Darien finance committee recommends two transfers, approves pilot of Faraday-style cell‑phone bags for grades 9–11

The Darien Board of Education finance committee reviewed the district's March 2025 financial report on April 10 and recommended two budget transfers to the full Board while supporting a pilot purchase of Faraday‑style cell‑phone bags for grades 9–11.

Rich, a finance staff member, told the committee: "We are forecasting a surplus of $429,940; this is a slight reduction of $32,921 from the previous month." He said that forecast reflects several offsetting items, including a vacant special‑education paraprofessional position, a small workers' compensation reimbursement and a proposed trial purchase of cell‑phone storage bags at the high school.

The committee's review showed the district is projecting a general fund surplus of $429,940, with general education object codes (RCs) forecasted at a combined deficit of $5,979 and all special education RCs forecasted at a positive $435,919. Specific line items discussed included:

- A proposed trial purchase of roughly 200 Generation Faraday‑style cell‑phone bags for grades 9–11 with an estimated one‑time object deficit of $3,710 if purchased under the current fiscal year budget. - A vacant paraprofessional position in special education producing a projected deficit of $16,000 because the district expects to contract for a substitute to cover the remainder of the year. - A $30,000 projected deficit in consultant services associated with an anticipated superintendent search firm and an additional $16,000 in consultant services tied to the contracted paraprofessional arrangement. - A workers' compensation reimbursement showing a small positive balance ($4,624) that increased by roughly $600 from the prior report.

The committee discussed staff turnover savings in detail. Rich reported 68 employees left this year (42 teachers, two administrators, and 22 paraprofessionals) and explained how turnover credits are recorded in the budget: "If you have teacher A who's in our budget at the high school for $100,000, they leave over the summer and you replace them at $80,000, then the savings is that $20,000," he said. The committee noted that turnover savings have decreased in recent years as fewer teachers have left and the hiring market has tightened.

On the cell‑phone bag pilot, a committee member described the ongoing work of the district's personal device committee and the rationale for trialing bags at the high school: "We're piloting 200 of them from grades 9 through 11 with some teachers and some students," the committee member said, adding that some bags would be lockable and others not as part of the trial. The committee member said the pilot will return to the full Board with an update at the Board's May 27 meeting.

Rich explained purchase-cost scenarios: a lower‑cost Generation Faraday option would be "about $17,000" for the pilot while a branded Yonder solution could cost about $40,000. The committee discussed funding the trial from an existing workers' compensation reimbursement; the staff recommendation names that reimbursement as the source for the transfer if the Board approves it.

Two transfers were recommended to the full Board for approval. The committee chair said, "I would recommend to the Board that they approve the transfers," and noted there was general consensus among committee members. The transfers are:

- Transfer 1 (agenda reference 03/2010): fund the trial purchase of approximately 200 Generation Faraday‑style cell‑phone bags for grades 9–11; funding source recommended: workers' compensation reimbursement. Purchase and implementation remain contingent on full‑Board approval and the committee's May 27 follow‑up report.

- Transfer 2 (accounting adjustment): move $16,000 into consultant services for special education to allow contracting for a paraprofessional substitute; funding source recommended: salary savings from the vacant paraprofessional position.

No formal public comment was recorded at the meeting. The finance committee concluded its review and recommended that the full Board consider the transfers at a future meeting.

The committee scheduled the cell‑phone bag pilot update for the Board's May 27 meeting; final purchases will depend on Board approval and available funding sources.