Granville schools ‘living within our means’

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Granville Central School District sign.

While addressing the budget topics of instructional, technology, special education and interscholastic sports, the Granville Board of Education was informed at the second tentative budget workshop on March 15 of new changes and savings.

Adopting a new method of what Granville Central School District superintendent Thomas McGurl calls “living within our means,” the three district buildings have saved the district a combined $284,547 throughout the Junior/Senior High School ($168,947), Granville Elementary School ($112,597) and Mary J. Tanner School ($2,997).

Superintendent Tom McGurl

“How can we still provide the same service to students and not hire that position?” is the question McGurl asked. “(We’re) making sure our budget matches our needs.”

Crediting the skill sets and flexibility of faculty and staff members in all three buildings, McGurl called the decision to reduce the sections of classes in each grade level in the elementary schools from four to three a “win-win.”

With anywhere from 60 to 65 students at each elementary grade level, the class sizes will increase from 15 to 18 students to 21 to 24 with added staff to attend to students in the larger-sized classes.

“It increases the amount of support staff in the system,” McGurl said. “We are reducing the amount of sections, but we are increasing the amount of adult staff.”

In terms of the budget by section, McGurl felt confident with the presentation by school business manager Cathy Somich.

When asked about the instructional category, McGurl said the current plan is optimistic for both students and faculty and staff.

“We are going to be continuing, at this moment…our programs will remain fully intact,” McGurl said.

The instructional budget is proposed for 2021-2022 at $5,813,849.

In terms of special education, McGurl is aiming to bring more students back to the district, especially in the elementary levels with the additional support in classrooms from faculty and staff. The district is expecting $4,096,123 for special education in 2021-2022.

The “quantum leap” the district made in the past year providing practically every student in the district with a Chrome book summarized the technology section of the presentation. An 8.5% increase is found in the technology portion of the proposed budget, totaling $869,642.

Interscholastic sports is looking at a 15% increase from last year due mostly to the replacement of uniforms, three 84-seated bleacher units priced at a total of $27,000 and the addition of a $5,000 softball scoreboard. The district is proposing a budget in this category for $346,164.

McGurl made it clear for parents and community members who have questions or would like clarification on specific the proposed budget to have conversations with him or board members.

“Anybody that wants to call my office and talk about the budget, I am totally open to that conversation,” he said.

The next budget meeting is scheduled for April 12 at 6 p.m. to review state aid revenues and adopt the 2021-2022 budget.

A budget hearing is scheduled for May 10, with the budget vote scheduled for May 18 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. in the junior high school auditorium.