The Shadow
During a public hearing to receive input for the next year’s operating budget, members of the Covington School Board heard pleas from school division staff to preserve their salaries.
During the board’s regular December meeting Monday night, three school employees expressed their concern about budget cuts and the effect the cuts will have on their livelihood.
“We’re facing the possibility of two or three years of no raises,” Eugenia Morrissette said. Morrissette is an art teacher at Edgemont Primary and Jeter-Watson Intermediate schools.
“The doom and gloom from the state is just paralyzing to us,” she added.
With frozen salaries, Morrissette said she feared losing young teachers.
“What will these cuts do the future of our system?” Morrissette said. She added that young teachers, who aren’t vested in the retirement system, will be the first to leave and seek better opportunities.
Morrissette said the school system will lose the young and enthusiastic educators if salaries aren’t increased.
They’re not thinking about retirement,” she added.
Margaret Burks, co-president of the Covington Education Association, said a survey of the group’s 103 members indicated a deep concern over state and local budget cuts.
She said a majority of members would support job cuts through attrition rather than a cut in salary.
With increases in health insurance premiums, Burks said some employees are taking home less money even after a modest raise.
“You need to maintain the existing pay scale and benefits,” Burks said.
Tracy Smith, an educational aide for Covington schools, is a member of the Living Wage Campaign launched jointly by the Covington Education Association and the Alleghany Education Association.
She said the starting salary for an aide is $12,916 annually and after 20 years, the salary only raises to $17,435.
Smith said the salary scales for non-licensed personnel have not been addressed in years.
“We’re not in it for the money, but we have to support our families,” Smith said.
“If some jobs are cut, then you can afford to pay a living wage,” Smith added.
Covington School Superintendent Tom Long presented school board members information regarding formulating next year’s budget.
Of the state budget cuts, Long said, “We just have no idea.” He said he hopes information regarding the amount of the state’s allocation to the school system will come sooner, rather than later, so school officials can modify the budget to absorb the state cuts.
Since the state will also cut its funding to localities, Long said funding from Covington City Council could be decreased as well.
Long said the school administration has developed a level budget for next year, and the school division can operate next year with a decrease of $245,000 from the current budget.
Long said since the city’s composite index went down, the decrease in state funding could partially be offset by the extra money available from the decrease in the composite index.
Cutting positions, a salary freeze, or a reduction in salary and benefits must be considered in order to balance the budget in the lean economy, Long said, but reassured the board that no such reductions are being planned at this time.
Long’s proposed budget retains more than the minimum amount of staff required by the state board of education.
“Our students deserve more than the minimum,” Long said.
The board also passed a dual enrollment agreement with Dabney S. Lancaster Community College.
Long said Covington High School students can have the opportunity to earn college credits. Another benefit, Long said, is that students who may be undecided about continuing their education, success in a dual enrollment class may convince them to continue their college education.
“It’s a win-win situation,” Long said.
In other action, the board:
– passed a resolution recognizing Standard Printing and Office Supply for donating educational activity books that stress internet safety to young children;
– passed resolutions honoring the Covington Rescue Squad and the Alleghany County-Covington Health Department for their assistance during the school system’s H1N1 flu clinics;
– approved overnight field trips for the CHS band and choir to attend a music festival at Carowinds in Charlotte, N.C.; Model General Assembly in Richmond; and Family, Career and Community Leaders of America trip to Virginia Beach;
– approved acceptance of a grant to fund a Head Start program at Edgemont Primary School. Long said early intervention for preschoolers will pay large dividends;
– approved the 2010-2011 school calendar. The first day of school next year will be August 25;
– appointed members to the Pre-K Advisory Board;
– accepted the resignation of Donna Bullock, special education aide at Covington High School.
