The community will have the chance to hear why the Southwestern School Board will be eliminating 12 teaching positions next year at a public meeting at 7 p.m. Monday in the elementary cafeteria.
Superintendent Steve Telfer said the school corporation will have to fund a deficit of more than $1 million next year after the state cut three grants the school corporation receives each year. Earlier in the year, the General Assembly eliminated three grants that benefit smaller school districts such as Southwestern. The loss of the grants will cost the school district more than $1 million, which it has to make up in its budget.
"We'll make it work. We'll have to," Telfer said.
With about 1,400 students, Southwestern has fewer than 100 staff members working in the schools. Last year, Southwestern eliminated seven positions after teachers opted to take the early retirement package offered by the school board. This year, 29 teachers were eligible for the early retirement package, but only one teacher decided to take the board up on their offer. The deadline to accept the early retirement package deal for next year has expired, Telfer said.
Because no one retired and the state cut the funding to the school corporation for next year, the school board will be serving reduction-in-force notices to 11 teachers. The board will vote on staff reduction measures Tuesday at their regular board meeting at 6 p.m. in the elementary board meeting room.
"We will have to be very efficient," Telfer said about the cuts.
On a positive note, Telfer said the state has agreed to pay for the district's financial obligation for full-day kindergarten. The school corporation was paying $40,000 each year, about one-third of the cost, for full-day kindergarten. The money Southwestern was using to fund the program was Title I funding. The state paid the remaining two-thirds of the cost for full-day kindergarten in previous years.
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