Christina M. Seiler, Rochester Sentinel News Editor

The Rochester School Board on Monday voted to follow the recommendations of its cost containment study committee and make cuts between $435,798 and $492,687 this year.

The 2011 cuts would be nearly double, between $872,803 and $900,972.

They include retirement incentives for as many as 10 teachers this year or the possible reduction in force of six teachers.

The cuts are necessary because the state cut school funding by 3.5 percent from 2009 levels and 4.5 percent from estimated 2010 levels. The cuts equate to $423,000 from the corporation's general fund, Superintendent Deb Howe said in February. 2011 revenues are expected to be even less.

Monday's cuts with 2010 savings, and 2011 savings in parenthesis:

• Freeze salaries at present levels, $26,000 ($78,000).

• Freeze incremental pay increases, due to years of service at 2 percent, $6,524 ($19,574).

• Offer a $9,937 retirement incentive to 10 teachers, no savings in 2010 (298,100). The vote calls for the list of retirees to be in place by April 15.

• As an alternate to retirement incentives, reduce the teaching force by as many as five teachers, $80,979 ($269,931).

The size of the Reduction in Force will be determined by how many teachers retire.

Howe said RIF notices have been sent. The plan calls for the elimination of one elementary school teacher, two middle school teachers and one math, one science and one foreign language teacher at Rochester High School. Just because a notice is sent doesn't mean the board has to act on it.

Seniority counts, she said, when deciding which teachers would lose their jobs. Final decision on the reduction in force, if there is one, will be made during the April 19 board meeting.

• Reduce extracurricular expenses for athletics, $15,000 ($15,000). The board wants that done with the minimal effect on student participation as possible.

Board members suggested they'd like to see the specific plan for doing that. Howe said she's leaving it up to the athletic department. One example of savings, RHS Principal Dan Ronk said, might be playing freshman boys basketball games at 5 p.m. on Fridays, thus reducing the costs of having separate contests on different nights from the varsity and junior varsity.

• Reduce the use of paper and mailing supplies, $20,000 ($30,000).

• Be done with the lawsuit against Honeywell Inc. by 2011, which would not save anything in 2010 but woul save an an estimated $279,000 in 2011.

• Reduce business manager John Schneider's contract to 208 days from 260 days, $3,300 ($11,000).

• Reduce Ronk's contract to 192 days from 240 days, $5,100 (17,908).

• Take half of Student Services Director Loretta Deardorff's salary from the special education grant in 2011, saving $40,704. That will only happen if the school continues with a plan to switch to the North Central Special Education Cooperative from the JESSE Cooperative. At present, Rochester has verbal confirmation from North Central that the switch is approved, Howe said.

• Transfer $170,684 into the general fund from other funds, which is allowed by a new state law. The transfer is only allowed because the board approved the salary freeze and incremental increase freeze, Howe said. State law dictates those conditions.

The total savings figures include measures taken at a Feb. 16 board meeting.

In February the board turned the heat down and the air conditioning up by two degrees, stopped paying study table staff at the middle school, decreased its medical insurance contribution, stopped hiring extra cleaning help and canceled the afternoon session of Alternative to Suspension and Expulsion. Those measures saved roughly $190,000.