PRESS RELEASE
During a lengthy meeting on Tuesday, February 23rd, the Salida R-32-J School Board and superintendent thoroughly reviewed a number of options for reducing the school district’s budget for the 2010-11 school year. Faced with a reduction in state funding of around $563,000, there were tough decisions to be considered.
The administration and board solicited input from staff and citizens during a series of meetings including a recent well-attended meeting with the district accountability committee.
By the end of Tuesday’s nights meeting, the Board reached the decision that the necessary reductions could be made in the district’s budget without having a reduction in force of any of the full-time professional teaching staff. This was partially due to retirements and resignations of various current staff members. Some of the positions that will not be re-filled include: a counselor, a librarian, and an elementary teaching position.
Although additional cuts will be in a number of different areas, some of the key reductions will be as follows:
- Reduce the Director of Teaching and Learning position from full-time to half-time
- Reduce budgets for Strawberry Door, Crest Academy, and Horizon Exploratory Academy
- Reduce clerical position at high school by consolidating with data management position
- Restructure the Activities Coordinator position
- Eliminate the kindergarten bus routes
- Hold the line on district’s contributions for employee health insurance premiums
- Review the numbers of sections of some elective courses at the high school and possibly shift some positions from full-time to part-time
- Reduce travel expenses
- Reduce maintenance costs.
The Board is still considering the possibility of going to a four-day week schedule for next year. There is a committee gathering data on the impacts of this potential change. They will report their findings to the Board.
John P. Rouse, Superintendent
Recent Comments