Date: Fri 27-Mar-1998

Publication: Bee

Author: CURT

Quick Words:

schools-budget-

Full Text:

School Budget Cuts Affect Teachers, Bleachers And Backstops

BY MICHELE HOGAN

Expect larger class sizes at the middle school, no new bleachers at the high

school, and no new baseball backstops at the middle and high schools for next

year.

After much deliberation, the Board of Education reluctantly snipped $275,000

from the education budget. In an effort to share the burden of budget

constraints, budget items were cut at all educational levels.

Cutting two teachers will raise class sizes slightly in seventh grade, from an

average class size of 23 to 25 for a savings of $70,000.

Susan Hills, vice chairman of the Board of Education, said, "I don't want to

cut anything, and I feel bad about cutting classroom teachers."

Alternatives, such as cutting educational assistants at elementary schools and

postponing vinyl siding at the middle school, were discussed. But in the end,

the board accepted the first draft of the cut list proposed by John Reed,

superintendent of schools.

Newly funded student activity positions for a drama teacher at the middle

school and eight elementary activity positions have been cut (about $13,000).

The technology technician position has been postponed until September 1, and

other positions that were requested have been cut back.

A social studies teacher and Spanish teacher at the high school and a

restitution facilitator at the middle school will be paid for fewer hours than

requested in the original budget.

Also to go is the new stage curtain for Middle Gate School.

Half of the $800,000 reduction to the budget - $400,000 for computers for the

schools - can be acquired through a lease, deferring the costs to another

year. Thanks to some shuffling of finance accounts, the ventilation and

heating units required for the high school gyms will go ahead, but the

$125,000 needed for the job will come out of the town's capital and

non-recurring account, not out of the education budget. (See related story.)

Supply budgets at all schools will also be cut by a total of $9,000.

"We are snipping away at the edges as best we can," said Amy Dent, chairman of

the Board of Education.