April 7, 2010 THE VILLADOM TIMES II • Page 3 Glen Rock Superintendent sees massive staff cuts as likely by John Koster Glen Rock Superintendent Dr. David Verducci recently said the schools would have to cut 44 staff positions to meet the challenge of state aid cuts and, even with tight budgeting, 36 staff cuts look like a reality for the 2010-11 budgeting process. Dr. Verducci also offered some suggestions to remedy what he called a crisis solution, and castigated the Governor Chris Christie for using tactics that left administrators and trustees feeling like “victims of a school-yard bully.” He also pledged to work with the governor on the basis of intelligent negotiations by both sides. “Most people in New Jersey, myself included, agree that the state’s financial situation is dire, that the funding process for public schools is broken and needs to be fixed, that pension reform is critical, and that the time to begin addressing these issues is not just tomorrow, but now; but where we disagree comes to the fore with regard to how this all came to about and how we should go about fixing it,” Dr. Verducci said. In an open letter, the superintendent explained that in 2009-10, Glen Rock received $2,039,957 in state aid, but anticipated a “tightening of belts” and prepared for a 15 percent reduction. What they got, Verducci said, was the elimination of all regular school aid and a $204,437 reduction in previously guaranteed debt service programs for the referendum project. Glen Rock, Verducci said, begins the new budgetary cycle with a loss of revenue totaling $2,812,394: the equivalent of 44.6 faculty members’ salaries. “Even with cutting non-salary expenses to the bone, there is no way that a top-flight district like Glen Rock can maintain its current standard of quality with the number of faculty cuts that are necessary to balance the budget and give our community a minimal tax increase. Included in a list of what we are looking at in the 2010-11 school budget are deep personnel cuts (in the neighborhood of 36 administrators, teachers, support staff, and custodial and maintenance staff) as well as stiff reductions in elementary g uidance programs, librar y/media ser vices, world (continued on page 6) NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED LEADER IN CONTEMPORARY VARICOSE VEIN TREATMENT 265 Ackerman Ave. Ridgewood, NJ 201 791 9339 www.chubackveins.com 3-24-10 janine FashionDesignWorkshop3x3Color(3-24-10) 3 x 3” The Ridgewood Chamber of Commerce congratulates Van Dyk Manor of Ridgewood, for being named one of America’s Best Nursing Homes by U.S. News & World Report ' See the complete list at www.usnews.com/nursinghomes Van Dyk Manor ' 304 S. Van Dien Avenue, Ridgewood, NJ 07450 201-445-8200 ' www.vandykhealthcare.com Family caring for family, since 1953