Malone sets Swampscott schools budget

SWAMPSCOTT – The school district must come up with an additional $1.25 million to fund Superintendent Matthew Malone’s recommended budget.At a School Committee meeting last night, Malone said the town is allocating $21,943,390, which is $500,000 more than it received this fiscal year, to the schools for fiscal year 2009 but it is not enough.Malone’s recommended budget, which he said is necessary to operate a 21st century school system, is almost $23.2 million. He pointed out to maintain the current level of services would cost $1 million more than it cost this fiscal year. Malone attributed the increase in maintaining level services to salary step increases, contractual pay raises, increased utility costs and escalating special education costs.In additional to the money required to maintain the current level of services, Malone said his recommended budget includes new programs and other expenses, which would cost an additional $371,401.His recommended budget includes rolling out full-day kindergarten in all the elementary schools, which he said would cost approximately $150,000.His budget assumes all fifth grade students would move to the middle school, which would free up three classrooms in the elementary schools. Malone’s recommended budget includes hiring three new elementary school teachers to reduce class sizes, which he said would cost $158,634. His budget also includes $8,534 to hire a part-time Mandarin Chinese language instructor. His recommended budget also includes $15,000 for assistant athletic directors, $6,800 for a part-time middle school secretary. Under the $371,401 in programming increases he added $20,000 for snow removal and $12,740 to maintain the field house in Blocksidge Field. He said his recommended budget does not include money to mothball the Greenwood Avenue facility because the Finance Committee asked him to talk to the town regarding turning the property over to the town.Malone said his recommended budget is based on the “real needs” of the school system and there is a $1.25 million deficit, which would have to come from somewhere.