Norwich — The first discussion of possible ways to cut $3.6 million from the 2016-17 school budget quickly turned heated during Tuesday's Board of Education budget committee meeting, when one board member stormed out after his proposal that the curriculum director position be eliminated was rebuffed.

Democratic board member Robert Aldi said, faced with the drastic cuts that could be imposed by the City Council, the district can no longer afford to keep the high-salaried curriculum director position.

Current Curriculum Director Joseph Stefon, who earns $153,800 per year, will retire in June after 39 years as a teacher and administrator in Norwich public schools.

"We don't need to fill Joe's job,” Aldi said repeatedly.

He said the proposed budget cuts, including 12 classroom teachers and 15 para-educators, along with wage freezes or furlough days, affect mostly teachers, not administrators.

“You're cutting the Indians, but you're not cutting the chiefs,” Aldi said to school administrators.

“You think I sit in my office all day and do nothing?” Stefon responded.

The two exchanged heated words, and when other board members asked that budget discussions continue more calmly, Aldi abruptly left the committee meeting, saying: “Excuse me, I've got things to do.”

He did not return for the regular full Board of Education meeting that followed the committee meeting.

Superintendent Abby Dolliver said she did consider leaving the position open but decided against it, because of the heavy work load.

Central office administration has four positions: the superintendent, business administrator, curriculum director and director of student services.

Two administrative literacy specialists, who work in the schools, are paid through the state Alliance District grant.

“We cannot live without a curriculum director,” Dolliver said.

Dolliver said she would defend the position if the board tried to cut it.

Dolliver said she is not qualified as a curriculum director, and Business Administrator Athena Nagel is not a certified school administrator and could not work on curriculum.

City Manager John Salomone last week proposed a $75.4 million school budget, a 2 percent, $1.4 million increase over this year's $74 million total.

But the board requested a $78.6 million budget, a 6.24 percent increase.

Two items, a $3 million increase in special education and high school tuition and a $2 million increase in health insurance costs, erased savings elsewhere in the budget, including a $174,000 drop in salaries.

Dolliver and Nagel presented a broad range of cuts totaling about $2.2 million, including eliminating 12 classroom teachers that would lead to larger class sizes of 26 to 29 students, eliminating 15 para-educator positions, eliminating two professional development days and enacting two districtwide furlough days.

Efforts also are underway to bring several special education students now placed in expensive, highly specialized programs outside the city into Norwich school settings.

While outside tuition can cost up to $100,000 per student, Director of Student Services Mary Donnelly said the savings would be less, because Norwich would have to hire individual support staff.

Savings from laying off teachers would be reduced by paying unemployment, and labor negotiations would add legal fees, Nagel said.

Board Chairman Aaron “Al” Daniels said cuts that “wouldn't take teachers out of our classrooms” so far amount to about $1 million.

The City Council will hold a budget public hearing at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at City Hall.

The Board of Education will meet directly with the council Thursday at 7:45 p.m. at City Hall.

School administrators will hold an informal public forum at 10 a.m. Friday at Kelly Middle School to answer questions from the public about the budget.

c.bessette@theday.com