School Budget Proposal Includes 37 Layoffs
Malden High School hit the hardest in the proposed budget, which will see a public hearing June 18.
Blaming state mandates and a sudden drop in federal funding, the Malden School Committee is seeking to cut 37 positions from the district this year to fill a $1.5 million deficit in the $56 million budget.
“These were very, very agonizing decisions, and (Committee member) Adam (Weldai) and I realize as elected officials that we have to make tough calls,” Committee member Leonard V. Iovino said. “This was not an attempt to micromanage the schools or cause pain...it was a difficult process, but a process we had to do.”
According to the Boston Globe, the final plan takes a science, math, English, history and business teacher out of the high school, while avoiding hitting staff in the K-8 range, which faces a “baby boom” of students, Superintendent David DeRuosi said.
Other positions cut include paraprofessionals, some technical staff and a secretary.
Weldai said the committee would go into greater detail about the cuts during a June 18 public hearing. After that, the board would vote on the final budget during their June 25 meeting.
Susan Ellis
6:07 pm on Tuesday, June 5, 2012
We are a Malden owned family business which could help the schools lower their overall budget. Despite repeated attempts to contact the superintendent of schools, we have never been given the courtesy of a return phone call. Why can't Malden businesses be allowed to compete? The taxes which fund the schools would stay in the city. What percentage of the budget is spent on business equipment and supplies? Thank you.
Hondo
8:39 am on Thursday, June 7, 2012
Maybe borrow some money from the Charter School...
Frank
12:59 pm on Thursday, June 7, 2012
I bet those layoffs from the MTA collect unemployment all summer and then have their jobs funded in the Fall. Big SCAM
Hondo
1:45 pm on Thursday, June 7, 2012
I believe they will. I don't know if this is a scam losing your job is a terrible thing and I bet most of these folks have families to support. I won't be upset if they collect unemployment and get hired back. At least they had jobs and aren't freeloaders.Watch all the taxpayer funded food being given to the freeloaders at the market every day of the week. That has to be handled.
TG's Mom
9:56 am on Monday, June 18, 2012
Cutting teachers is not the answer. Has there ever been any explanation as to where the blue bag funds are being allocated? Why not apply it with the teaching deficit. I personally would rather pay a higher real estate tax if I knew it would be used for the education of your children. Malden is becoming the place to bring up our children and cutting at any grade will not be the answer.
youarerightandiamwrong
1:53 pm on Thursday, July 26, 2012
Unfortunately with the teacher union, its usually last hired-first fired. Hopefully they are removing bad-eggs first instead of great young teachers which is what the city needs. Also, need to crack down on students who do not live in Malden but claim to be living with relatives. Watch the Malden T station after school, you will see dozens and dozens of students boarding the trains to go home.
DannyBoy
3:09 pm on Thursday, July 26, 2012
Malden public school system is not highly ranked and regarded in the state, so I doubt there are tons of students, who live in other districts, flocking to it. Maybe those students, you are referring to, attend MVRCS and come from neighboring towns/cities like Medford, Melrose and Everett?
Phe
3:24 pm on Thursday, July 26, 2012
Is it possible these students are taking the T to Oak Grove?
Liz D.
4:05 pm on Thursday, July 26, 2012
Actually DannyBoy, there are several students who come from other cities to try and attend Malden High School. The principal use to have to stand on the platform and try to catch some of the kids as they got off the train. It's amazing that when I speak with parents from other towns and talk about the help my son gets at the grade school level with his IEP needs, they wish they could get that kind of help from their town/schools. I don't know where you get this idea they aren't highly regarded in the state, but the high school does very well with regards to their kids and what they offer them. Do you know how many kids in other towns/cities have to pay to play a sport? Not Malden. Every town/city has problems in their schools, no one is perfect. Stop putting down the Malden Public Schools.
DannyBoy
8:39 pm on Thursday, July 26, 2012
What century do we live in? I would think that checking the residency requirements for any kid attending a public school to make sure that she's eligible should not be such a big deal. To picture the principal having to stand on the train platform to catch those non-compliant kids is just laughable. There's an efficient way to enforce those residency requirements, but if the school administration doesn't do their job, then it really defeats its purpose.