Playing Sort-of Hardball With Superintendent

The Garden Valley Daily News gets to put up with small rants (which the editor occasionally enjoys doing herself) and bitching in general, not to mention gentle questions by the more mild-mannered school patron. This quiz is a compilation of taxpayer concerns, regarding the Supplemental Levy election coming up on Tuesday, March 8, put to Garden Valley School District Superintendent, Dr. Mike Tomlin.

Tomlin: I will answer your questions directly, but you and I both understand that it will be the decision of the board and not me when these issues are ultimately decided. I will make a recommendation to the board, and it will be their action that determines what is done.

Garden Valley Daily News: Some people are having trouble understanding the table for the monthly cost of the Supplemental Levy. They have said it does not include the homeowner's exemption and want to know how this works.

Tomlin: The FAQs sheet we have provided, which is posted on the district's website, does include homeowner's exemption. It states that fact directly below the table indicating the cost.

GVDN: Patrons have told us that when they have a problem understanding the FAQs tax table and they have brought it up with the school district, they are told to contact the county assessor for the correct information - do you think it is reasonable to ask every single taxpayer within the School District #71 to call Brent Adamson, when they think the district itself has published incorrect

information?

Tomlin: There seems to be confusion here. We encourage people to contact the county assessor if they are not clear on the value of their home and property.

GVDN: There certainly is some confusion here! Since the tax table in the FAQs sheet appears to be confusing to so many people, there is concern that nothing has been submitted to the local paper or GV Daily News or flyers mailed to patrons, to correct this information or make it more understandable. This appears to be giving the public a message that you either don’t want taxpayers to know the real cost of the levy to homeowners or that your lackadaisical attitude exhibits your ignorance of the calculation and real cost to taxpayers. Please explain.

Tomlin: There is no correction needed - please read the FAQ sheet - "*Dollar amounts are calculated as a per month increase. *Calculations include applicable homeowner's exemption. *Estimates are based upon data collected from the district's fiscal agent and Boise County." We could never legally guarantee that the dollar and cents that will be charged in December by another agency are exact. This is the best and most accurate information available, they are not our numbers, they come from the County. We stand by it. But it still is an estimate, and there is nothing the district can do about that.

GVDN: School patrons complain that the school district has stated many times you cannot tell the taxpayers what will happen if the levy does not pass, because you do not have the state budget yet.

Tomlin: That is simply not true. On our fact sheet item #12 we state what the levy will buy, and in item #15 what a failed levy will force the district to do. We have been very clear on this - however, it will ultimately be a decision of the board, and that decision cannot come until after our budget is received from the legislature.

GVDN: But, still, you are constantly asked to give some substantial information about cuts.

Tomlin: Let's be clear - the district will cut over $150,000 in staff and operations costs IF the levy passes. The exact cuts will be decided by the board, but will include some combination of salary cuts, reduced school days or furlough days, decreasing kitchen staff, decreasing office staff, returning Kindergarten to half-time, eliminating preschool or charging self-supporting fees, combining one or more elementary classes and reducing a teacher, reducing aides/paraprofessionals. The combination of these cuts must equal at least $150,000 or more dependent upon the final budget that comes from the legislature IF the levy passes.**Please note too, that as superintendent, my spending authority is only $3,000. I have never exercised even that amount. All levy monies will be used under the law for the budgeted items approved by the board.

GVDN: So, if the levy passes, will we maintain the Music, Art and Foreign Language programs for elementary as well as the higher grades?

Tomlin: If we cut elementary music, then we end up cutting our teacher's hours and pay. He no longer can afford to work here so he leaves and we lose the entire music program. I am a strong supporter of music, and of K-12 music, and I am on record as such. It is my position that passing the levy protects the K-12 music program. We have said as much in the FAQ sheet that I sent yesterday, item #12 - to "preserve all current K-12 programs." My answer regarding art and foreign language is the same as music.

GVDN: It is our understanding that (one teacher) is talking about retiring. Do your statements assume that this will happen?

Tomlin: My answer is "no," none of my statements relate to losing a particular teacher. I honestly have had no conversations with that teacher regarding retirement. We all know it will be one of these years..., but I have not asked.

GVDN: Is the school going to cut back to the allotted number of administrators we get funding for, based on our enrollment?

Tomlin: Administrators, administrative staff, and administrative overhead costs are all different things. We have already reduced the number of employees in maintenance and custodial. We will reduce the number of clerical/secretarial staff hours for next year.

GVDN: Some people say they feel before any teachers are let go, they would expect the school to cut back on their administrative staff. The school employs more teachers than it gets funding for, but some patrons think the district is more justified in keeping more teachers than administrators.

Tomlin: We probably will reduce and combine some combinations of administrators to include Athletic Director, Technology Director, Principal, and Superintendent.

Please do not consider that a 'non-answer'. We have been discussing many scenarios regarding multiple overhead positions. Our challenge, and it is a difficult one, is to meet regulatory requirements - DEQ, CDC, state and federal reporting, etc. - with fewer people. I am part-time, but none of the reports are. I am working all weekend on our DEQ permitting report that allows us to run our Waste Water Treatment Plant.

GVDN: And other administrative positions?

Tomlin: "The new laws may require our half-time tech director to manage many more computers and online class hardware and hook-ups. That is scary.

GVDN: How would the position of principal change?

Tomlin: The new education laws give far more responsibility to school principals - their evaluations will be tied directly to student learning. This will be a state requirement, and much more time spent by the principal in classrooms and providing in-service to improve all levels of instruction with all children. Believe me this is a bit scary, but the new reality.

So doing away with any position is unlikely. Realigning duties among some positions and gaining a cost savings from that is paramount to us also.

GVDN: When asked what would happen if the levy doesn't pass, Mr. Vian is reported to have mentioned to members of the Senior Center that the district didn’t want to make “threats” regarding what would happen. Some patrons feel they would like to hear possible scenarios of what the school is really up against if the levy does not pass; this could consist of a hypothetical outcome—why is this not possible to do?

Mr Vian reportedly disputed that teachers would be laid off or that programs like Art and Music would be ended. If the district could combine the Superintendent and Principal jobs, kindergarten could go to 3 days, classes combined, Mr. Vian could take a teaching assignment, teachers’ salaries could be reduced and sports would be limited...if this is the case, which doesn’t seem so radical, patrons ask, "why bother with a levy"?

Tomlin: If the levy DOES NOT pass, then the district must cut another $200,000+ and that will be awful. Very likely all athletics will go, some or all elective programs will go. Elective programs at GVSD include Art, Music, Foreign Language, Physical Education, and Business Technology, plus all athletics and activities. These programs will have to be severely cut or cancelled altogether if the levy does not pass.

GVDN: The Buzz Word that we keep getting at these meetings is Elephant in the Room--so, any of those?

Tomlin: For starters, administrative overhead. It will take the same number of custodians and maintenance workers to run the boiler and heating systems and SBR- waste water treatment plant, and to clean and maintain the school whether we have 12 teachers or 20 teachers. We already cut one position in maintenance to half-time this year with a retirement. But legally maintaining our systems and meeting DEQ and CDC requirements to stay in compliance are the cost of doing business on a self-sustaining property.

GVDN: Give us more about administration cuts.

Tomlin: Secretaries do very little "secretarial" work. They spend a great deal of time entering data into state and federal mandated systems. Just this year we gained new required reports from the State of Idaho that requires several employees to spend multiple extra hours each week. Still, we plan to reduce an employee position and maintain the required reports.

GVDN: Okay, Mike here's the big one from Mr. Buzz. What about the Super's job?

Tomlin: Idaho Code requires districts to employ a superintendent. The GVSD super is part-time as a 4/5ths or .8 employee. Most of the superintendent's work involves overseeing "ownership" issues - budget, funding, policy, operations permits and reports with DEQ, CDC, etc., facilities, purchasing, contracts, transportation, food service, and implementing the desires of the board of trustees.

The challenge here is that the state and federal regulatory agencies do not recognize "part time" and the reporting requirements for small districts are the same as large districts. There is no difference in the superintendent's work load if the district has 100 students or 300 students. And much of the superintendent's work is off campus, with the state department, seeking funding with the legislature, advocating for rural school recognition in state policy, etc.

GVDN: What about combining the Super and the principal positions?

Tomlin: The principal's position can legally be combined with the superintendent's. However, the new education laws increase the role of the principal in terms of working with teachers. The principal's main role is to increase student learning at all levels in the school. Continual in-service and improvement of all teachers requires constant time in classrooms, and with data.

The new laws tie teacher evaluations and the principal's evaluations to student performance. This won't be an option if the new laws pass the House and Governor Otter signs them. If the principal's position is cut, the superintendent will be forced to spend hours daily in classrooms and working with teachers - and possibly require the hiring of an employee to assist with regulatory reporting and other "ownership" duties.

The thing to remember, too, is that the state provides 1.8 administrative salaries. If the jobs were combined, only the state would save money--the school district would not.

GVDN: Any famous last words?

~

Tomlin: The bottom line is that a failed levy hurts the district badly at all levels. Jobs will be cut. Programs will be cut. Children will have far fewer options, and the excellence of the community's school will erode badly~~~

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* Garden Valley School District Staffing and Budget *

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School & District Personnel (42+)
1. Elementary teachers (7)
L, K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

2. Middle School teachers (3)
6, 7, 8

3. High School teachers (9)
Core – E, H, M, S
Elect – A, B-Tech, FL, M, PE
(Some teach K-12)

4. Other Certificated (3.5)
Counselor, Special Education
Technology Director (.5)
Title I Teacher

5. Non-Certificated (6.5)
Preschool (.5)
Para-professionals (6)

6. Administration (3.8)
Principal: K-12 & Lowman
School Secretary, District Secretary
Superintendent (.8)

7. Support (9)
• Maintenance Director
• 1 maintenance worker
• 2 custodians (+ part-timers)
• Food Service Director
• 1 assistant cook, 1 dishwasher
• Business/HR Manager
• 1 assistant accts payable/Purch.

Cuts Already Made
1. Salaries frozen – 2 years.
2. Health insurance cut and capped. ($20,000/yr)
3. Employee benefit of $100/mnth cut. ($50,000/yr)
4. Maintenance position cut to .5
5. Reduced one aide/para
6. Hourly workers cut 10%-20%
7. Athletics cut 15%
8. Technology cut $10,000

Cuts Considered for Next Year
1. Across the board salary (1-3%)
(1% = $19,000)
2. Reduce school days (3-5 days)
(1 day = $7,000)
3. Reduce one secretary
($25,000)
4. Reduce one para-professional
($12,000)
5. Combine elem. Classrooms, reduce one or two teachers
($45,000 each)
6. Cut Preschool; return Kindergarten to half-day

The Numbers Needed
• (-$400,000 = Shortfall)
• $225,000 = Levy amount
• $150,000 – 200,000 internal cuts
Balanced Budget – Programs Intact