$1.2 Million Saved by Closing Hillside School

Weeks into Elmbrook's first year with five elementary schools instead of six, the district has crunched the numbers on how much the closing of Hillside Elementary is saving the budget.

Savings estimates ranged between $1.2 million and $1.3 million during last fall's debate and decision by the School Board.

And that's pretty much what it turned out to be.

Audited, actual savings — after staffing was set for this fall — is $1,213,301, School Board member Glen Allgaier said.

At Monday's annual meeting, Don Bardonner of Brookfield questioned why — after a school closure — the district's proposed 2012-13 budget showed total salaries rising by $206,237 and total teacher staffing decreasing by less than two positions.

Keith Brightman, assistant superintendent for finance, operations and human resources, noted that a new teachers union contract set a 1.5 percent salary increase for the 2011-12 school year and the district has budgeted a smaller increase of about 0.8 percent for the 2012-13 budget, although contract negotiations have not yet begun.

Elmbrook also hired more teachers to open new sections after seeing larger-than expected summer enrollments at elementary schools, especially Swanson and Tonawanda.

Brightman also said the $1.2 million savings from closing Hillside came largely from other labor savings, not teachers: reductions of a principal, secretary, two custodians, portions of specials teachers such as art or music and an instructional resource teacher.

Overall staffing was reduced by 15.9 full-time equivalent positions, with teachers accounting for nine of those FTEs.

At Brookfield Patch's request, Brightman forwarded this breakdown of the Hillside savings: