Whitefish schools plan for layoffs
With a $325,000 deficit looming in next year’s high school budget, Whitefish school officials are facing a slew of difficult decisions this spring.
The school board on Tuesday voted against asking taxpayers to support a levy to help make up the deficit.
Trustees did, however, decide to ask for a $40,643 levy in the elementary district, which faces a $125,000 shortfall in 2010-11.
Running a high school levy didn’t seem like a good idea, district clerk Danelle Reisch said. The deficit for the high school largely is due to declining enrollment.
The current number of students at Whitefish High School is down 27 percent from enrollment 10 years ago, according to figures from the Flathead County Superintendent’s Office.
With fewer students in classrooms, “we have excess staff at the high school. We need to make some cuts,” Reisch said. “And it is not a good time to ask for a levy.”
The elementary levy’s effect on taxpayers would be minimal. Annual property taxes on a home with a $100,000 taxable value would increase by about $1.47 if voters approve the levy
request. Taxes on a home with a $200,000 taxable value would go up about $2.93.
“It’s pretty low impact. That’s why we’re opting to do it,” Reisch said.
That $40,000 will have huge effects in the elementary district, Superintendent Jerry House said.
About 75 percent of it would be used to sustain instructional materials. That includes paying annual subscription fees for library materials and computer-assisted tutorial programs. It will help phase in new reading textbooks, which are due to be assessed and replaced.
About $6,500 would be used to replace furniture at Muldown Elementary, House said.
“We have some things students use on a daily basis that need to be replaced. It’s time to do that,” he said.
The remaining $3,500 in the requested levy would be used for continuing the performing arts program at Whitefish Middle School, House said.
“We have this wonderful stage and performing arts center,” he said. “We would like to continue offering performing arts. It’s such a valuable learning piece for our kids.”
The levy doesn’t come close to making up the deficit, which means the district will make several reductions in the elementary budget. One copy aide position may be eliminated; a custodial job might be cut.
“We are looking at programs and contracts as we continue to try to find ways of making this thing work,” House said.
One likely cut that would affect the elementary and high school districts is eliminating the student resource officer position, he said.
“We simply don’t have the money to continue doing that,” House said.
The district contracts with the Whitefish Police Department to provide that service; 20 percent of the expense is in the elementary district, the rest in the high school budget. The cost of that service is about $25,000.
That still leaves an almost $300,000 deficit in the high school district. And when the bulk of a district’s general fund budget pays staff salaries, layoffs are almost inevitable.
One special education aide may be transferred to the elementary district, House said. Three retirees likely won’t be replaced. One staff member’s contract might not be renewed; two more staff members might be laid off.
“Taxpayers are tightening their belts as local citizens and working within their budgets,” House said. “We are tightening our belt and working within our budget.
“We know we have to reduce, and we are reducing.”
Despite the layoffs, House said the grim budget situation has an upside: It gives the district a chance to look at how it provides education and may provide opportunity to make innovative changes.
Some changes already are in the works, including implementing a freshman academy next fall and introducing 21st century skills classes.
“It’s an opportunity to look at how we prepare kids for the global market and even for the local market,” House said.
Reporter Kristi Albertson may be reached at 758-4438 or by e-mail at kalbertson@dailyinterlake.com.