MONROE - The Monroe School Board voted unanimously Monday to cut $233,500 from the 2012-13 budget and operate with a deficit of about $1 million next year.
The district is facing a projected $1.45 million deficit for 2012-13. Last month, the school board considered two plans, one to cut $444,100 and another to cut $149,500.
The district is saving $75,000 in a new transportation contract and could have more savings due to several teacher retirements. The district has $7.45 million in fund balance it can dip into to offset the deficit.
"The community wants to see us spend some of our fund balance," board member Larry Eakins said. "There's no need to cut radically further until we need to."
The cuts include eliminating $40,000 from the high school building budget, cutting $10,000 from the middle school building budget, reductions from a middle school aide retirement and a middle school teacher resignation as well as a reduction of a .40 speech and language pathologist. A virtual school teacher also will be cut based on enrollment.
Open enrollment in Monroe is down about 100 students this year, but the enrollment period goes until April 30. Open enrollment last year brought in 362 students, including 300 to the virtual school, Monroe Director of Instruction Cory Hirsbrunner said. Hirsbrunner said the district has had 218 students open enroll to the district this year , including 174 to the virtual school.
Board member Michael Boehme favored the revised budget cuts after the board in February considered making $444,100 in cuts. Those reductions would have included 3.4 elementary school aides, $25,900 for nine assistant coaches at the high school and $18,600 from the high school and middle school co-curricular budget.
"It's my feeling that our cuts be limited to those that would not result in someone losing their job," Boehme said.
The 3.4 elementary school aides and the nine assistant coaches at the high school were not part of the reductions. Deb Thompson, a Title I math teacher at Parkside School and the liaison between the teacher's union and the school the board, spoke to the board in public comment portion of the meeting about protecting the aides because of how they are used working with students in small groups.
"I don't see where we can afford to cut that help," Thompson said. "I think it would drastically effect the value of education to our students."
The budget hinges on the district trying to bring in its health insurance increase in at 5 instead of 12 percent. Monroe Business manager Ron Olson said the district is trying to save $350,000 to bring the increase down to 5 percent.
He said it may mean the district implementing a health risk assessment, increasing co-pays for doctor office visits and some changes to the heath card.
Voters rejected a four-year, $8 million non-recurring referendum last April. The district cut $1.9 million from this year's budget. District leaders first developed a three-tiered, $1.43 million reduction list for 2012-13, which included 39 individuals and 28.4 full-time equivalent positions.
The financial crunch was compounded by Gov. Scott Walker's budget plan that cut funding for education by $800 million. The budget plan reduced school districts revenue limits by 5.5 percent, which prevents schools from using property taxes to make up the difference.
The district is facing a projected $1.45 million deficit for 2012-13. Last month, the school board considered two plans, one to cut $444,100 and another to cut $149,500.
The district is saving $75,000 in a new transportation contract and could have more savings due to several teacher retirements. The district has $7.45 million in fund balance it can dip into to offset the deficit.
"The community wants to see us spend some of our fund balance," board member Larry Eakins said. "There's no need to cut radically further until we need to."
The cuts include eliminating $40,000 from the high school building budget, cutting $10,000 from the middle school building budget, reductions from a middle school aide retirement and a middle school teacher resignation as well as a reduction of a .40 speech and language pathologist. A virtual school teacher also will be cut based on enrollment.
Open enrollment in Monroe is down about 100 students this year, but the enrollment period goes until April 30. Open enrollment last year brought in 362 students, including 300 to the virtual school, Monroe Director of Instruction Cory Hirsbrunner said. Hirsbrunner said the district has had 218 students open enroll to the district this year , including 174 to the virtual school.
Board member Michael Boehme favored the revised budget cuts after the board in February considered making $444,100 in cuts. Those reductions would have included 3.4 elementary school aides, $25,900 for nine assistant coaches at the high school and $18,600 from the high school and middle school co-curricular budget.
"It's my feeling that our cuts be limited to those that would not result in someone losing their job," Boehme said.
The 3.4 elementary school aides and the nine assistant coaches at the high school were not part of the reductions. Deb Thompson, a Title I math teacher at Parkside School and the liaison between the teacher's union and the school the board, spoke to the board in public comment portion of the meeting about protecting the aides because of how they are used working with students in small groups.
"I don't see where we can afford to cut that help," Thompson said. "I think it would drastically effect the value of education to our students."
The budget hinges on the district trying to bring in its health insurance increase in at 5 instead of 12 percent. Monroe Business manager Ron Olson said the district is trying to save $350,000 to bring the increase down to 5 percent.
He said it may mean the district implementing a health risk assessment, increasing co-pays for doctor office visits and some changes to the heath card.
Voters rejected a four-year, $8 million non-recurring referendum last April. The district cut $1.9 million from this year's budget. District leaders first developed a three-tiered, $1.43 million reduction list for 2012-13, which included 39 individuals and 28.4 full-time equivalent positions.
The financial crunch was compounded by Gov. Scott Walker's budget plan that cut funding for education by $800 million. The budget plan reduced school districts revenue limits by 5.5 percent, which prevents schools from using property taxes to make up the difference.