Following Princeton Plan Decision, School District Faces Tough Choices

With the Bayport-Blue Point Board of Education deciding to shelve the superintendent’s for now, administrators will head back to the drawing board to seek out ways to reduce costs.

At board meeting, trustees were unanimous in choosing not to move forward with implementing the Princeton Plan, which was proposed by superintendent Dr. Anthony Annunziato just weeks ago.

Nixing the proposal, which Annunziato said would have allowed the school district to save $700,000 annually by reducing the elementary teaching staff from 49 to 41, leaves the district with one less cost-saving option for the upcoming budget season.

At the meeting, Annunziato did not comment on the board’s decision.

The outcome, however, was not a surprise.

Jim March, president of the board of education, told Patch previously that he had some reservations about the proposal and felt that it would not be something the board would considering for the next school year.

During the meeting, trustees emphasized that the most difficult part of the budget process is still to come.

Trustee Leonard Camarda felt the Princeton Plan proposal was not realistic for 2012-13, but that the board will most likely have to revisit the proposal at some point as financial constraints tighten in future years.

“If we’re ever faced with giving up something like our co-teaching program, I would have to reconsider my thoughts on the Princeton Plan,” Camarda said.

Board members thanked the community for the outpouring of input regarding the Princeton Plan following the Oct. 11 forum on the topic.

“We heard you loud and clear,” trustee Molly Licalzi said about the community’s response to the Princeton Plan.

Licalzi warned there are numerous tough decisions looming just ahead for the district, such as program and staff cuts to reduce the budget in 2012-2013.

“Last year we didn’t lay off any teachers, I don’t know if we’ll be able to say that this year. It’s going to be a really difficult year,” she said.

With the Princeton Plan off the table, the administration and board of education shifts its collective focus to creating a budget that comes under the 2-percent tax levy cap enacted New York State earlier this year.

Planning Bayport-Blue Point's school budget under such parameters is a feat that March said is nearly impossible for the district, which has consistently presented a budget with a to the community.

March said residents should recognize that the effects of the cap on public education could be devastating.

Trustee Jane Burgess said she valued the community feedback on the Princeton Plan, but wanted to correct what she said was a false conclusion: that the board’s intention in introducing the Princeton proposal was to scare residents into passing the 2012-13 budget with a supermajority to override the 2-percent tax cap.

“I just want to say that we weren’t trying to blackmail anybody, we’re not holding anything over your heads,” she said. “We’re trying to save our schools without having to do anything detrimental to the kids. We’ll think of other ideas, but we need your help.”