Decatur Daily Democrat

     Nearly $4 million in cuts approved by the East Allen County Schools (EACS) Board of Education on Tuesday night will not effect Monroeville Elementary School. Not at this time, anyway.

    The board voted unanimously not to close Monroeville Elementary. However, according to a story in this morning's edition of the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette, board President Janice Witte said the board would need to make tough decisions about whether to close schools this summer, when it considers another round of cuts.

    Closing the Monroeville school has been estimated to create a savings of $742,000.

    The Heritage High School gymnastics team wasn't as fortunate, however. It will be eliminated, one of several cuts made in EACS athletics programs.

    With more than 500 people looking on in the New Haven High School auditorium, the EACS board voted cuts to produce a savings of nearly $4 million in next year's budget.

    Reductions approved last night included the elimination of 10 teaching positions, 12 special-education paraprofessionals, one administration position, one psychologist and two custodial positions. In addition, middle school librarians will be replaced with media paraprofessionals.

    The board postponed a decision to switch from a trimester to semester high school schedule, saying the potential move warranted more discussion, according to the Journal Gazette. If the board doesn’t approve the schedule change, which would save the district $1.07 million it will need to find other ways of trimming $108,000 from its budget.

    In athletics, each high school will be required to cut four football coaching positions, two volleyball coaches and two coaches from both the boys and girls track teams. Freshman volleyball teams will be combined with varsity and junior varsity teams.

    Other money-saving moves included reducing supplies, eliminating the elementary specials program and halting mandatory field trips to the McMillen Center for Health Education. The board approved a retirement incentive package it hopes will produce a savings of $725,000.