MSBSD cuts weigh on board, personnel

PALMER — Valley nurses, librarians, music teachers and community members packed the Palmer High School library for Wednesday’s Mat-Su Borough School Board meeting to voice concerns over possible reductions in their positions next year to close a budget gap.

Ironically, the same meeting also had the board hearing a report on the district’s obesity rate that finds full-time school nurses, physical education staff and a healthy nutrition program have helped decrease the number of dangerously overweight Valley students from 32 percent in 2003 to 26 percent in 2010.

The coincidence didn’t escape board member Neal Lacy after hearing testimony on the district’s budget from several staff members, including nurses.

“So, since we’ve had school nurses at every school, they’ve been able to counsel students?” Lacy asked Dr. Andrea Fennaughty after she presented her Alaska Department of Health and Social Services study to the board.

Fennaughty confirmed for Lacy that having nurses in every school is beneficial in a lot of ways; including helping the state gather data for such studies. She said that because nurses weigh and measure all students in a consistent way over the years, it enables health professionals to gather and track changes in their weight patterns and work to improve them.

Consistency in staffing is something everyone would like to see. However, the reality of the district’s finances may make that difficult, Mat-Su Schools Superintendent Ken Burnley told those gathered.

“The Legislature is worried,” Burnley said, pointing out that a drop in oil production in the state has caused everyone to tighten purse strings. “Nobody’s coming to rescue us. I know there’s lots of rumors and concerns, but the board did not want to eliminate any programs. The administration has done a lot of innovative things to keep that from happening.”

Efforts by school administrators to convince at least 149 staff members to take an early retirement package to fill the district’s $8.9 million structural deficit fell a bit short when only 95 of those picking up applications for the Supplemental Employee Retirement Plan (SERP) actually followed through last month.

Assistant Superintendent Ken Forrest reported that about $6.3 million was saved overall from those taking SERP and that 68 percent of them were teachers.

Forrest said it takes 24 teachers to reduce class size by an average of one student across the district and if the state comes through with $100 per student it would provide an extra $2.8 million in funding for next year.

Additionally, if the Mat-Su Borough Assembly grants $1 million in ongoing revenue, the district could retain about 10 teachers and hire more than 12 less-experienced teachers.

“We’ve been cutting the budget all year long,” Burnley said. “But you’re looking at some very creative work. We’re very proud of it.”

That didn’t stop concerned school personnel from speaking out, however.

Elementary nurse Marme Kenshalo told the board she hopes additional funding comes in, but she understands the challenges. She said she appreciates Assistant Superintendent Deena Paramo inviting nurses to work with administration to adopt a plan to address potential deficits.

“We have scheduled a nurse meeting after school next week to outline strategies for administration to consider in the event funding shortfalls threaten health services,” Kenshalo said. “We will make our ideas available to decision-makers as soon as possible.”

Five librarians, two music teachers and Mat-Su Education Association President Jill Showman followed Kenshalo at the microphone. All expressed frustration over the possibility of losing staff members at a time when they said the nation should be building up its educational resources, not tearing them down.

Another teacher, Andrea Messenger-Price, echoed those sentiments and went one step farther regarding possible motives for such staff reductions.

“I’ve heard and I can’t believe it’s true — I trust that it isn’t — that we’re not seeking all the money that is out there to obtain. I hope we’re doing everything possible to increase our budget for the schools,” she said. “We’ve been cut, cut, cut to the bone. I have to assume that you are all on the school board because you are supporters of public education, yet your actions undermine public education and (that) makes me wonder if there’s a political agenda.”

Burnley assured those at the meeting that the district is doing everything it can to secure funding assistance from the state and borough.

“We’ll get through this,” he said.

A budget work session is scheduled for March 22 at the MSBSD Central Office, followed by a 6 p.m. board meeting and budget public hearing March 23 for possible budget approval at Palmer High School Upper Library.

MSBSD must submit its budget to the Mat-Su Borough Assembly by March 31 and the final budget will be adopted by the end of June.

For more information on the MSBSD budget or any other items of interest, see documents on the district’s website, contact district Public Information Officer Catherine Esary at 746-9251 or a school board member.

Contact K.T. McKee at kate.mckee@frontiersman.com or 352-2252.