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January 31, 2010

Dear Vernon Community:

January signals the official start of budget development season…a time to think ahead to school year 2010-2011 and those resources we need to continue our path of instructional excellence for every child. As a school district, we realize the need to engage the entire school community in a more active budget development process. In tough economic times, such as the current situation, we need to watch every penny of your tax dollars and be as conscientious, if not more conscientious, than you are in your own homes.

Toward this end, I would like to create a new venue for you, the Vernon Township community, to provide us with your thoughts, ideas, beliefs, suggestions, etc. on next year’s school budget.  I have asked our technology team to create a way for you to give your input and feedback to the BOE and the administrative team. Of course, this technology does not, will not, and cannot replace face-to-face contact, presentations, and meetings. It does; however, give busy people a chance to be heard via a medium of communication, which allows you to maximum flexibility.

As of this week, we are establishing an e-mail address, thebudget@vtsd.com where you can feel free to share your thoughts with us. The account will be checked at the end of each week and information will be shared with those persons who are most involved in budget development. For some residents, they will see this as a great way to be involved, others will prefer the human contact, if such is the case, give us (John Alfieri, Barbara Linkenheimer, Steve Kepnes, any member of the BOE, or any administrator) a call. 

All information from this data collection process will be transmitted from us to the administrative team and BOE without names or personal identifiers; it is the input we seek. This is what shared governance is all about…the budget is a reflection of that which the community feels is necessary for a successful school district to operate.  Many of you have thoughts; you see things from an entirely different vantage point than we do.  Thus, the Board of Education and I want to hear those thoughts – I have found no other BOE so willing to listen than this one. 

A budget should be an apt reflection of the goals and objectives of a school district with the realization that we are in unprecedented financial times – we have to balance that reality with the reality that we service over four thousand students each day.  I/We offer you, members of this community, an opportunity to be a part of the process.  Give us a call, send an e-mail, or join us at a meeting – for it is only the unvoiced concern which has no resolve or response.

Warmest regards,

John B. Alfieri, Ed. D.,
Superintendent of Schools