Please contact Mr. Sprung or PTO president (Liz Rogers) if you are interested in being a Birch Meadow budget parent. See the description below. This is a great opportunity to learn and understand the Reading Public Schools budget.

Reading Public Schools
Budget Parent Information Sheet

WHO
Any parent who has children in the Reading Public Schools may become a budget parent

NUMBER
The breakdown by level is as follows:

• Elementary-Two budget parents per school
• Middle-Three budget parents per school
• High School-Seven budget parents, including representatives from Athletics, Drama, and Music
• Special Education PAC-One budget parent

RESPONSIBILIITIES
The budget parent responsibilities are as follows:

• Participate in meetings with the Superintendent of Schools and Director of Finance and Operations in November and December to learn about the school department budget and the budget process
• Work with the Superintendent and the Director of Finance and Operations to review, critique and give input on the budget and the budget process
• Understand how the budget process works and be an advocate for the entire school department budget
• Act as a liaison between the school department and their child’s school by reporting back to other parents both formally (PTO and School Council meetings) and informally
• Participate in November Community budget forums
• Attend School Committee meetings and other pertinent meetings during the budget deliberations in January, February, and March

WHEN
There will be an initial meeting in November (Date TBD) Other dates are as follows:

o November 9, 2010 – Budget forum at Parker
o November 16, 2010 – Budget forum at Killam
o November 29, 2010- Budget forum at RMHS
o January 10, 2011 – School Committee meeting
o January 13, 2011 – School Committee meeting
o January 20, 2011 – Public hearing
o January 24, 2011 – School Committee meeting
o January 27, 2011 – School committee meeting

Please note that each budget parent does not have to attend all of the above meetings. We would always like at least one representative from each school at each meeting.