MONROE - Several teaching positions that were targeted for elimination may survive, following action Monday by the Monroe School Board, which is eyeing budget cuts in the wake of a failed school referendum and anticipated reductions in state aid.
Some of the teaching jobs that were not going to be refilled after retirements may be kept after school officials agreed to reduce the revised list of proposed cuts by about $300,000, due to an expected fund balance.
It's unclear, however, exactly how many teaching positions of those proposed for elimination could be saved.
Monroe Business Manager Ron Olson said the district is projecting a fund balance of $811,050 at the end of the school year. And Olson said the board could use a portion of the fund balance to offset a deficit district leaders have projected at more than $1.6 million for 2011-12.
But the board is still committed to cutting the 5.4 teaching positions, and 2.4 support staff positions proposed before voters rejected a four-year, $8 million non-recurring referendum April 5.
Those are in addition to deeper cuts - including 9 additional teaching posts and 4.5 additional support staff positions - the district identified at its April 25 meeting.
As a result, officials could trim the deficit to $496,768, officials said.
School board member Brian Keith on Monday supported a plan that had 10 of the 16 retiring teacher positions not being refilled, as opposed to laying off even more teachers in the future.
"My feeling is the cuts aren't going to be pretty no matter where you look," Keith said. "I would have a hard time bringing people back, and if a referendum isn't passed, having to cut them next year. It's a lot harder to cut a body than if it's through retirements."
Gov. Scott Walker's proposed budget cuts state aid to school districts by about $900 million, and reduces school district 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.
Board member Amy Bazley said she supported a plan to reinstate positions using the $300,000 in surplus funds.
"If I can buy one more year for my kids and your kids for a band teacher, a foreign language teacher, a guidance counselor, I'm going to do it. I don't want to stay away from hard cuts later. Even if it's for one year, our kids deserve it."
The district first projected a deficit of $1.6 million for 2011-12. Without referendum approval, the district projected deficits of about $2.3 million in the 2012-13 school year; $3 million in the 2013-14 school year; and $3.6 million in 2014-15.
The additional cuts under consideration due to retirements, layoffs, and non-continuing contracts for next year, include: Three elementary teachers, a band teacher, an elementary literacy coach, a middle school/charter teacher, one guidance counselor, a virtual school teacher, two aides and 2.5 custodians.
Cory Hirsbrunner, the district's director of instruction, said plans call for about 15 Parkside School third graders next year to move to Abraham Lincoln or Northside School. About 12 Parkside School fourth grade students would be moved to Abraham Lincoln or Northside School.
And about 14 Parkside fifth grade students would move to Abraham Lincoln or Northside; and 11 Abraham Lincoln second graders would move to Parkside or Northside.
Hirsbrunner said the average class size for kindergarten would be 21; for first grade, 21; for second grade, 23; for third grade 20; for fourth grade, 24; and for fifth grade, 22.
Hirsbrunner said the school location plans would be reviewed again by the time school started in the fall.
In another budget matter, the board voted 4-4 not to purchase 180 computer stations. The finance committee recommended purchasing the computers since there was more money in this year's technology budget.
Board member Larry Eakins said teachers like to use computers to teach students. The district is on a five-year cycle for replacing computers.
But Board Vice President Bob Erb said he would have a hard time approving the computers when the district is cutting positions.
Board member Les Bieneman said it's a matter of weighing technology upgrades against saving teacher jobs.
"It's 1 and a half to two teachers," he said. "I think we will go with the teachers."
Some of the teaching jobs that were not going to be refilled after retirements may be kept after school officials agreed to reduce the revised list of proposed cuts by about $300,000, due to an expected fund balance.
It's unclear, however, exactly how many teaching positions of those proposed for elimination could be saved.
Monroe Business Manager Ron Olson said the district is projecting a fund balance of $811,050 at the end of the school year. And Olson said the board could use a portion of the fund balance to offset a deficit district leaders have projected at more than $1.6 million for 2011-12.
But the board is still committed to cutting the 5.4 teaching positions, and 2.4 support staff positions proposed before voters rejected a four-year, $8 million non-recurring referendum April 5.
Those are in addition to deeper cuts - including 9 additional teaching posts and 4.5 additional support staff positions - the district identified at its April 25 meeting.
As a result, officials could trim the deficit to $496,768, officials said.
School board member Brian Keith on Monday supported a plan that had 10 of the 16 retiring teacher positions not being refilled, as opposed to laying off even more teachers in the future.
"My feeling is the cuts aren't going to be pretty no matter where you look," Keith said. "I would have a hard time bringing people back, and if a referendum isn't passed, having to cut them next year. It's a lot harder to cut a body than if it's through retirements."
Gov. Scott Walker's proposed budget cuts state aid to school districts by about $900 million, and reduces school district 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.
Board member Amy Bazley said she supported a plan to reinstate positions using the $300,000 in surplus funds.
"If I can buy one more year for my kids and your kids for a band teacher, a foreign language teacher, a guidance counselor, I'm going to do it. I don't want to stay away from hard cuts later. Even if it's for one year, our kids deserve it."
The district first projected a deficit of $1.6 million for 2011-12. Without referendum approval, the district projected deficits of about $2.3 million in the 2012-13 school year; $3 million in the 2013-14 school year; and $3.6 million in 2014-15.
The additional cuts under consideration due to retirements, layoffs, and non-continuing contracts for next year, include: Three elementary teachers, a band teacher, an elementary literacy coach, a middle school/charter teacher, one guidance counselor, a virtual school teacher, two aides and 2.5 custodians.
Cory Hirsbrunner, the district's director of instruction, said plans call for about 15 Parkside School third graders next year to move to Abraham Lincoln or Northside School. About 12 Parkside School fourth grade students would be moved to Abraham Lincoln or Northside School.
And about 14 Parkside fifth grade students would move to Abraham Lincoln or Northside; and 11 Abraham Lincoln second graders would move to Parkside or Northside.
Hirsbrunner said the average class size for kindergarten would be 21; for first grade, 21; for second grade, 23; for third grade 20; for fourth grade, 24; and for fifth grade, 22.
Hirsbrunner said the school location plans would be reviewed again by the time school started in the fall.
In another budget matter, the board voted 4-4 not to purchase 180 computer stations. The finance committee recommended purchasing the computers since there was more money in this year's technology budget.
Board member Larry Eakins said teachers like to use computers to teach students. The district is on a five-year cycle for replacing computers.
But Board Vice President Bob Erb said he would have a hard time approving the computers when the district is cutting positions.
Board member Les Bieneman said it's a matter of weighing technology upgrades against saving teacher jobs.
"It's 1 and a half to two teachers," he said. "I think we will go with the teachers."