Tough times ahead….how the school district is dealing with the cuts….

Miachael Soltman

Looking over the cuts and shrinkage in our first-class school district is painful at so many levels, which includes the moving of the sixth grade from the middle school to the elementary school – here’s the view from Michael Soltman, our school district’s superintendent:

Projected State Education Funding Requires $1,000,000 Budget Reduction for 2009-10
Reduction in Force (RIF) Approved by School Board

At a School Board meeting Tuesday evening, the Board of Directors took action to reduce six teaching positions to partially address the District’s projected $1,000,000 budget shortfall due to the anticipated reductions in the State education budget. Though the actual State budget reductions will not be known until the legislative session concludes April 26th, State law and Teacher’s Association contracts require that Districts provide initial anticipated “Reduction in Force” (RIF) notices to affected employees by May 1st. Superintendent Michael Soltman reported that, “Approximately half of the six position reductions can be realized through leaves and retirements, hence the actually RIF resolution is for slightly more than three teaching positions.”

The District’s Financial Task Force has been analyzing budget and enrollment information since August 2008, and has targeted necessary budget reductions in the $750,000 – $1,100,000 range during the next two fiscal years. Various scenarios to reduce administration, non-instructional services, and instructional programs, as well as to restructure the middle/high school programs have been presented to and discussed by the school board since November.

Previously, at the March 4th school board meeting when the projected deficit was $782,000, the Board had decided to retain the grade 6-8 middle school program for the 2009-10 school year. However, the Board also directed the administration to plan for the 6th grade restructuring option in order to be prepared to respond to more severe reductions in the State education budget.

At last night’s meeting Soltman indicated that the $1,000,000 budget reduction would trigger the necessity to restructure the school programs by returning the 6th grade program to the elementary school, and by returning to a six period, two semester schedule at the high school without a winter term. Board members affirmed that the restructuring plan appeared to be necessary due to current budget projections.

School administrators are now creating the grade 7-8 and 9-12 program schedules with reduced staffing and will report to the board in subsequent meetings the program implications of such reductions. Planning for the 6th grade program at the elementary school will continue to address curriculum and program components. A fifth grade parent meeting will be scheduled for Thursday, May 7th, to discuss the 6th grade program planning as well as to hear ideas, concerns, and questions from parents.

A regular school board meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, April 29th at 6:00 p.m. at the high school library. State budget information will be discussed, if available, and more detailed program restructuring implications will be shared with the Board. A special school board meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, May 5th at 6:00 p.m. in the high school library. The special meeting will be held to analyze the final State education budget, to make any adjustments to the final RIF plan due May 15th, and to detail additional budget planning steps through June.

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