Matt Fritz, The News Dispatch Staff Writer

LA PORTE — Far from cutting jobs, La Porte Community School Corp. actually plans to add 17 to 19 more people to the district next school year.

That is because a number of teachers are retiring.

Superintendent Judith DeMuth said Tuesday night the corporation will be able to cut the $1.66 million necessary to make up for state funding cutbacks to the district without having to eliminate any jobs.

This is mainly due to the retirement of 26 positions at the end of the school year, aided in part by the retirement insurance incentive passed by the School Board at its last meeting. DeMuth said 17 positions will be refilled, seven will not and one reading teacher at each middle school will be replaced by a reading interventionist.

This would come to a total six months savings of $562,328 and a yearly savings of $1,124,656.

The district also will save (on a six-month basis):

• $24,250 from the administration by not becoming a National School Board Association affiliate and suspending the curriculum support line.

• $30,600 from the High School by moving summer school to an online program and consolidating Project ED, ISTEP+/GQE Remediation.

• $18,500 from the Middle School by moving summer school online and reducing Project ED and Detention Program PM positions.

• $26,000 from the elementary area by moving summer school to an online program.

• $260,000 from Food Service by charging full, indirect costs.

• $192,463 from special eduction by reducing assessments and charging for worker compensation costs.

• $154,393 from maintenance and custodial by implementing an energy management program, renegotiating service contracts, restructuring building safety and security procedures, restructuring labor costs and reducing operations.

• $28,450 in transportation by reducing summer school transport, changing mechanic schedules and eliminating double-busing of preschool students.