River ValeBoard of Education

2020-2021 Budget Presentation

April 28, 2020

River Vale Board of Education

Lorraine Waldes - President Steven Rosini - Vice President

Patrice PintarelliJohn Puccio

Deborah RothenbergJason SchlerethVirginia Senande

Dr. Frank Alvarez – Interim Superintendent of SchoolsKelly L. Ippolito - Business Administrator/Board Secretary

What Do We Value?

• Providing a great education for students

• Greatness means more than test scores• Empowering students to grow personally and academically and find

and develop their passions• Most important is the teacher in the classroom

• Use technology to powerfully leverage this growth

• Be unrelenting in school improvement

• Be true to what we value

How Do We Educate the21st Century Student?

• Leveraging technology in grades K-8• Continually hiring, supporting, & developing great staff• Evolving to meet the needs of ALL students• Continue moving from current to trendsetting for the

benefit of students• Maintaining facilities, technology, and supports to do so

River Vale Budget Goals

• Create a budget that is reflective of the River Vale School District’s values and continual Commitment to Excellence

• Create a budget that is respectful to our community • Create a budget that maintains a rigorous cycle of

curriculum review and renewal

Your 2020-2021Budget Supports

…

• All current educational programming and staffing levels

• Small class sizes

• Full-day kindergarten

• K-8 technology initiative

• Digital resources such as Renaissance Learning, IXL Math, DefinedStem, etc.

• A commitment to a rigorous cycle of curriculum review and renewal

• Professional development through nationally-recognized experts and the Regional Curriculum Office

2019-2020Board of Education Goals

Goal 1 – Student Learning:1. Further align communication, collaboration, and critical & creative thinking to the explicit tenants of

the Portrait of a Graduate:• Revise communication, collaboration, and critical & creative thinking rubrics/learning

progressions to the Portrait of a Graduate (i.e., “communication” becomes “global communicator,” etc.);

• Develop exemplars by grade-level to support the Portrait of a Graduate and develop a repository for access for staff and parents;

• Provide professional learning to staff on how communication, collaboration, and critical & creative thinking manifest themselves through teaching and learning as global communicator, collaborative innovator, problem seeker & solution maker, compassionate citizen, and fearless trailblazer;

• Continue to utilize mid and end-of-year feedback surveys from students, staff, and administration and partner with other EdLeader21 districts to continue exploring best practices in measuring the Portrait of a Graduate’s effectiveness.

2. Continue developing new innovative district-wide curricular initiatives:• Continue focusing on behavioral supports through a K-5 specifically designed curriculum, expert

speakers, and a continued focus on student wellness;• Implement two new elective programs at Holdrum;

2019-2020Board of Education Goals

Goal 1 – Student Learning (Continued) • Implement year two of the District’s PoGStudio program and K-5 PoGStudio clubs;• Implement year two of the Holdrum Academies program.

3. Enhance professional learning through individual choice and continued peer-to-peer collaboration.• This is an ongoing goal currently being implemented by teachers sharing best practices at

faculty meetings, staff development days, and the district’s annual Summer Ed. Tech Camp.

Goal 2 – Communications:1. The Board will strive to celebrate student work towards the Portrait of a Graduate at Board of

Education meetings throughout the year.

2. Continue to highlight examples of student achievement for parents in correspondences from the district.

3. Continue the scheduled cycle of superintendent and principal e-blasts and inform parents of the general schedule of district communications at the beginning of the school-year.

2019-2020Board of Education Goals

Goal 3 – Operations:1. Develop and implement the annual budget to continue supporting educational and operational

initiatives while providing fiscal accountability to the community:• The Finance Committee shall be presented with a DRAFT Proposed Budget for the 2020-2021

Fiscal Year on January 7, 2020 from the SBA and Interim Superintendent that supports the Board’s Operations Goals

2. Implement the district’s long-range facilities plan:• The District engaged the Architect to perform a feasibility study and submit to the SDE a five

(5) year long range facility plan. The District shall review and begin the implementation of the long range plan in conjunction with preparing the 2020-2021 budget.

3. Complete the installation of the Holdrum Generator:• Continue the implementation process with the architect for the installation of the generator at

Holdrum

4. Continue Phase II RES Media Center design and implementation.

5. Continue to assess district practices, procedures, and internal control systems to ensure fiscal accountability and efficient and responsive operations:• Review the prior year’s assessment and verify the most effective use of staff

2019-2020Board of Education Goals

Goal 3 – Operations Continued:6. Continue to investigate sharing services and potentially staff with other districts.

7. Continue to implement the district’s new finance and human relations software:• Implement ALIO Content system based on training that was provided in May 2019 and

continue to implement the module and create digital archives of certain district records created in ALIO.

8. Maximize efficiency and effectiveness of the district’s relationship with the RegionalCurriculum Office.

9. Enhance District Security Practices/Protocols:• Upgrade existing security camera system and expand system with additional cameras in

each school to enhance coverage of facilities.

