Marblehead super foresees non level-funded budget for FY’10

MARBLEHEAD – Superintendent of Schools Paul Dulac has warned the School Committee that when he begins preparing his budget in September he will not be thinking in terms of a level-funded budget.Dulac spent his first year working with a budget of $25.65 million. His first budget, approved at Town Meeting in May with no need for a general override of Proposition 21/2, was $26.7 million for Fiscal 2009.However, last month Dulac told the School Committee that they may find themselves looking at a Fiscal 2010 budget that is not level-funded in January.In the past year Dulac said he has absorbed about $400,000 in program changes. Next year, that will be harder to do.For example, he wants to maintain the committee’s recommended class sizes of 20 (18-22) students per class, knowing that he faces large classes next year in Grade 8 at the Marblehead Veterans Middle School.Now his goals for next year include developing a three-year maintenance plan, funding the first year in Fiscal 2010; finding money for innovative science programs outside the school budget; providing leadership in negotiations with teachers and other unions, the Marblehead Security Committee and the five-year technology plan.He admitted that comments about a budget that isn’t level-funded may make the committee members “twinge” but told them one of his goals next year will be to provide enough money to ensure “the continued level of academic excellence.”And he assured committee members he will remain “cognizant of our ability to pay.”