Yesterday, the Northfield School District published recommendations for reducing the district budget by $4.5 million over the 2022-23 and
2023-24 school years.
The budget cuts are necessary due to declining enrollment. The district says over the next 8-10 years, enrollment will decrease by 400 students, which will result in less funding from the state. Furthermore, the money the district receives from the State of Minnesota, which constitutes about 70% of the budget, has not kept up with inflation for nearly three decades. Therefore, the district has made the decision to reduce its budget for the first time in 11 years.
The district convened a task force of 72 Northfield residents and school district stakeholders to look at the elementary budget, the secondary budget, and the budget for district wide services, asking them to prioritize the programming and positions they valued the most. The recommendations for the reductions resulted through that process.
The recommendations call for the elimination of five full time teaching positions, two from the Middle School and three from the High School, for the 2022-2023 school year. Three full time English Learner Educator positions, a 40%-time English Learner position, one full time behavioral coach at Greenvale Park Elementary, one part time Reading Support Instructor at Bridgewater Elementary, one Middle School custodial position and the Parking Lot & Security Monitor position will be eliminated over the next two years. One district-wide media specialist position will be eliminated, and two technology positions will be merged, eliminating another full-time position.
The full time Portage Program, which has allowed for students to attend Northfield Schools online will be discontinued. The Elementary Portage Program will end for the 2022-23 school year, the Secondary program will continue until the 2023-24 school year.
The recommendations call for the elimination of the Cheerleading program, the Chess Club and the One Act Play.
Discretionary funding budgets will be reduced by almost $400,000. Overall district wide purchasing budgets will be reduced by $250,000.
Additionally, the Northfield School Board will be asked to reduce the amount of the annual budget kept in reserve from 16% to either 15% or 14%. The board will discuss all of the recommendations at their next regular meeting on Monday night.
The full listing of all recommended budget cuts:
ELEMENTARY
- 2 full time English Learner positions
- 1 part time Reading Support instructor at Bridgewater (23-24)
- 1 Behavioral Coach at Greenvale Park (23-24)
- The Elementary Portage Program
- 1 hour/day Kindergarten Educational Assistant at Greenvale Park
- Reduce discretionary funding for remedial services by $50,000
- Reduce discretionary funding for Elementary School Programming by $150,000
- Reduce discretionary staff development funding by $45,000
SECONDARY
- 1.4 full time English Learner Positions
- Five General Education Positions (3 full time positions at Northfield High School, 2 full time positions at Northfield Middle School)
- The Secondary Portage Program (23-24)
- Parking Lot & Security Monitor Position (23-24)
- Cheerleading
- Chess Club
- One Act Play
- 1 Promise Fellow (Americorps) Position
- Agricultural Education Partnership with Randolph
- Reduce discretionary funding for Secondary Education by $150,000
- Increase Athletic/Activity Fees
DISTRICT SERVICES
- 1 full time district-wide media specialist
- Merge Network Manager position with Director of Technology Services, reduce one full time position
- 1 custodian at Northfield Middle School
- Reduce Contingency Staffing allocation from 3 full time positions to 1 full time, 1 part time
- Reduce Publications budget by $12,500
- Reduce District Office Supply Budget by $5,000
- Reduce the Finance Department’s budget for consulting fees by $25,000
- Eliminate the National Conference Budget
- Reduce Technology/Subscriptions budget by $29,500
- Eliminate innovation grants
- Reduce transportation budget by $350,000 (10%) (23-24)
- Reduce Utility Expenditures by $50,000
- Reduce ergonomic furniture budget by $2,000
- Reduce Elementary District Wide Purchasing budget by $125,000
- Reduce Secondary District Wide Purchasing budget by $125,000
Additionally, the district will adjust the amount of each annual budget kept in reserve by 1-2%, from 16% to either 15% or 14%. The Northfield School Board will make that decision.
Northfield PD begins mental health program for officers
The Northfield Police Department has begun a program of mental health checks for city police officers. Northfield Chief of Police Mark
Elliott said it is a necessary program that will raise the quality of the work done by his department.
For all the scrutiny put on police officers over the past two years, there can be no denying that being a police officer is a tough job. Officers regularly respond to situations that most people never have to deal with, and they are made aware of the kind things that show the worst of what people can do to each other and themselves.
“It wears on officers,” said Elliott. “Cops see things that are difficult to handle.”
As society’s emphasis on quality policing has increased, more and more police departments are bringing people in to help officers handle the negative aspects of their jobs.
Chief Elliott said that all Northfield Police Officers go through Crisis Intervention Training, which touches on self-care as well. But he said, there is a need for more than one module in a training course. So, the department has brought in a mental health professional to work one on one with Northfield’s police officers.
Elliott said the meetings are mental health check-ins to see how each of them is doing. It helps the officers to be aware of the stress their job can cause, and to keep that stress from invading their private lives and their family lives. It also gives them some positive coping strategies to sort out the tougher parts of their job.
Elliott said this program is something he has been pushing for since he became Chief, because he knows how important it is for a cop to be in good mental health.
“It’s really important that we treat our officers well and that we take care of them well, because well officers take care of the community well. So, we want our officers to make good decisions and be on top of their mental game out there, and this is one way for us to ensure they can do that.”
The Chief said about a third of the Northfield police have had a check-in, but all officers will go through the process.
Jeff Johnson’s full conversation with Northfield Chief of Police Mark Elliott can be heard here
Arcadia Artist-in-Residence Performance set for tonight
By Cait Kelley, KYMN contributor
For the past several weeks, Arcadia Charter School has hosted Twin Cities musician Chris Koza as part of their arts residency program. 90 middle school and high school students, 70% of Arcadia’s student body, volunteered to create a collaborative, multimedia performance piece inspired by Koza’s recent albums Sleepwalkers Part 1 and 2.
Arcadia has a strong artist in residency program that in the past has also featured such artists as Dessa, Ragamala Dance, We Are the Willows, and representatives of the Guthrie Theater.
This is the second time Koza and his collaborators have done a residency at the school. For Arcadia’s Arts Coordinator Bob Gregory-Bjorkland, these residencies provide a rare opportunity for hands-on participation.
“Our students get a highly educational experience,” he said, “creating a performance piece with professionals who are also good teachers.”
For his part, Koza said, he feels the students are doing a “great job.”
“The way that Arcadia wanted to do the residency was really collaborative, really project based. We’ve enjoyed seeing the backdrop that’s come to life, there’s a t-shirt that’s been designed, there’s a poster that’s been designed. There’s a bunch of students that are playing guitars, singing, playing drums, doing dance moves, and it’s been a lot of work. We’re just really pleased with being able to put this together.”
The students have spent six school afternoons working in breakout groups to develop the different aspects of the final performance. Gregory-Bjorkland believes the arts residency program exemplifies how Arcadia incorporates the arts and creative personal expression into school curriculum. He said the program also helps students grow in more personal ways: gaining confidence in themselves and their abilities. He said about Arcadia, “that’s something I’ve always loved about this place. Students say, ‘yeah I’ll give that a try.”
The residency’s capstone performance for the Arcadia community will be held at the school tonight.
Rich Larson is the KYMN News Director. Contact him at rich@kymnradio.net.
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