MONROE - Twenty-six Parkside School students who will be in fourth and fifth grade next year won't have to transfer schools after the Monroe School Board agreed to bring back one fourth and fifth grade teacher.
In addition to bringing back two elementary teachers, the board will reinstate one custodial position, an elementary literacy coach and a guidance counselor as part of a plan the board agreed to May 9 to reduce the revised list of proposed budget cuts by about $300,000, due to an expected fund balance.
"The reason we are in this position is because of how the board has managed the district's finances," Monroe School District Superintendent Larry Brown said, of the district's plan to bring back the teachers.
District administrators came up with a plan they unveiled at a meeting Monday that included bringing back just one elementary teacher and 2.5 custodian positions, in addition to the literacy coach and guidance counselor.
Board member Les Bieneman questioned the reason for bringing back just one elementary teacher.
"I want to bring back two," Bieneman said of the elementary teachers. "What was the rationale for not doing that."
Cory Hirsbrunner, the district's director of instruction, said administrators didn't want to have fifth grade students next year change schools and then have to change schools again when they go to the middle school. Administrators said they looked at the enrollment numbers for each grade level and student achievement before taking action.
"We have had those numbers in other years at those grades," Hirsbrunner said. "We have found that quality teaching has more to do with student achievement than class sizes."
Hirsbrunner said the elementary instructional coach would also play a vital role in maintaining educational levels.
Monroe Business Manager Ron Olson said the district is making more than $1.5 million in cuts for next year and will still have about an $800,000 deficit. However, Olson projects the district will have a fund balance of $811,050 at the end of the school year. Olson said the district can use the fund balance to offset the deficit.
The additional cuts not on the district's list before the failed, April 5 school referendum that the board will still make next year includes a band director position, one elementary teacher, 1.5 custodian positions, one middle school/charter school teacher and a virtual school teacher and two aides.
Under the current plan, there will still be some elementary students required to transfer schools. Hirsbrunner has previously said that plans call for about 15 Parkside School third graders next year to move to Abraham Lincoln or Northside School and 11 Abraham Lincoln second graders to move to Parkside or Northside. Hirsbrunner said some student transfers may be required in coming years.
"This is the reality of what a failed referendum looks like," Monroe School Board Vice President Bob Erb said. "This will not be fun for a lot of people. Whatever we do bring back there will be people unhappy and I will be one of them."
Brown said the district wants to avoid transferring students as much as they can. The board supported the concept of having teachers switch grade levels in the future instead of transferring students to a new school.
"That could potentially work as long as the numbers stay balanced," Hirsbrunner said.
A group of parent band supporters have lobbied for the school district to keep a third band director position. Part of the additional cuts included not refilling Randy Schneeberger's position as a band director at Monroe Middle School after he retires this year.
Gov. Scott Walker's proposed budget cuts state aid to school districts by about $900 million, and reduces school districts' revenue limits by 5.5 percent, which prevents schools from using property taxes to make up the difference. Olson said the state budget proposal could impact the district by $1.8 million.
In addition to bringing back two elementary teachers, the board will reinstate one custodial position, an elementary literacy coach and a guidance counselor as part of a plan the board agreed to May 9 to reduce the revised list of proposed budget cuts by about $300,000, due to an expected fund balance.
"The reason we are in this position is because of how the board has managed the district's finances," Monroe School District Superintendent Larry Brown said, of the district's plan to bring back the teachers.
District administrators came up with a plan they unveiled at a meeting Monday that included bringing back just one elementary teacher and 2.5 custodian positions, in addition to the literacy coach and guidance counselor.
Board member Les Bieneman questioned the reason for bringing back just one elementary teacher.
"I want to bring back two," Bieneman said of the elementary teachers. "What was the rationale for not doing that."
Cory Hirsbrunner, the district's director of instruction, said administrators didn't want to have fifth grade students next year change schools and then have to change schools again when they go to the middle school. Administrators said they looked at the enrollment numbers for each grade level and student achievement before taking action.
"We have had those numbers in other years at those grades," Hirsbrunner said. "We have found that quality teaching has more to do with student achievement than class sizes."
Hirsbrunner said the elementary instructional coach would also play a vital role in maintaining educational levels.
Monroe Business Manager Ron Olson said the district is making more than $1.5 million in cuts for next year and will still have about an $800,000 deficit. However, Olson projects the district will have a fund balance of $811,050 at the end of the school year. Olson said the district can use the fund balance to offset the deficit.
The additional cuts not on the district's list before the failed, April 5 school referendum that the board will still make next year includes a band director position, one elementary teacher, 1.5 custodian positions, one middle school/charter school teacher and a virtual school teacher and two aides.
Under the current plan, there will still be some elementary students required to transfer schools. Hirsbrunner has previously said that plans call for about 15 Parkside School third graders next year to move to Abraham Lincoln or Northside School and 11 Abraham Lincoln second graders to move to Parkside or Northside. Hirsbrunner said some student transfers may be required in coming years.
"This is the reality of what a failed referendum looks like," Monroe School Board Vice President Bob Erb said. "This will not be fun for a lot of people. Whatever we do bring back there will be people unhappy and I will be one of them."
Brown said the district wants to avoid transferring students as much as they can. The board supported the concept of having teachers switch grade levels in the future instead of transferring students to a new school.
"That could potentially work as long as the numbers stay balanced," Hirsbrunner said.
A group of parent band supporters have lobbied for the school district to keep a third band director position. Part of the additional cuts included not refilling Randy Schneeberger's position as a band director at Monroe Middle School after he retires this year.
Gov. Scott Walker's proposed budget cuts state aid to school districts by about $900 million, and reduces school districts' revenue limits by 5.5 percent, which prevents schools from using property taxes to make up the difference. Olson said the state budget proposal could impact the district by $1.8 million.