District to cut dozens of positions
Updated: March 18, 2013
DANVILLE -- School leaders say they no longer have a choice; cuts have to be made. Like many districts, it's struggling to bridge the budget gap. To do that, school officials are wiping out two dozen positions. WCIA-3's Jessica Shaw has more.
No school is left untouched. It's across-the-board cuts supposed to save about $3 million from high school to elementary schools.
The district is tightening its belt. Cuts to her son's school is not something Kristy Conner wants to hear.
"The kids are our futures. I just think it's sad."
School leaders agree and say the decisions didn't come easy.
"It's still very painful to let good teachers go who are needed."
The school board approved the plan Wednesday night. The high school will lose five teaching positions; the middle schools, three, as well as an administrative manager from each school; and the elementary schools will lose 14 teaching positions. Of the 24 cuts, 16 are through attrition; teachers who were planning to retire anyway. It will mean changes, and school officials say it's state funding cuts forcing this hand.
"We'll still have art class and computer class. It just won't be as many sessions. We'll be raising class sizes at the high school and elementary schools."
While parents like Conner understand, it doesn't mean they like it.
"Some of the politicians need to come in the classroom and see what it's like. Then they'll really reconsider cutting."
Last year, Danville's superintendent says the money it lost from state funding cuts was enough to run an entire elementary school.
No school is left untouched. It's across-the-board cuts supposed to save about $3 million from high school to elementary schools.
The district is tightening its belt. Cuts to her son's school is not something Kristy Conner wants to hear.
"The kids are our futures. I just think it's sad."
School leaders agree and say the decisions didn't come easy.
"It's still very painful to let good teachers go who are needed."
The school board approved the plan Wednesday night. The high school will lose five teaching positions; the middle schools, three, as well as an administrative manager from each school; and the elementary schools will lose 14 teaching positions. Of the 24 cuts, 16 are through attrition; teachers who were planning to retire anyway. It will mean changes, and school officials say it's state funding cuts forcing this hand.
"We'll still have art class and computer class. It just won't be as many sessions. We'll be raising class sizes at the high school and elementary schools."
While parents like Conner understand, it doesn't mean they like it.
"Some of the politicians need to come in the classroom and see what it's like. Then they'll really reconsider cutting."
Last year, Danville's superintendent says the money it lost from state funding cuts was enough to run an entire elementary school.
