By Nicholas Brown
Staff Writer

As voters recently rejected the school district budget, the Epsom School Board was faced with the all too familiar task of cutting the year’s expenses at its Wednesday, March 29, meeting.

Voters rejected the proposed budget for the sixth time in the last eight years on March 14, requiring school officials to trim more than $260,000.

“This is about as much fun as getting a tooth pulled,” school board member Gordon Ellis said, shortly before the board voted unanimously to remove several expenses including a kindergarten position, a special education case manager, and all of Epsom Central School’s co-curricular programs and field trips.

About 60 people showed up to the recent meeting, where the board also tried to dispel any potential rumors that it might cut kindergarten altogether.

The proposed kindergarten position the board voted to remove from the operating budget – which cut about $56,000 in salary and benefits – has been funded the past four years by a federal Title II grant.

District administrators were circumspect as to whether the grant will again be available this year, and if the district will still be allowed to use the money to fund a kindergarten position, but said there’s been no clear indication from the federal Department of Education that the grant will be lost.

“We’ve had no communication that the grant is in jeopardy right now,” said SAU 53 Superintendent Thomas Haley. “Usually you get some inkling that something’s going to happen.”

If the grant doesn’t come through, administrators suggested ECS kindergarten could be moved to a larger classroom to fit up to 25 kindergartners in each of the morning and afternoon sessions.

Currently, the kindergarten’s modular classrooms, by law, only afford space for up to 13 students.

Perhaps more nervous than anyone about the future of the Title II grant is ECS kindergarten teacher Shannon Bentzler, whose position currently hangs in the balance.

“It’s scary – but I love this school,” said Bentzler.

Other expenses removed from this year’s proposed budget include $52,000 for a special education case manager, $6,000 for field trips and athletic trips, more than $3,000 for new textbooks and library books, nearly $5,000 for any new supplies, $3,000 for fields and grounds maintenance, down to $290 for flowers for commencement ceremonies.

“I guess the supply list that’s going to go home is going to be bigger than ever,” said school board Chairman Barbara Doughty.

The board also trimmed all after-school activities, including yearbook and sports. Sports, like field trips, will again be on a pay to- play basis, which could mean fewer students participating in after-school activities.

Doughty said 45 girls tried out for basketball when the district funded sports, compared to only 16 this year under a pay-toplay system.

The regular budget cuts seem to be putting a strain on the school’s staff, including the teachers who’s new three-year contract was also squelched by voters this year.

Principal Patrick Connors said the school’s staff members regularly buy school supplies out of their own pockets, and routinely must appeal for support from parents and community members to allow for activities such as the annual fourth-grade field trip to the State House.

Connors said school workers are often approached by parents saying, “You’re asking for more and more,” he said.

The reply, added Connors, is, “That’s all we can do at this point.”