Are you kidding me? Did the newspaper incorrectly report the school board meeting on Tuesday regarding wages increases, $800,000 shortage to be absorbed in school supplies and a recommendation by our superintendent to take a wage freeze of all administration positions only to have the overturned by Newton’s principals? I will watch for a retraction and apologize if need be — but I am putting my bet that the newspaper reported correctly.
Of the $800,000 shortage, $75,000 will be absorbed by drastically reducing color printing, which is wonderful. Could we have taken that step in past years? And what other reductions have been overlooked as needs rather than wants? Secretaries’ 4 percent wage increases are higher than the teacher increase this coming year. That appears nonsensical. But, the best yet is a superintendent who did not stick to his wise and realistic recommendation of an administrative wage freeze.
Do you realize how many free lunches are in this town, and how ridiculous the teacher and administration salaries are in comparison to that before the increases? It is as ridiculous as selling an administration building (that needs $400,000 in repairs) for a mere $50-some thousand dollars so you can put more than $2,000,000 into a new location for an admin building.
I’m wondering if these decision makers even went to school. It’s clear Mr. Callaghan did as he ended up with a raise.
Melinda Burgess
Newton