Manchester Outlines Budget-Cut Plan
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
NORTH MANCHESTER - A proposal for school budget cuts was unveiled at Manchester Community Schools' board meeting Tuesday.
The proposal, presented by acting superintendent Kim Thurston, will reduce corporation expenses by $280,000 - $340,000.
The cost reduction plan for the 2003-04 school year is as follows:
• Reduction in staff, for an estimated savings of $259,129.
Under this plan, the music program will lose one teacher, Reading Recovery will lose one teacher, special education will lose one teacher and the Gemini Program for the gifted and talented will lost two teachers.
• Reduction of instructional assistants and support staff, for an estimated savings of $25,315.
• Reductions in overtime pay for support staff, for an estimated savings of $15,000.
• Reductions to the extra curricular activities program, for an estimated savings of $15,100.
These reductions include canceling cross country and gymnastics as sports, eliminating four coaches and reducing assistant coaching positions in wrestling, football and volleyball. The plan also calls for reconfiguring the swim and track teams and minimizing the size of travel squads to reduce transportation costs.
• Reductions in supplies, materials and equipment and an increase in energy consciousness, for a projected savings of $41,900.
• Re-evaluation of field trips, for a projected savings of $4,000.
Though proposed cuts appear to give the corporation extra money, Thurston stated that they will not. The school district continues to have fixed costs, such as incremental increases to salaries and insurance premiums in addition to cuts in state funding.
"These increased costs with the reduction in funding from the state are likely to mean we will survive financially as a result of these reductions, but not dramatically increase our cash balance," Thurston said.
Tammy Bowers, citizen and parent, presented the board with a petition calling for the elimination of the assistant superintendent position. She and 141 citizens say eliminating one of the two school administrators may eliminate the need to reduce teaching staff.
School board president Sally Krouse told the board that Manchester is a corporation that needs two administrators. Despite a declining student population, the administrative workload doesn't decrease, Krouse said.
Also, she pointed out, other Indiana school corporations of similar size to Manchester have two superintendents.
The board will vote on the cost reduction plan April 22 at 7 p.m. The meeting will be at Manchester High School. [[In-content Ad]]
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NORTH MANCHESTER - A proposal for school budget cuts was unveiled at Manchester Community Schools' board meeting Tuesday.
The proposal, presented by acting superintendent Kim Thurston, will reduce corporation expenses by $280,000 - $340,000.
The cost reduction plan for the 2003-04 school year is as follows:
• Reduction in staff, for an estimated savings of $259,129.
Under this plan, the music program will lose one teacher, Reading Recovery will lose one teacher, special education will lose one teacher and the Gemini Program for the gifted and talented will lost two teachers.
• Reduction of instructional assistants and support staff, for an estimated savings of $25,315.
• Reductions in overtime pay for support staff, for an estimated savings of $15,000.
• Reductions to the extra curricular activities program, for an estimated savings of $15,100.
These reductions include canceling cross country and gymnastics as sports, eliminating four coaches and reducing assistant coaching positions in wrestling, football and volleyball. The plan also calls for reconfiguring the swim and track teams and minimizing the size of travel squads to reduce transportation costs.
• Reductions in supplies, materials and equipment and an increase in energy consciousness, for a projected savings of $41,900.
• Re-evaluation of field trips, for a projected savings of $4,000.
Though proposed cuts appear to give the corporation extra money, Thurston stated that they will not. The school district continues to have fixed costs, such as incremental increases to salaries and insurance premiums in addition to cuts in state funding.
"These increased costs with the reduction in funding from the state are likely to mean we will survive financially as a result of these reductions, but not dramatically increase our cash balance," Thurston said.
Tammy Bowers, citizen and parent, presented the board with a petition calling for the elimination of the assistant superintendent position. She and 141 citizens say eliminating one of the two school administrators may eliminate the need to reduce teaching staff.
School board president Sally Krouse told the board that Manchester is a corporation that needs two administrators. Despite a declining student population, the administrative workload doesn't decrease, Krouse said.
Also, she pointed out, other Indiana school corporations of similar size to Manchester have two superintendents.
The board will vote on the cost reduction plan April 22 at 7 p.m. The meeting will be at Manchester High School. [[In-content Ad]]