Marblehead sees sharp rise in school enrollment

MARBLEHEAD – With Grades 4-12 enrollments headed sharply upward, Superintendent of Schools Paul Dulac is struggling to leave his successor a balanced budget for Fiscal 2012.?We?re continuing to look at staffing,” Superintendent of Schools Paul Dulac said. “And we?re going to see if we can save a few positions. But we have no intention of losing people. We expect eight to 10 retirees this spring and we?re looking at reshuffling staff rather than hiring replacements.”Meanwhile, the School Committee and the committee?s consultants continue their search for the town?s next superintendent, who is expected to be hired in February and work on preparing next year?s budget.Dulac?s revised Fiscal 2012 budget assumptions, presented to the School Committee last week, noted that all principals, program directors and central office staff are now engaged in an exercise showing how they would cut 5 percent from their total budget.His new report showed class sizes of 22-23 in kindergarten-grade 3 and enrollments of 750 at the Marblehead Village School, 500 or more at the Marblehead Veterans Middle School and 1,000 at Marblehead High.That means classes in the lower elementary grades are at the maximum size prescribed by school policy.Enrollment at The Marblehead Village School is expected to be up by 35 students, 25 at the Veterans School and about 30 at the high school.Veterans School Principal Libby Moore called her projected Grade 7 class “the largest we have ever had” in a report to the committee.Dulac noted that the Glover School will need one less Grade 2 teacher next fall, and the Village School will need one more Grade 4 teacher, meaning that so far no new teachers appear to be needed for Grades kindergarten-6.Dulac also informed the committee that he foresees a $102,000 increase in out-of-district special education costs, a $13,000 adjustment to the lead nurse?s salary, a possible $10,000 increase in the athletic director?s salary and a 5 to 10 percent cut in next year?s state aid. The possibility remains that this year?s school aid could be cut next month, affecting this year?s and next year?s budget.