Seymour schools cut $1.1 from budget without cutting staff or benefits

Seymour Community Schools has successfully cut more than $1.1 million from its budget without eliminating teachers and staff or employee benefits.

The corporation will experience many changes next year, however, as a result of having to reset the 2010 budget to make up for the $300 million shortfall in overall state funding for public schools.

School trustees approved a list of recommendations Tuesday night from Superintendent Teran Armstrong that, combined with nine teacher retirements and other cost-cutting measures, will create enough savings for the corporation to balance its budget.

Those recommendations, which go into effect next school year, are to:

Cease offering German language instruction

Outsource driver’s education

Modify special area offerings (such as art, music and physical education) in K-12 to maximize available remaining staff

Eliminate $65,000 of extracurricular activity positions, including those related to both sports and academics

Reduce social workers from 210 days to 190 days of service per year

Reduce summer school expenses by $50,000

Recoup $100,000 annually from the corporation’s food service program

Eliminate one part-time custodial position

Reduce publications, including the corporation newsletter and calendar, which will be available to parents online.

As part of its Retirement Incentive Program, Armstrong said the corporation had hoped to have at least 15 teachers participate, but only nine took advantage of the $20,000 incentive.