Question: Was the current Superintendent hired to fulfill the duties of the previous Superintendent?
Answer: From the Board of Directors: Superintendent contracts contain legal elements which must be incorporated into all superintendent contracts. As a board we took a look at where our district was and what the educational needs of our students were at this point. There was a public survey available that was completed by a good number of people and played a role in our search. It was decided that we were looking for someone with a strong handle on instruction and instructional strategies to continue to move our students forward in their educational endeavors. Dr. Wenrich was that gem for our district. She has been very accommodating to the Jersey Shore Area School District and in her short time here she has meet many community people from the police to township supervisors to listen and learn about our area.
No two superintendents are alike as no two people are alike. Dr. Wenrich will absolutely do superintendent duties and as she remains and grows in the district you will see her focus change but for now she is focused on our instructional implementation and assessing our districts strengths and weakness.
A simple answer is, no we did not ask her to follow all the previous superintendents’ duties. We asked her to be herself and use the knowledge base she has to continue to make our district successful. We all know that a superintendent is multifaceted and has a hundred different things going on at one time. As any good employee she will prioritize and continue to move this district forward and be a champion for our students, staff and community.
Question: Where are the cuts going to occur?
Answer: Preliminary cuts have already been made to the budget, with further cuts to be considered.
Question: Do all of the Elementary Grade Level Leaders possess their Masters in Curriculum and Instruction?
Answer: No they do not. They were chosen for their expertise in the classroom and to be a liaison for their grade level giving all teachers a voice through the Grade Level Leader.
Question: How much instructional time is currently spent on prepping for the PSSA at the Elementary Level?
Answer: PSSA’s are required to be given to all students in grades 3, 4 & 5 in Math and Reading, as well as Science in grade 4. The current Treasures (2007) series which is used as the main instructional resource requires anywhere from 45 minutes to 90 minutes per week, depending on grade level and individual student, for assessment, which utilizes a PSSA format.
Question: What savings will the district realize with the new teacher’s contract?
Answer: Savings for the district in the new JSAEA contract will come from a two percent increase in the premium share for health insurance and the way it is calculated. It was previously computed on a composite rate and now it will be calculated on a tiered rate. Savings will also depend on the plan design chosen by teachers at open enrollment. The premium share for retirees was also increased and savings will be realized from that change.
Question: Why would the district investigate the addition of classroom doors and petitions when it knows students can be moved to Jersey Shore Elementary?
Answer: At this time, the district is not interested in moving students to Jersey Shore Elementary.
Question: How many students use the Johnson building and how do you justify spending $215,000 to upgrade?
Answer: 11 students currently use the house for instruction. The house offers a very unique learning experience for life skills students to help transfer the skills they learn in the classroom to a real environment.
Question: With a continuing student population decrease how do you justify creation of seven new positions?
Answer: At this time, the student population is stable. There are two positions requested which are new, the autistic support teacher and a special education aide to support that classroom. All others are requested reinstatements.
Question: 70% of the pie was usually salary and benefits. What will it be with the new education association contract added in with all others?
Answer: Salaries and benefits are 70% of the budget and that includes all the new positions.
Question: What is the Finance Advisory Committee’s Mission and how was it formed?
Answer: The Finance Advisory Committee currently exists to review and give recommendations to the budget process. Committee members were nominated by individuals across the district based on their knowledge base and expertise.