Thursday, May 9, 2013
School Committee Chair Kimberly Page refutes fellow School Committee Member Bill Mudge's claims that NK has lost millions in a contract with Jamestown students.
To the editor, I recently read Bill Mudge’s letter to the editor about the Jamestown contract. Mr. Mudge claimed that for the last 10 years he and one other individual were the only members of the school committee who understood the Jamestown school contract, and since 2001 the rest of the committee and the town council wasted millions. Since 2001, when the previous Jamestown contract was signed, there were 23 North Kingstown residents who served on the school committee; at the same time, there were 5 superintendents, 3 business administrators, and more 5 people who served on the town council. I want to assure you, contrary to Mr. Mudge’s allegations, there was no conspiracy by myself and the other 50 people who served NK, to cheat …
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
School Committee Member Bill Mudge asserts the contract with Jamestown students is costing the town millions of dollars.
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Tuesday, April 30
To the editor, The superintendent of schools, Dr. Phil Auger, has repeatedly stated over the past two years that North Kingstown “makes a profit of between $1.2 and $1.4 million” by providing a high school education for approximately 200 Jamestown students. I find no empirical evidence that supports this conclusion. If you have been unwittingly persuaded by Dr. Auger’s unsubstantiated rhetoric, it’s time for you to hear the truth, the whole truth, about Jamestown tuition rates. Unfortunately, there is an abundance of evidence that will substantiate an “indifferent mindset” by past members of both the Town Council and School Committee has cost North Kingstown taxpayers a minimum of $5 million over the past 10 years. That’s correct, $5 …
Thursday, April 11, 2013
Less than 10 people spoke at Monday night's public hearings.
With May 1 (the date when the North Kingstown Town Council is scheduled to approve the 2014 budget) approaching, both the council and the North Kingstown School Committee looked for resident input at two public hearings Monday night. Only three people spoke during the council's hearing (addressing the town side of the budget) while six spoke at the school committee's hearing. "With a $60 million-plus enterprise, I was hoping more of our citizens would take interest in coming out," said School Committee Member Robert Jones. On the town side, John McDermott – a trustee with the Willett Free Library in Saunderstown – asked the council to consider equal appropriations between Willett and Davisville Free Library. In the preliminary budget, …
Monday, April 8, 2013
Public hearings for this year's budget are scheduled Monday at North Kingstown High School.
In just under a month, the North Kingstown Town Council will look to approve the fiscal 2014 budget. In anticipation of the ratification, the council and the North Kingstown School Committee and looking for public input from town residents. On Monday night, both municipal bodies will hold public hearings at North Kingstown High School. The preliminary budget for 2014 funds the school department's request, increasing it by $1.6 million from last year's allotment. Overall, the town's budget will jump by about $2.5 million – resulting in a tax levy increase of about 2.95 percent. For the average homeowner in town (with a home valued around $310,000), this averages out to about a $171 tax increase. Click here for a breakdown of the …
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Here are a few ways to voice your concerns and speak out for/against the town's budget.
With the North Kingstown Town Council's approval of a preliminary $98 million budget, we are in the thick of budget season – and with it the start of the inevitable discussions of what should be cut and what should not be cut. The preliminary budget for 2014 funds the school department's request, increasing it by $1.6 million from last year's allotment. Overall, the town's budget will jump by about $2.5 million – resulting in a tax levy increase of about 2.95 percent. For the average homeowner in town (with a home valued around $310,000), this averages out to about a $171 tax increase. Click here for a breakdown of the preliminary budget. Both the North Kingstown Town Council and School Committee will be addressing the budget issue for …
Friday, February 15, 2013
The latest NECAP scores have been released.
Across the board, North Kingstown students are making steady increases on their NECAP (New England Common Assessment Program) test scores. Superintendent Phil Auger and Asst. Superintendent Michelle Humbyrd presented last fall’s scores, which tested third, eighth and eleventh graders across the state, to the North Kingstown School Committee at its Tuesday meeting. According to Humbyrd, North Kingstown is one of 13 districts in Rhode Island that has shown “statistically significant” gains in both reading and math from 2008 to 2012. North Kingstown was also one of eight districts that showed a significant improvement in writing scores across all three levels – elementary, middle and high school. In reading, North Kingstown students scored at…
Thursday, February 14, 2013
North Kingstown schools may see deep cuts, including the elimination of the athletics program, if level-funded.
The North Kingstown School Committee approved the superintendent’s proposed $59 million budget with a 6 to 1 vote (Bill Mudge opposing). The budget, though tentative, assumes that the school department will receive a four percent increase in taxpayer funding – the most allowed under state tax caps. Adding to the cuts approved last week, the committee approved the elimination of one school bus. According to Superintendent Phil Auger, this cut would not impact start times next year. Mudge did not agree with approving of the proposed budget assuming a four-percent increase and asked that the budget sub-committee be given more time work on the numbers and find further cuts. (The sub-committee is set to meet again later this week.) At the …
Thursday, February 7, 2013
The NK School Committee made its first round of cuts.
With more than $500,000 in cuts needed to balance next year’s school budget, the North Kingstown School Committee made its first series of slashes – including cuts to staffing, maintenance, equipment and more. According to School Superintendent Phil Auger, the district faces about $552,000 in cuts to stay in the green. The deficit is due in part to drops in both state and federal funding, as well as an expected dip in student enrollment. North Kingstown is projected to lose 100 students from last year. Additionally, NK will take on an additional 47 students through the expansion of the Crossroads housing complex – though the funding for these students will not arrive until the following academic year. Auger, assuming a four percent …
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Five things to know for Feb. 5.
1. Today's Business Educating Business seminar series at the North Kingstown Chamber of Commerce has been postponed until March 5. 2. The North Kingstown School Committee meets tonight at 7 p.m. at the high school. Superintendent Phil Auger will be presenting proposed budget cuts for the upcoming year. Check the full agenda here. 3. Attention local businesses: do you have any Valentine's Day specials brewing? If you have special discounts, gifts, etc., we want to help you get the word out! Leave us a comment below (or shoot us an email at northkingstown@patch.com) with the details! 4. Another great way to connect with us is through our Facebook. Get NK's news stories right on your newsfeed. Like us here! 5. Today: a chance of snow …
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Friday, January 25, 2013
The North Kingstown School Committee looked at an audit of the schools transportation services.
An audit of the North Kingstown School Department’s transportation services may yield almost a quarter-million dollars in savings for the district with its recommendation. This Tuesday, the North Kingstown School Committee looked at an audit from TransPar Group, which looked at bus routes, efficiency and cost analysis. The report made three major recommendation – reducing one full-size bus from regular rotation, reduce runs for students attending private schools Monsignor Clarke and The Prout School from two buses to one, and consolidating minibus runs. In total, these recommendations could save the district up to $242,400. NK’s student transportation services are split into two categories: 21 full-size contracted buses (providing bus …
Joe Smith
2:45 pm on Tuesday, May 14, 2013
This was in the March 26 golocalprov.....data comes from the state dept of ed (not Mudge, not Page,).. I did not see Jamestown folks writing to the state or golocalprov to dispute those figures in this story.. By the way..don't be fooled by the use of "AUDITED" -- the last set of "AUDITED" data from the state dept of ed is from fiscal year 2011.. Why doesn't Mrs. Page tell us what it cost us in … more ›