Page 16 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • March 16, 2011 �������������������������� Board of education completes budget survey by John Koster The Wyckoff Board of Education has now finished collecting demographic and opinion responses on the K8 Community Budget Survey, but the numbers and percentages are not yet available for public consumption. Results of the survey will likely be available by the March 28 public budget meeting at 6:30 p.m. at the Eisenhower School, if not before. The survey was anonymous and school board members and administrators urged all “stakeholders” to respond. The original deadline was Feb. 23, but that date was extended. “The board of education welcomes your input through this survey regarding spending priorities and ideas to reduce costs,” the survey statement said. “We are also very interested in how we can best communicate information about the proposed budget prior to the school elections of Wednesday, April 27, 2011.” The survey asked respondents for age and gender, and whether they reside in Wyckoff. Respondents were also asked if they are registered voters, and about their preferred sources of information about the schools. Respondents were significantly asked to “strongly agree,” “agree,” “disagree,” or “strongly disagree” with four statements. Those statements include: Public schools are the center of the community. Home property values are dependent on high school quality. The two percent cap on taxes to school budgets is fair. Fiscal efficiency is demonstrated by low cost per pupil. The respondents were asked to rate the importance, from “very important” to “least important,” of 11 options or factors in the Wyckoff K-8 system: elementary guidance services, elementary world language programs, cocurricular after school clubs, instrumental music, vocal music, instructional technology for use in the classroom, interscholastic sports, library/media and special services, ongoing professional development of the teaching staff, and class size. 3-16-11 janine