Core Value: Resources
We believe our district should provide appropriate resources in order for students to achieve our stated vision and mission.
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Overarching Goal: Develop the Business Department into an innovative, customer-oriented and resource-efficient organization that supports the continuous improvement of MERSD's educational program.
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Summary of Current Status FY12: The Business Department is in the midst of a transition, having solicited outside feedback to assess its strength and weaknesses. While significant progress has been made in advancing a culture of customer service orientation and cost-consciousness more work needs to be done to support the core operations of MERSD’s instructional program and to ensure that the district is on a firm financial footing for many years in the future.
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Goal 1: Manage resources efficiently and innovate to support educational program quality within confines of Proposition 2.5.
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Strategies
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Timeline
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Resources & Responsibilities
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Deliverables
Measures of Implementation Documentation
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Initiate development of sustainable long-term financial plan for retiree and active employee health insurance.
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FY13 – 15
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Director of Finance & Operations in collaboration with the Superintendent with support from:
- School Committee
- ME Teacher’s Association (META)
- Town Finance Committees & Taxpayers
- Legal counsel and industry analysts
Resources: Consultant Services - Actuaries
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FY13
- Establish Administration's Unfunded Liability (UL) Committee.
FY14 to FY15
- Research options for expense control and funding structure.
- Established declining differential between growth rate of health insurance vs. remainder of budget.
- Improved UL valuation in FY14 & FY-1.
- Established funding strategy in place by FY-16.
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Create multi-year budgeting process that assesses long-term financial threats and opportunities facing MERSD.
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FY13 -14
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Director of Finance & Operations in collaboration with the Superintendent and School Committee Sub-Committee for Finance
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Create 3- or 5-year budget document that can be updated annually.
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Identify cost-saving measures that can free up internal funding for best-possible use.
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Annually through budgeting process
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Director of Finance & Operations in collaboration with the Superintendent with support from:
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Documented savings/reinvestment from internal departments and program restructurings.
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Goal 2: Create an organizational structure and develop effective internal processes to meet the needs of students, employees, families and taxpayers.
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Strategies
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Timeline
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Resources & Responsibilities
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Deliverables
Measures of Implementation Documentation
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Update MERSD’s organizational structure to better align positions with organizational priorities.
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FY 13-15
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Superintendent in collaboration with
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FY – 13
Completed review of Middle High School administrative structure.
FY13-15
System of annual review of organizational structures and efficiencies and impact on broader goals.
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Improve financial and human resource procedures to improve functioning of Central Office.
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FY13 -15
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Director of Finance & Operations in collaboration with the Superintendent
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Documented and practiced protocols for addressing routine matters.
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Goal 3: Raise quality of educational facility conditions to match quality MERSD’s educational program.
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Strategies
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Timeline
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Resources & Responsibilities
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Deliverables
Measures of Implementation Documentation
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Obtain independent assessment of facility conditions at Memorial and Essex Elementary Schools.
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FY13
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Director of Finance & Operations in collaboration with the Facilities Director
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Report on needs presented to School Committee.
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Form SC subcommittee to review Regional Agreement for limitations and/or necessary revisions to allow for project options.
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FY13
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Superintendent in collaboration with
- Director of Finance & Operations
- SC School Committee - Finance
- Director of Facilities
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Established Committee, meeting schedule adopted and scope of review determined.
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Determination of options for moving forward renovations/unified building on new site / reconfiguring elementary schools.
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FY14
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Superintendent in collaboration with
- Director of Finance & Operations
- SC School Committee - Finance
- Director of Facilities
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Report to full School Committee with costs/benefits of available options.
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Solicit public input on options via survey and focus groups on feasible options.
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FY14
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Superintendent in collaboration with
- Director of Finance & Operations
- SC School Committee - Finance
Resources: General Fund
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Report with findings to full School Committee.
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Formalize preventative and routine maintenance program for day-to-day building/grounds needs.
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FY14
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Facilities Director
Resources: General Fund
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Established budget, calendar, and identified needs staffing/contractor needed.
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