NORTH MANCHESTER -ÊManchester Community Schools approved the cost-cutting measures introduced at their March meeting at a school board meeting Monday.

The plan intends to cut nearly a half-million dollars from the school's budget by reducing or eliminating teaching positions in all MCS buildings, cutting one administrative position and reducing the hours of or eliminating some classified staff.

Contracts not renewed are: assistant football coaches Ryan Good, Jack Rupley, Dick Brown, Pat Powers and Steve Lambert.

Contracts cancelled are: media specialists Barb Williams and Suzan Skaar; special education teacher at Manchester Junior High, Abby Sleeth; fourth-grade teacher at Manchester Elementary, Melissa Curless; kindergarten teacher at Manchester Elementary, Cheryl Anne Fetrow; second-grade teachers at Manchester Elementary, Janelle McLaughlin and Rebecca Cook; third-grade teacher at Manchester Elementary, Mark Heiden; fifth-grade teacher at Laketon, Michele Rose.

Contract reductions went to: high school supervisor Jerry Bolinger; high school teachers Megan Mattern, Jim Myer, Al Bailey, Mark Underwood and Jabin Burnworth; and junior high teachers Gwen Mize, Peg Gilbert, Amy Ambrose and Diana Nettleton.

Department and grade level chair positions will not be filled next year.

Classified staff positions cut or reduced were not announced Monday because the process of notifying non-contract employees is different from teacher contracts.

Before approving the plan, some board members raised concerns about taking the agriculture program, taught by Gwen Mize, out of the junior high.

The high school's agriculture program is steadily growing and also brings extra state revenues into the school. Without an eighth-grade program to pique students' interest, the high school program's future is uncertain.

Board member Larry Miller said the agriculture program and Future Farmers of America teach students entrepreneurship skills. In a town where there is virtually no industry, being entrepreneurial "gives kids the opportunity to stay in this city," Miller said.

He made a motion to exclude the reduction to the agriculture contract from the plan and was supported by Kent Terrill and Todd Speicher, though they lost the motion in a 4-to-3 vote.

The board plans to set priorities at the next meeting to determine what programs should be brought back and in what order, if the money is in the budget.

While the corporation hopes to bring teachers and programs back, the outlook is not bright.

"The state of Indiana is in an equally dismal financial state," superintendant Diana Showalter said. "They're having cash flow problems that trickle down to cash flow problems for schools."

Business manager for the school Steve Shumaker questioned the board's decision to call back so many teaching positions cut during the 2003-04 school year budget cuts, saying "I don't know who thought we had the revenue, because we didn't."

Athletic changes at the school were minimal. Contracts non-renewed last year are the same, with cross country and gymnastics still cut. Assistant coaches in many sports were not renewed again.

One change in the cheerleading program is that boys will be invited to try out for the cheerleading squad as full members of the team as oppposed to cheer lifters.

Manchester school board members are Sally Krouse, president, Todd Speicher, Thom Frantz, Kent Terrill, Larry Miller, Carlye McLaughlin and Brad Perrot. Superintendent is Diane Showalter. [[In-content Ad]]