Old Lyme ― Region 18 Superintendent of Schools Ian Neviaser is proposing a budget increase of $223,536, or 0.6%, more than current education spending.

The Board of Education is set to vote on the budget Feb. 7 after a public forum.

Budget documents show salaries and benefits for teachers, administrators and staff members account for more than two-thirds ― or 69.2% ― of the $36.07 million spending plan.

Neviaser’s recommendation calls for the creation of a part-time assistant principal position at Mile Creek School at a cost of roughly $76,000. In a phone interview Monday, he said the kindergarten-through-grade-five facility has quickly become the second largest school in the district behind the high school.

The person hired would spend half their time as assistant principal and half as a special education teacher, physical education teacher or school psychologist, depending on experience.

The upcoming budget year will incorporate salary adjustments in the administrators’ contract approved in November. Neviaser said the change, which amounts to about $30,000 across eight positions, will bring salaries in line with comparable districts. Salaries will range from $126,225 for Athletic Director Hildie Heck to $194,342 for high school Principal James Wygonik, according to the contract.

District enrollment is expected to stay about the same, with an projected overall increase of four students bringing the total to 1,268.

Also contributing to the increase is special education services, which currently cost the district $1.2 million. The $114,087, or 10.1%, increase comes amid enrollment numbers for special education that have grown from 163 students in 2019-20 to 173 in the current year.

The rise in district spending is mitigated by decreases in areas including technology and debt service.

The $620,486 proposed technology budget is down $191,135 from the current year. Neviaser said large-scale projects phased in over the past few years, including upgrades to the wireless network and the replacement of smartboards with touch-screen technology, are now complete.

The amount the district will pay on its debts is set to go from $3.2 million in the current year to $2.4 million in the proposed budget. But the $57.5 million upgrade project for four of the district’s five schools, which will start coming due in the 2025-26 year, looms large over the school board.

Member Chris Staab at a budget presentation earlier this month asked about the possibility of paying off some debt early to offset the increase that will hit in 2025.

Neviaser said the district has asked its bonding agent for more information about ways to reduce the budget impact going forward.

He said the board will use the guidance “to make an informed decision” about possible changes to the debt service portion of the budget.

e.regan@theday.com

Editor’s note: This article was updated to correct the proposed increase over the current year’s budget.