|
What next? School district
to unveil timeline for budget cuts
Staff Writer Brainerd School District administrators plan to unveil a recommended timeline for $5.5 million in budget reductions at a school board meeting Wednesday, Superintendent Jerry Walseth said Monday.
The board plans to meet at noon Tuesday in the board room at Washington Educational Services Building to canvass the votes from last week's referendum and school board election and conduct regular school board business.
The school board will meet as a Committee of the Whole at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday to review administration recommendations for reductions in the wake of the defeat of the proposed levy increase.
These budget reductions so far, which have to be made before the 2008-09 school year, include closing two of the eight elementary schools; eliminating 65 to 75 teaching positions and an unknown number of support staff positions; eliminating all middle school activities/sports and 18 of the 29 high school league sports at Brainerd High School, along with other clubs and organizations with paid advisers; increase classroom sizes and reduce programs; eliminate five bus routes and the school-of-choice elementary option; eliminate bus transportation for all students who live less than two miles from school; and eliminate all school district costs associated with community use of school facilities.
Walseth said on Wednesday he will be presenting board members with data about the four smallest elementary schools - Whittier, Nisswa, Lincoln and Harrison. Two schools are being recommended for closure.
A recommended timeline to the board will include issuing unrequested leaves for first-, second- and third-year teaching staff in December, to find out about voluntary teacher retirements as early as possible so some of those who are laid off may find out before the end of the year if their layoff notices would be rescinded.
Administrators will ask for perimeters from board members on some of these recommended cuts as they work on details and research the impacts of these reductions, said Walseth.
Community listening sessions also are planned.
Walseth said administrators likely will lay out their recommendations for the two school closings and make public the list of recommended activities/sports eliminated at the high school level, along with additional details about the budget reductions, at a Nov. 29 school board Finance Committee meeting.
JODIE TWEED may be reached at jodie.tweed@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5858.
|
Overcast, 61°
