MERSD District Plan - Plan Resources

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    Core Value:  Resources
    We believe our district should provide appropriate resources in order for students to achieve our stated vision and mission.

    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.
    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.


    Goal 1:  Manage resources efficiently and innovate to support educational program quality within confines of Proposition 2.5.
    Strategies
    Timeline
    Resources & Responsibilities
    Deliverables
    Measures of Implementation Documentation
    Initiate development of sustainable long-term financial plan for retiree and active employee health insurance.
    FY13 – 15
    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
    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.
    Create multi-year budgeting process  that assesses long-term financial threats and opportunities facing MERSD.
    FY13 -14
    Director of Finance & Operations in collaboration with the Superintendent and School Committee Sub-Committee for Finance
    Create 3- or 5-year budget document that can be updated annually.
    Identify cost-saving measures that can free up internal funding for best-possible use.
    Annually through budgeting process
    Director of Finance & Operations in collaboration with the Superintendent with support from:
    • Directors
    • Principals
    Documented savings/reinvestment from internal departments and program restructurings.

    Goal 2:  Create an organizational structure and develop effective internal processes to meet the needs of students, employees, families and taxpayers.
    Strategies
    Timeline
    Resources & Responsibilities
    Deliverables
    Measures of Implementation Documentation
    Update MERSD’s organizational structure to better align positions with organizational priorities.
    FY 13-15
    Superintendent in collaboration with
    • Directors
    • Principals
    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.

    Improve financial and human resource procedures to improve functioning of Central Office.
    FY13 -15
    Director of Finance & Operations in collaboration with the Superintendent
    Documented and practiced protocols for addressing routine matters.

    Goal 3:  Raise quality of educational facility conditions to match quality MERSD’s educational program.
    Strategies
    Timeline
    Resources & Responsibilities
    Deliverables
    Measures of Implementation Documentation

    Obtain independent assessment of facility conditions at Memorial and Essex Elementary Schools.

    FY13
    Director of Finance & Operations in collaboration with the Facilities Director
    Report on needs presented to School Committee.

    Form SC subcommittee to review Regional Agreement for limitations and/or necessary revisions to allow for project options.

    FY13
    Superintendent in collaboration with
    • Director of Finance & Operations
    • SC School Committee - Finance
    • Director of Facilities
    Established Committee, meeting schedule adopted and scope of review determined.

    Determination of options for moving forward renovations/unified building on new site / reconfiguring elementary schools.

    FY14
    Superintendent in collaboration with
    • Director of Finance & Operations
    • SC School Committee - Finance
    • Director of Facilities
    Report to full School Committee with costs/benefits of available options.

    Solicit public input on options via survey and focus groups on feasible options.

    FY14
    Superintendent in collaboration with
    • Director of Finance & Operations
    • SC School Committee - Finance
    Resources:  General Fund
    Report with findings to full School Committee.

    Formalize preventative and routine maintenance program for day-to-day building/grounds needs.
    FY14
    Facilities Director

    Resources:  General Fund

    Established budget, calendar, and identified needs staffing/contractor needed.