On Friday, January 18, 2013, the Newburgh Enlarged City School District (NECSD) held a recognition ceremony in appreciation of the contributions and support towards the district’s attainment of the 2013-2015 School District Management Efficiency Grant from the New York State Education Department.
The School District Management Efficiency Grant for school districts was based upon school district initiatives that invest in and adopt quantifiable, efficiency measures and programs which re-direct resources to education. The first year’s grant award is for $1.2 million and is the first of a potential $3.6 million over the three-year period, providing each district sustains and demonstrates its accomplished levels of efficiency.
“The Newburgh Enlarged City School District has been extremely successful reducing costs and increasing efficiency in a number of areas including transportation, administrative costs, and energy consumption. All are significant costs centers in our school fiscal profile which required your vigilant participation and support,” explained Superintendent Ralph Pizzo.
The new efficiency approaches not only have to conserve expenditures, but in the process minimize the impact to instructional classrooms. Faculty and staff layoffs are not considered efficiency gains. “The results of these efficiencies will reallocate valuable resources back into our classrooms. On behalf of our entire school district community please accept our gratitude and appreciation,” Pizzo expressed to those in attendance.
“What I think is extremely rewarding and perhaps very rare is the variety of expertise from various groups which are represented including business, education, labor, energy, and administration,” described Roger Ramjug, NECSD Energy Project Facilitator. Under Ramjug’s guidance, the NECSD has succeeded in reducing energy consumption over the last four years, despite variables such as building construction activities. He continued, “Because of this widespread support, Newburgh earned money by saving money.”
-Press release by Kerry Butrick
