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The Granby
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Volume XLIV, No. 6 • March 2014
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FY15 budget squeeze is on By Michael Guarco, Jr. Chair, Board of Finance
that point, the BOF will determine the final budget package that will be sent to public hearing. In January, the Board of Selectmen and The municipal request to maintain exthe Board of Education forwarded their isting operations came in at 4.3 percent, respective Plus-One budget requests—a and 4.8 percent with a couple of addilook ahead at next year and beyond—to tions. Similarly, the education requests the Board of Finance. The submissions were 2.3 percent for flat operations and look ahead five years for operations as 3.7 percent if some improvements were well as large and small capital needs. considered. On the revenue side, growth This is done to take in the grand the long view when list of 0.63 UPCOMING making near-term percent will budget decisions. BOE BUDGET MEETINGS yield about These initial re$200,000 in quests highlight Administration additional what the Town property tax Budget Submission March 5, 7 p.m. Manager William revenue, but Central Services Smith and Superinthat is offset by tendent of Schools Budget Workshops March 12, 7 p.m. a large dropAlan Addley and Central Services off in tuition their respective from Hartland March 19, 7 p.m. staffs would like as that student Central Services to do and spend. population The requests are Budget presented is diminishmatched up against ing and more to Board of Finance March 24, 7 p.m. revenue projecSr. Ctr. Comm. Room students are tions to determine heading to agBOS budget meetings listed on p. 6 how reasonable ricultural and a n d a ff o r d a b l e technical prothey may be. Over the next couple of grams. Overall, revenues are projected to months the FY15 budget requests will be slightly less than this year, exacerbatbe revised and refined prior to final subing the projected increases in expenses. mission to the BOF in late March. At Therein lies the rub.
Budget cont’d. on p. 5
Governor attends Granby Chamber of Commerce awards dinner
From l: Bob Marx (Moderator, Awards Chair and Past President), Mario Dei Dolori (Humanitarian of the Year), Gov. Malloy, Brian Guarco (Business Person of the Year), and Jen Burkhart (incoming Chamber President). Submitted photo See story on page 7
Inside:
BOS Update
Page 6
VB Church move
Page 15
It’s maple sugaring time In this photo from 2008, Dave Emery boils the sap that will become sweet maple syrup. He will present a hands-on demonstration of the process in March as part of a Granby Land Trust series of family events (see p. 17). Photo by Peter Dinella
PLC expansion on hold for 2014-15 school year By Kim Becker At its Feb. 19 meeting, the Board of Education decided to table the administration’s Professional Learning Communities (PLC) proposals for the 2014-2015 school year. Both proposals would have significantly affected the school calendar by mandating a two-hour early release every Tuesday across the district. In a prepared statement, Board Chair Ron Walther said the board is “… not satisfied that the implementation recommendations currently on the table fully address concerns regarding how much additional collaboration time is required, the loss of teacher classroom time with students and the proposed abbreviated school days.” However, Walther said the board is very supportive of teacher collaboration time and urged the administration to “further explore alternate implementation options with the expectation that revised recommendations will come back to the board in the near future.” Alan Addley, Superintendent of Schools, had stated that PLC time is “the highest priority of this administration.” The high school currently has an hour of PLC time on Thursday mornings resulting in a delayed start. The other schools have between 45 and 60 minutes per week during the school day and interrupts
instruction time. The administration had hoped to standardize the schedule and give teachers more time to collaborate, study student achievement data, and develop strategies to enhance learning for struggling and advanced students. Additionally, this time was supposed to give teachers a chance to work with colleagues across their grade level, subject matter, and throughout the district. With the board’s decision, PLC time will remain at current levels during the next school year. On Feb 11, the Granby Education Association President Laurence Coxon, sent the board a lengthy letter outlining opposition to the PLC proposals among other issues. The letter alleges that PLC time at the high school is not always used for collaboration, but rather for district initiatives, surveys, and faculty meetings. The way PLC time is structured cuts into teacher preparation time, and that administrators control the agenda rather than it being teacher-driven and classroom-focused. Coxon refused to comment on any aspect of his 19-page letter, and it is unclear if the GEA’s constituents provided input to the letter or know of its existence.
Land Trust Children’s Series
Page 17
PLC expansion cont’d. on p. 5
Marquis awards
Page 25