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K-12 staff reductions loom

by Matt Baldwin / Whitefish Pilot
| March 30, 2011 10:30 AM

With declining enrollment and dips in

state funding, the Whitefish School District is projected to be

grossly overstaffed next year, and massive personnel cuts are

likely if a levy isn’t passed by voters in the upcoming school

elections.

Facing an anticipated maximum deficit

of close to $1 million, superintendent Jerry House presented that

“worst-case scenario” budget to the Whitefish School Board of

Trustees at a work session on March 22. The budget outlined where a

possible 30 layoffs will happen if a levy isn’t passed or more

state funding doesn’t come through.

House said the presentation used “soft”

numbers based on the current budget. State funding is unknown at

this time and may change the figures by the time a final budget is

approved on April 14.

“We’ll be adjusting the budget figures

based upon any further revenue, or not, from this legislative

session,” House noted.

Some reasons for the shortfall include

a decrease in state funding, an end to federal stimulus money and

declining enrollment.

Next year’s projections show a loss of

30 students at the high school and 42 students at the middle

school. Muldown Elementary School expects to gain 13 students for a

total district loss of 59 students that will leave a $295,000 hole

in the budget.

Most of the district’s finances, 88

percent, are put toward salaries and benefits — the main area being

considered for budget reductions. The school district currently

employs 210 people, of which about 140 are teachers, counselors and

librarians.

“With declining enrollment and

overstaffing, there’s only one area to go to and that’s personnel,”

House said. “Reductions in K-12 staff are a must.”

Up to six classified, 12 non-tenured,

eight tenured and four administrative positions could be cut

according to House’s worst-case budget. Extra-curricular

reductions, including sports, are also being explored.

The district sent out letters last week

to notify those whose job may be in jeopardy.

“The hard part is that you hire people

for a reason,” House said. “Then you come to a budget crunch like

we’re facing and have to tell someone they don’t have a job —

that’s tough.”

Maintaining accreditation standards

will be a challenge, House said, if such a dramatic cut to the

district’s staff occurs. To stay accredited, a single teacher can’t

teach more than 150 students a day, and seventh- to 12th-grade

class sizes must be capped at 30 students.

That means a teacher with six periods a

day would be capped at 25 students a class.

Class sizes for seventh through 12th

grades next year are estimated to be between 22 and 26

students.

The board discussed a levy request to

offset the projected shortfall. House estimates requests of

$174,000 for K-8 and $124,000 for the high school. The maximum the

board can request for K-12 is $506,735. If a maximum levy is passed

by voters, the budget deficit would be reduced to $460,671.

A final levy amount will be set at a

special April 4 school board meeting.

Trustee Eric Hosek commented that the

potential staff reductions could leave deep wounds in the school

district, similar to how a business would be hurt with layoffs.

Long-time trustee David Fern noted that

there should be an aggressive public relations campaign to

distribute factual information about the upcoming levy request.

“We can’t take a win for granted,” Fern

said.

A sub-committee was formed to mobilize

the information to voters before the May 3 election.