Budget Update
Office of the Superintendent

Across the State, New Jersey's 600 school districts are struggling to prepare an operating budget for the 2010-2011 school year. In an attempt to close the gap on a two billion dollar state deficit, the Governor and legislature have imposed a series of cost reductions on New Jersey's schools.

Currently, the proposed cuts to the Wayne Education Budget are approximately $5,000,000.

The Administration, Business Administrator and the Board of Education are working to prepare a budget, which is due to the County Superintendent on March 22 that will comply with State and County guidelines, while preserving a quality education for our students.

Two additional public meetings on the budget are scheduled for Monday, March 15 at 7:00 p.m. and Tuesday March 16 at 8:30 p.m., in the auditorium of Wayne Hills High School.

As we approach the Election on April 20, due to the unprecedented nature of the cuts to school districts there will be an abnormal amount of speculation and rumor. There will also be a generous offering of opinions and proposed solutions, to deal with problems that are not only complex and closely tied to Federal and State mandates, but unique to the education of students in a taxpayer-supported public school system.

Naturally, we will earmark those dollars that are essential to maintaining our core academic programs and those required by the Department of Education for students to graduate. Education is a service-oriented business. We hire and seek to retain the best teachers and to provide our students with the best education we can afford. Since we conduct our business with taxpayer dollars, it will continue to be this administration's policy to conduct the operation of this district transparently and with integrity.

For Wayne and all of the State's 600 districts, 2010- 2011 and perhaps beyond, will not be a time for business as usual. It is however, a time for the entire educational community of teachers, parents, Trustees, and residents to have the vision to work together and preserve all of the progress our district has made in an effort to serve our 9,000 students.

Dr. James Dwyer

Interim Superintendent