Salisbury School Board Approves $30 Million Budget

unanimously approved a $30 million final budget on June 15 for the 2011-2012 school year,

Referring primarily to a reduction in revenue from the state, Superintendent Robert Gross said at Wednesday's board meeting,  “Many school districts for years to come will find this a challenging atmosphere … It will certainly be a ‘do more with less’ situation.”

Gross said he had the opportunity to talk to state legislators and state education officials this week about the trying times that school boards throughout the state are going through.

“Make no mistake,” Gross said. “The goal is to increase charter schools and to make education competitive, much like a commodity instead of a civil liberty.”

The $30 million budget reduces the 3.4 percent tax increase passed onto 3.1 percent. Millage would rise from 45.445 to 46.8538. The owner of a home assessed an average $71,000 would pay about $100.

The board eliminated a support staff position, saving the district $52,530 a year. A full-time school nurse, who is retiring, will be replaced with a part-time nurse who will not receive benefits.

In other business on June 15, the school board unanimously approved with the latest software to every student in the district in grades six through 12.

Randy Ziegenfuss, director of data and technology, had presented the plan to the school board’s operations committee on June 6.

Instead of buying and replacing the computers the district has now for $300,000 annually, Ziegenfuss told the operations committee the district could save $60,000 by leasing more Apple computers for $239,000.

The funds for the technology plan were included in the 2011-2012 budget. The plan includes free professional development for teachers, and extended licensing including free upgrades for one year.