10. Expand the online payment system for parents:• Continue to find additional uses for Community Pass, which offers third party online

payments for fees, student activities, milk, tuition, etc.

11. Prepare for negotiations with the Administrators• Input will be sought from the Board as to the contract, which expires June 30, 2020

(RVAA)

2019-2020Board of Education Goals

Goal 4 – Technology1. Deploy over 400 new Chromebooks to students in grades 3-5 and deploy new devices for

all elementary classrooms and faculty:• Receive, inventory, and prepare devices for next school year;• Prepare student training for September.

2. Continue improvement of technology infrastructure to support expanded 1:1 programs and general district technology:• Replace wireless access points in elementary classrooms grades K-2 with upgraded

hardware for faster throughput speeds.

3. Deploy new Single Sign-On (SSO) solution for all district students and staff.• Provide all users with improved experience when accessing online district resources; • Prepare professional development content on new SSO solution for September.

Budget Development Time LineOctober 2019 Budget data collection begins

December 2019 –March 2020

CSA, SBA, & BOE Finance Committee develops budget

February 25, 2020 Governor’s Budget Address to NJ Legislature

February 27, 2020 State Aid Figures Released

March 3, 2020 BOE approved tentative budget

April 28, 2020 Formal hearing on 2020-2021 budget

River Vale is Highly Efficient

The River Vale School District is a leader in the area of shared services:

Participates with other local school districts for services and programs

Cooperative gas purchasing program through the Township

Lease with Township to maintain all district fields by the Township

Member of Northeast School Board Insurance Group to secure best rates

Implement district-wide energy efficient practices and protocols

Partners with River Vale PTA and River Vale Educational Fund to provide assemblies, upgrades, and initiatives throughout the district to science labs, playgrounds, media centers, and technology for students

2019-2020 Facility Upgrades The district has accomplished significant upgrades this school year, including, but not limited to:

Woodside School: water bottle filling station (donated by RVEF) installed across from Media Center

Holdrum School: generator project; water bottle filling station (donated by RVEF) installed across from Media Center

Roberge School: asbestos removal in three Kindergarten Classrooms; new floor tile installed and painting completed in three Kindergarten Classrooms; Media Center renovations

Roberge Annex/Park Academy: water bottle filling station (donated by RVEF) installed on second floor

District Wide: purchase of new utility truck; tree removals

Major External Budget Challenges

State imposed MANDATES remain UNFUNDED(i.e.- H.I.B., CCSS, etc.)

Achieve NJNJSLSSpecial Education- out of district tuition- required additional services- transportation costs

Health Benefits- premium increase in the state planMinimal State Aid- River Vale received a total of $871,427 in General Fund

Financial Responsibility

• Discretionary spending was kept flat or decreased

• No budget waivers sought (although eligible)

• Staffing: Maintained at current levels and increases in the area of Special Education

• Spending kept under the “cap”

• Banked Cap – lapsed

”Committed to Excellence” includes Fiscal Responsibility

Budgeted Revenue

2019-2020 2020-2021Budgeted Fund Balance 342,504 877,884Capital Reserve Withdrawal 200,000 0.00General Local Tax Levy 22,183,452 22,602,121Tuition 20,000 20,000Miscellaneous/Interest Cap Res. 113,055 130,008State Aid (*) 754,595 871,427Federal Grants 203,702 162,962Debt Service Local Tax Levy 846,237 807,775

Budgeted Fund Balance-Debt Service 1 0

TOTAL 24,665,546 25,508,177

Advertised Appropriations

BUDGET CATEGORY2019-2020

BUDGET2020-2021PROPOSED

BUDGET

%INC/(DEC)

Instruction $ 10,158,798 $ 10,444,638 2.81%

Co-Curricular/AthleticActivities

$ 137,821 $ 139,912 1.52%

Special Education Tuition

$ 897,997 $ 1,201,165 33.76%

Support Services $ 2,815,261 $ 3,162,505 12.33%

Administration $ 6,374,974 $ 6,198,209 -2.77%

Operations and Maintenance of Plant

$ 2,064,179 $ 2,124,286 2.91%

Advertised Appropriations (Cont.)

BUDGET CATEGORY2019-2020

BUDGET

2020-2021PROPOSED

BUDGET%

INC/(DEC)

Student Transportation$ 483,210 $ 463,210 -4.14%

Capital Outlay (*) $ 683,366 $ 803,515 17.58%

Special Revenue $ 203,702 $ 162,962 -20.00%

Debt Services $ 846,238 $ 807,775 -4.55%

GRAND TOTAL $ 24,665,546 $25,508,177 3.42%

* Includes mandated SDA Assessment of $50,531 in 2020-2021

Tax Levy Increase

General Fund Budgetonly 1.41% over 2019-2020

$0.26/day $7.62/month $91.48/year

TAX IMPACT

Where Can I Get More Information?

Visit us at www.rivervaleschools.com

Copies of the budget will be available atthe Board of Education Office

609 Westwood Avenue, River Vale, NJ