Regional School District Trying to Avoid Layoffs

ERMA — Despite losing almost $1.4 million in state aid, Lower Cape May Regional School District is striving not to lay off any teachers or cancel academic programs.
Business Administrator Frank Onorato presented budget figures at a public hearing during a March 31 board of education meeting. The driving force in the budget is a drop in state aid from $10.3 million to $8.8 million.
This left the district with $546,181 less budgeted surplus to apply to the budget. Board member William Nelson said the district had saved that money by spending sensibly but now it has been taken by the state.
Superintendent Jack Pfizenmayer said the school district lost about 14 percent of its state aid or about $1.4 million. He the goal was not to lose any academic or extracurricular programs.
“As of right now, we’ve done that,” said Pfizenmayer.
He noted the programs would remain only if taxpayers vote to approve the budget in its current form. Under the proposed budget, Pfizenmayer said the board was looking at a “less than a handful of people that may not be coming back.”
“We may be able to bring them all back,” he continued.
What remains to be seen is how many staff members retire which could save jobs, said Pfizenmayer. He said the budget was an ongoing process.
In food service, a retiring staff member has been replaced with substitutes that do not receive benefits. Substitutes are also being used in a few custodial/maintenance and teacher’s aides’ positions rather than full time staffers.
Some teachers that have retired in the last two years have not been replaced. Pfizenmayer said the Richard M. Teitelman School went from six teams of teachers to five teams.
The district is also sharing services such as child study team services with Cape May Elementary School and guidance services with West Cape May Elementary School.
Two bus runs have been eliminated due to the closing of Star of the Sea School in Cape May eliminating the need for the purchase of two buses saving $305,000 including driver’s salaries. Bus runs serving students involved in after school activities have been scaled back from four to two.
Pfizenmayer said he anticipated eight to nine teachers and teacher’s aides will retire this year and will not be replaced.
He said the district was attempting to keep every athletic and extracurricular program other than summer band. Pfizenmayer said the programs would have fewer advisors and coaches.
The district is also seeking to change health insurance providers for staff. He said the district could not weather another 25 percent increase it suffered this year.
The cost of educating school district students that are in correctional facilities is decreasing by $50,000, said Pfizenmayer. The school supply budget is being cut by $150,000. Summer staff hours for child study team and guidance will be reduced.
The school district’s total budget is down 4 percent from $30.7 million to $29.4 million, a reduction of $1.2 million. The amount to be raised by taxes is $18.9 million.
The regional school district serves Lower Township, Cape May and West Cape May with each paying a different percentage of costs.
Cape May’s share is increasing from 26.4 percent to 29 percent.
West Cape May’s share is decreasing slightly from 9.5 percent to 9.1 percent.
Lower Township’s share is decreasing from 64 percent to 61.8 percent.
Lower Township’s Tax rates were affected by a devaluation of properties and Cape May’s rate by a reevaluation.
The tax rate for Cape May is 19.6 cents per $100 of assessed value. The owner of a $300,000 home will pay $588 in local purpose tax to the regional school district.
The tax rate for Lower Township is 28.5 cents per $100 of assessed value. The owner of a $300,000 home will pay $855.
The tax rate for West Cape May is 33.3 cents per $100 of assessed value. The owner of a $300,000 home will pay $999.
Anticipated enrollment for the middle and high schools is 1,735, up from 1,707 last year. Enrollment has been falling since 2005-2006 when the district had 1,905 students.
Pfizenmayer said the Teitelman School in the past had 675-700 students, which has fallen below 600. He said the high school has a capacity of 1,200 to 1,250 students and is around 1,100 students currently.