$1.4 million cut for Union-North schools would pare 6 jobs, cut kindergarten to half-day

School corporations all over Indiana are being forced to make cuts due to decreased funding from the state.

At a public meeting held Thursday night, Superintendent Dr. Terry Barker laid out his recommendations for making the cuts to a packed crowd.

His recommendations would mean the loss of jobs for six employees and returning to half-day kindergarten classes.

He said that salary and pay increase limits and suspension of certain benefits would equal $73,194 or 5.3 percent of the total reduction recommendation. He also hopes to save another $6,000 in energy costs savings by lowering or raising temperature settings, removing small appliances from all areas and turning off lights. Examples of small appliances included electric heaters.

By reducing the number of coaching positions for athletic teams and one assistant along with reductions in  support positions of custodial substitutes, Barker believes that another $59,799 could be trimmed. That number reflects 4.4 percent of the total reductions recommendation.

Barker said, “We don’t need all of the assistant coaches we’ve had in the past. It is nice to have them, but we can do without them.”

By suspending the full-day kindergarten program and returning to half-day morning and afternoon classes, six teaching positions will be eliminated. Barker said the half-day programming will also mean an increase in class sizes. The anticipated savings would be $276,019 or 20 percent of the total reduction. Barker indicated that the full-day program was under funded by $150,000.

“Sorry, we just don’t have that luxury,” he said.

He said they would not bring back the full-day program until they could sustain it — possibly in the 2012-13 school year.

If Barker’s recommendations are upheld, teachers at the elementary level would be assuming recess duty again and recess aides would be eliminated.

There could also be a reduction of five teaching positions at the secondary level due to class size adjustments and course enrollments.

“I can’t guarantee that I won’t be doing this (budget cuts) next year,” he said. “When you are in this situation, whose ox do you gore?”