am fully aware that this took place prior to your running for the BOE, but knew then that you were strategically placing yourself within the quandry to further your personal agenda.
She was chosen due to bullying and pressure by some Naramake parents. She was and is a poor choice. An icy figurehead for the children in my opinion. And I have witnessed rather unprofessional behavior by her and her office staff's part on more than one occasion.
During the above mentioned process there was a blog engaging many Naramake parents and the comments were so bigoted I could not believe what I was reading! Try to introduce re-districting and just watch the show!
Sad for Snoopy7 to throw cheap shots at one group of parents. Snoopy is all wrong, BTW. She's already posted that she's leaving the Norwalk schools- is it for education reasons or because she can't play nice with the other parents in the sandbox.
Not a cheap shot. Tis the truth. Found the blog I referred to which is a few years old..www.yourct.com/2009/02/boe-ignores-parents-increases-costs-at-narmake...Everyone up in arms with Mosby, Murray, Rivas & Pullam for not voting for Ockasi, not getting their way..
There are many districts in this state which offer a more astutely run BOE, with less in-fighting and bullying, as well as significantly higher CAPT and CMT scores and little to no violent crime. Children only get one chance at a quality education and childhood.
Such an asinine comment.."...can't play nice with the other parents in the sandbox". Expected and typical, best of luck to Norwalk..
Can anyone explain why a principal with 350 students needs an assistant? Especally when the library is unattended and there are classes with over 25 students. I imagine one assistant principal could have bought us two classroom teachers or a teacher and a librarian.
From what I've heard and come to understand, a lot of the work of an assistant principal is focused on dealing with student issues, State required paperwork and other reports. In recent years, the State has issued more and more unfunded mandates for the schools and as the report generation increases, the need for administrative staff increases. Also, the assistant principal is in charge when the principal is off site at a meeting.
I understand your frustration, but I also watched as the Central Office staff prepared three different applications for the "Race to the Top" grant and despite constant shifts in requirements and moving the goal posts numerous times, all that work was for naught when the entire State of Connecticut failed to qualify for the grant funding.
That's the kind of shell game that is going on here with the State. The constant demand for more and more information forces the school administration to prepare this report on discipline, defend the use of that curriculum, track this data and calculate how many students did this on such and such date.
Do you have any idea what you are talking about or are you just lonely?
Agree! The schools seemed to run fine years ago without any Asst Principals. I have a 30 yr old, 16 yr old and an 8 yr old. The older kids did just find without the Asst Principals in their schools..Teachers and small class sizes are much more critical!
Weeks and weeks of trying to find money to save teaching jobs, and then the city decides not to use the found money on jobs, but rather to pay down the debt caused by chronic underfunding? If the plan was going to be to use any funding to pay down the debt, then why go through the circus of public hearings about which positions to save?
Teachers should be replaced BEFORE any other positions!!
I can't believe "School staff members would be placed and "know where they are going to land" by Aug. 17" when school starts on August 30.
This whole mess is so disheartening and depressing. I hope and pray my children will not suffer because of the mistakes of others.