Lenox School Committee looks to the future

LENOX – As previously reported in The Beacon, the school committee is making a commitment to pursue an in-depth look at the future of the district.

“It’s a long time coming,” School Committee Chairman Don W. Fitzgerald said. “I’m really excited for this.”

Continuing the work started in January, the strategic planning subcommittee (which includes school committee members Jo Anne Magee and Michael F. Moran) is looking for proposals for consultants to work with the group on determining the future of Lenox Public Schools.

“We thought it was important to have a neutral third party,” Ms. Magee said.

The subcommittee estimated a consultant could cost $30,000, but Ms. Magee indicated they would be looking into alternative funding for the position and the steps in place now are solely to see what possible consultants propose; no hire is guaranteed.

“There’s no commitment here,” Lenox Public Schools Superintendent Edward W. Costa II added.

A tentative schedule for the consultant process has been put in place, however. All requests for proposals (RFPs) are due by May 10, with interviews of candidates to take place May 23. The goal is to select a consultant by May 28, with the person’s work starting close to June 17.

“Once we have the consultant selected, we will want to open [the strategic planning process] up,” Mr. Moran said.

Both Ms. Magee and Mr. Moran added community input from all stakeholders (including Lenox residents and teachers) would be integral.

“We really want this to be a community-owned process,” Mr. Moran said.

Food services

Also as previously reported, Lenox and other districts throughout the county, state and nation are having financial issues with their food services.

According to a presentation by Lenox Public Schools Director of Business Services Henry C. Maimin, the food services budget is expected to have a gross cost of approximately $246,000 for FY ’13, with only $223,700 estimated in revenue.

This leaves a deficit of approximately $23,000 for the current year, a number similar to what other districts are facing.

“This whole cafeteria lunch thing is an ongoing process,” Chairman Fitzgerald said. “All the districts are fighting the same issue.”

The school department has taken measures to build the food services budget for FY ’14, a move following what neighboring districts, such as Berkshire Hills, have already had in place.

“We do have that in the budget,” Maimin said.

The FY ’13 budget for food services allocated $2,500; the FY ’14 budget allocates $27,500.

Further information on the Lenox Public Schools food services program will be presented at the school committee’s June 10 meeting, scheduled for 7 p.m. at town hall.

Posted by Catherine M. Krummey on May 9, 2013. Filed under Education News,News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry