Algonquin Budget: More Teachers, But 'Class Size Not Sustainable'
The superintendent's preliminary budget for 2014 shows an increase, but board members still worry about growing class sizes.
Bolstered by priorities the Regional School Committee has chiseled finely over the past few months, Superintendent of Schools Charles Gobron unveiled to them a preliminary Algonquin budget for FY2014. The budget, at $19,418,584, shows an increase of 4.82 percent over FY2013, which was $18,525,416. That translates into an increase of $893,168. "There are increases and decreases in this budget," said Gobron. With proposed increases totaling $1,239,035, this includes hiring a full-time math teacher, guidance counselor and physical education instructor, and also a part-time business teacher. Noting "related benefits" (which means health insurance costs, even for retirees), that increase accounts for $295,805 in the budget. Through collective …
