The School Board decided to lay off 16 teachers, reduce the hours of 3 teachers and 3 administrators for the next school year. In addition, one administrator has already submitted his resignation, effective in June, to take another job.
School Board member Chris Anderson said “This is probably the most difficult decision anyone can make in any organization.”
School Superintendent Chris Borgen said the teacher cuts will mean, on average, slightly larger class sizes, with some classes as large as 29 students. School Board member Mitch Everton expressed concern over middle school staffing, saying “Can you effectively teach 29 middle school students?”
Borgen and School District Finance Director Lisa Matthews stressed that they have not included any federal stimulus money in the budget plans, primarily because they don't know if the district will receive any or if so, how much.
Programs that will be reduced include: the middle school food science program, cultural education and after school arts programs, Borgen said. One drug abuse counselor was laid off in the cuts.
The staff cuts are part of an anticipated $3 million budget cut for the coming school year. Next year’s budget will be finalized in August. The decision on teacher staffing needed to be done by May 15 because of contractual requirements.