Belt tightening allows School Board to approve a bit of budget relief to benefit Norfolk’s schools

The School Board on Wednesday night approved a plan to restore stipends for staff members who perform extra duties, and to ensure that classroom teachers get purchasing cards for supplies.

Most stipends and the purchasing cards were among many items eliminated in the 2010-11 budget due to severe revenue shortfalls. However, a freeze on discretionary expenditures during the last half of 2009-10 left enough money to pre-fund some expected 2011 expenses, such as history textbooks and some equipment. That means there will be money this year to offer stipends (about $750,000 divisionwide) and purchasing cards ($200 per teacher, $600,000 divisionwide), said Chief Financial Officer John Maniscalco.

Staff members can earn stipends for many duties, such as serving as department chairs, supervising children getting on and off buses before and after school, and maintaining special certifications to perform division work. The entire stipend schedule will be reviewed to ensure cost effectiveness.