THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, May 5, 1995 TAG: 9505040227
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 04 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ELIZABETH THIEL, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Short : 48 lines
Superintendent Sidney L. Faucette has postponed a report showing how he will balance this year's school budget.
Faucette, who was scheduled to present the report Tuesday, said he would offer it at the next School Board meeting on May 16. That's a week after City Council is due to pass its 1995-96 budget, in which school funding is expected to be about $3.8 million less than the School Board had requested.
Faucette said he had not had time to present the report to the School Board's budget review committee, which includes two board members.
Some principals and teachers have expressed concern about whether the school system's budget would be in the black come June 30, the end of this fiscal year.
Board members have said they are confident that Faucette will balance the budget. But some questioned him Tuesday about the school system's financial condition.
Ulysses Van Spiva asked Faucette to explain, for example, why principals were asked last month to cancel all orders for supplies and to return all supplies that were delivered.
``The word around the system is that we have virtually brought the educational system of this city to a halt,'' Spiva said.
Faucette said Chief Financial Officer Mordecai L. Smith's freeze order was a mistake. Faucette said his intention was not to freeze all purchases, but to ask principals to buy only essential items. Faucette said principals also have been directed not to purchase supplies for next year with this year's budget money.
``We're trying to spend this year's money for this year's kids,'' he said.
Board member Elsie M. Barnes asked Faucette whether training programs for teachers are being affected by the budget situation.
Faucette said schools have been asked to hold off on training sessions originally scheduled for May and June until July and August, in the next budget year. Faucette said provisions would be made, however, for required teacher certification training.
Faucette told the board that none of the measures he is taking to balance this year's budget would affect schools or student instruction.
KEYWORDS: VIRGINIA BEACH SCHOOLS BUDGET by CNB