By Amanda McGregor
SALEM — If a budget shortfall forces the closure of Horace Mann Lab School, elementary class sizes elsewhere in the city could balloon to 28 students and positions such as librarians and technology specialists could be cut, according to officials.
"It's not a good idea," Superintendent William Cameron said, "but if push came to shove, we could increase class sizes in the district."
Cameron and Mayor Kim Driscoll met with Horace Mann parents Tuesday night to explain why the district hasn't advertised the soon-to-be-vacant principal position.
They said closing the elementary school is one of the potential measures if there is a budget shortfall, but nothing is decided.
If Horace Mann's 320 students were displaced, the average elementary school class size would approach an average of 25 students per class with any given class enrolling as many as 28 students, the limit set out in the teachers' contract, Cameron said.
"It's not a good idea," he said, "but it's physically possible to do it."
Kindergarten classes are limited to a maximum of 18 students based on a state grant Salem receives, he said.
Currently, elementary class sizes range from as low as 11 students to as many as 24, according to Cameron. He gave the example of Bates Elementary School, where both grade-four classes have 19 students, the three second-grade classes have 20, 20 and 22 students, and the three first-grade classes have 14, 18 and 18 students, respectively.
The mayor and superintendent said the budget hinges on a number of factors, including state aid (which legislative leaders say will be reduced), teacher contract negotiations, and whether the city adopts a measure to collect additional tax revenue on hotel stays and meals, according to Driscoll, who is also chairwoman of the School Committee.
"We haven't even seen the school budget yet," Driscoll said. "We're just at the beginning of the process. That's what made (Tuesday) night's meeting so hard."
Cameron said closing Horace Mann would save the district about $500,000.
"We don't have a plan in place to close Horace Mann," Cameron said. "It's one option."
Driscoll said the district hasn't yet made a list of vulnerable programs, or what savings would be realized from specific cuts.
"We'll look at the mandates around what we have to provide," Driscoll said, "and then what are those other things we're doing? Science integration specialists, technology specialists and librarians are great to have, but not a requirement."
'Citywide problem'
Horace Mann parents and teachers objected to the possible closure.
"This is a citywide problem," Horace Mann parent Lisa Murphy said of the potential budget deficit. "Everybody needs to worry about mushrooming class sizes if children have to be displaced into other schools. This could threaten science, the libraries, art and music — it's not just a Horace Mann concern."
Parent Tracy Kapantais said parents are mobilizing to voice their support of Horace Mann, and there are plans to petition against the potential closure.
"From what the superintendent said the other night, there was really nothing we could do at this point," said Kapantais, president of the Horace Mann Parent-Teacher Committee. "There's no announcement. We have to just plug on as usual and do what we can."
There are four principal vacancies in the school district. The principals of Horace Mann, Carlton and Nathaniel Bowditch schools are retiring, and the interim principal at Saltonstall will leave at the end of the year. The district is interviewing candidates for all the jobs except Horace Mann.
"I know a great many people are deeply disturbed by the discussion we had about the possibility of schools closing," Cameron said. "Under some circumstances, that might have been a premature discussion. Under the circumstance of the principal vacancy, it seems to me it was time."
Driscoll told parents the city is awaiting budget figures from the state. She said there will be open dialogue with parents.
"This is not a decision that's going to happen at midnight behind closed doors," Driscoll told parents.
Meanwhile, she has asked the schools to put forward a level-funded budget, which automatically means there will be some cuts.
"We're still working on projecting things and hoping to have real numbers," Driscoll said.
Cameron said there are additional uncertainties, like funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, known as the stimulus package.
"Title One (reading) and special education funds will be coming for a second year," Cameron said, "but the amount hasn't been disclosed to us yet."
The School Committee typically begins reviewing the proposed budget in April.
"We haven't evaluated what all the options are," Driscoll said, "or which options would be preferable over another if we have to make budget cuts."
Kapantais said school officials have been invited to attend the next Horace Mann PTC meeting on April 13.
Staff writer Amanda McGregor can be reached at amcgregor@salemnews.com.
If you go
What: Community meeting with Parents for Salem Schools (PaSS)
Who: A newly formed group to support the Salem schools
When: Tomorrow, 4:30 p.m.
Where: First Church, 316 Essex St., Salem
More information: Visit the PaSS Facebook page at www.facebook.com/group.php?v=wall&gid=377583406041 or e-mail jeffreysnell@comcast.net.
