Staff cuts likely as district struggles with deficit
Greenfield — Nine full-time-equivalent Whitnall School District staff positions would be cut under administrators' plan to make up for a budget deficit expected to be at least $1 million.
The cuts would include three librarians, a psychologist, a guidance counselor and instructional aides.
The total savings for the district would be an estimated $1.2 million. Combined with a new plan to reinstate student fees and reduce transportation costs, the district could make up $1.7 million.
The benefit and pains of cuts
Though nine positions are proposed to be eliminated, the actual staff member may not be the person cut due to seniority issues and teacher licensure.
District officials cited the example of cutting one school counselor. One counselor with dual certification would be put into a classroom, and a lower-seniority classroom teacher would be cut.
But several faculty members and parents who spoke to the School Board during its Monday meeting pleaded with board members to maintain those positions, saying students' education would suffer.
Middle school guidance counselor Diann Fritsch said when she started working at Whitnall 20 years ago, there were a number of student suicides. In the years since, there have been none, she noted.
"If my salary has saved the life of one child, it was money well spent," Fritsch said.
School Board President Bill Osterndorf said no one on the board wants to eliminate the positions, but the district's precarious budget problems may leave them little choice.
"Nothing about staff cuts is causing any of us to be anything but frustrated," Osterndorf said, adding it's unrealistic to expect a sudden financial windfall.
Ongoing budget issues
Officials believe the school district will face a budget deficit between $1 million and $3 million for the 2010-11 school year, largely because of a drop in state aid.
If more reductions are needed, administrators may propose eliminating sixth-grade foreign language and cutting an instrumental music position, but officials emphasized those cuts are not on the table right now.
The School Board previously rejected a plan to reconfigure elementary schools by grades, which would have saved an estimated $280,000.
Administrators on Monday also brought to the board with a new proposal to reinstate student fees that would generate more than $300,000.
Some of the fees include a $100 student fee at the high school, $75 for instrument rental and $75 for high school sports - except football, which would be $150.
The School Board could vote on staff reductions and a new fee structure as early as March 22.
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