Newsletter #1 - Did You Know - School/Town Budget

Did You Know?
The school budget comprises nearly 66% of the town budget after Shared Costs, excluding monies the town receives related to Waterways, the golf course, MBTA monies or CPA funds.Personnel costs comprise 81% of the school budget, leaving 19% for supplies, technology and equipment. These personnel costs are contractual and, as a result, are fixed costs. They are in line with state-wide personnel costs

Did You Know?
Gates was built in 1912, Hatherly in 1963, Cushing in 1965 and Wampatuck in 1954. Limited funds have been invested over the years in the up-keep of these facilities, as the needs and costs were higher then the available budget dollars. The resulting issues include problems with the heating and ventilation systems as well as structural and maintenance difficulties. The majority of the furniture in these buildings is original (40-50 years old) and was used by many Scituate parents when they were in school. Desks that do not adjust to a child’s size and can no longer be held open by the hinges need to be replaced. Recently a facilities manager was hired to ensure the new Jenkins school and the renovated High School were maintained properly and to focus on the necessary improvements to Cushing, Hatherly, Wampatuck and Gates schools.

Did You Know?
Scituate lost Title I Federal funding in 2004 due to the 2000 census results. Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act provided $225,000 per year in student support for reading and math specialists in the schools. Title I funding is dependent on the town having at least 4% of its population at the poverty level. Scituate’s poverty level was reported at 1.8%. It should be noted other surrounding towns maintain Title I funding including Cohasset, Duxbury and Hingham. Title I is the most significant federal program supporting public schools. The school department and town looked into appealing the findings to regain Title I funding but were not successful. The next census will be held in 2010.