Franklin — Though the calendar year is still in young, officials in the Franklin Public School District are starting to get an idea of what lies ahead for its fiscal year beginning in July.
Chief among the issues will be $1.6 million in budget cuts. The district hopes to complete a list of proposed reductions by early March, with layoff notices given by the end of May.
Those cuts will be made with the help of community surveys that have begun arriving in residents' mailboxes. The districts should have feedback from the surveys in March.
Community input through surveys
The first community surveys were mailed out Jan. 11 and will gauge opinions on district programs. A second survey will be mailed out later this year regarding district operations and facilities.
A common misconception about the surveys is that when the results come in, the school district will decide what it wants to add, School Board President Dave Szychlinski said.
However, a more likely scenario is that it will show what school officials can take away, Szychlinski said.
"This is not about compiling a wish list of what people want added to the district," he said.
But it's also not as if some people don't want to add things.
Four-year-old kindergarten was discussed plenty last year before the district ultimately decided it didn't have the money for it, and the issue of what to do with Franklin High School will continue.
Board members and Superintendent Steve Patz stressed they want to keep communication lines open with the public throughout and want residents' feedback on possible cuts.
High points amid challenges
While the district has a lot of challenges ahead, Patz said during a "State of the District" presentation to board members last week it also has a lot to be proud of.
He pointed to a successful, if not time-consuming, review of the science curriculum; improving math scores at the elementary level; and a sharp increase in the number of high school students enrolling in advanced placement courses.
In addition to budget issues, the year also will feature elections and at least one change in leadership.
New board president
After the April elections, the district will move forward with a new person at the helm of the School Board following the April elections.
Szychlinski said his decision not to run for re-election mostly was due to a rigorous travel schedule for work. He said any prospective School Board member must make the time commitment to serve, and he would be unable to do that.
He served on the School Board from 1991-2003 and ran again in 2007 out of unhappiness with the board's decision to move ahead with a high school referendum, which ultimately failed.
He's happy with the direction the district is going now, though it faces stiff challenges ahead with the state's "broken" school funding formula.
Patz said the school district would miss Szychlinski's presence on the board and his leadership as president.
"He had the ability to deal with difficult situations (in) a calm and sincere manner and was always wiling to listen to any viewpoint anyone had," he said. "He is a man of high integrity and always put the district before his own personal needs."
Elections in play
With Szychlinski out, there will be at least one new face on the board after the April 6 general election.
Three seats are up for grabs. Challengers Melissa Klein, Paul Rotzenberg and Hugo Nguyen have filed to run in the election, and incumbents Debbie Larson and Jeff Traylor will run for re-election.
Candidates are elected to three-year terms at an annual salary of $3,000. School Board members will select a new board president after the election.
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