Money-saving ideas haven’t made cut for school district

“I think truly all of us are smarter than some of us,? said Lake Orion Community Schools (LOCS) Superintendent Ken Gutman.
The district has repeatedly asked for community input on ways to cut costs in the school budget during school board meetings this spring and will officially ask the public in the fall, according to administrators. Gutman said the request is part of their annual look at finances, but with huge losses in state funding, new penny-pinching ideas are even more vital to the district’s success.
‘In the past, we’ve received some ideas that may be illegal or violate school code,? Gutman said, adding that they’ll investigate the feasibility of all submitted suggestions. ‘The more heads the better,? he said.
In addition to seeking advice from the public, LOCS routinely analyzes the costs and benefits associated with Lake Orion’s focus schools and the length of its school year, according to administrators. (Findings to these studies are available on the district’s Web site at www.lakeorion.k12.mi.us under ‘Budget?.)
The district has three focus elementary schools: Carpenter utilizes a year-round schedule; Orion Oaks has a multi-age concept in which ‘neighborhoods? of students K through 5 share the same school wing; and Stadium Drive, which has an art-infused curriculum. Under this plan, students are able attend any elementary school, hinging on their place in the district’s lottery.
To make sure the schools are still financially viable, administrators and staff simulated an entire ‘re-districting? from focus schools to the more traditional model of neighborhood schools. The results showed $74,926 in savings for transportation, $98,563 in dance and drama teacher salary savings. But, in that scenerio, the district would have hire two and a half extra teachers at a salary cost of $162,500. There was no change in heating and cooling expenses.
Financially, the district would save $11,000 per year, but the change from focus to neighborhood schools would force 65 percent of students (about 2,234) to change schools. For this reason, LOCS is choosing to keep its focus schools.
Another cost-savings option school administrators researched was shortening the number of days students attend school by adding minutes onto remaining days.
Their findings?
‘Cost savings of eliminating one day of school is approximately $8,095,? the district’s report said. ‘These costs include bus drivers, staff associates, crossing guards, parking lot attendants and fuel.?
By adding five minutes to each remaining day, schools could cut two days off the calendar, equaling $16,190 in savings.
After comparisons with Clarkston, Oxford and Waterford’s schedule, LOCS decided not to make the change as the district felt the financial savings would not outweigh educational detriments.
‘LOCS’s days and minutes per day are in like with these districts,? the report said. ‘The major discrepancy is Clarkston for 2009-10. However, neither Clarkston nor the other districts are reducing days as a savings mechanism.?
The newly reelected School Board Trustee Jim Weidman was voted board treasurer at the body’s July 8 meeting. Weidman’s recent budget and strategic planning proposals prompted the nomination from colleagues.
He says the board will have to work together in finding ways to work through the budget crisis and his role in the discussion will be as a conduit between the board and Assistant Superintendent of Administrative Services Jillynn Kepper.
‘We have a challenging year ahead and we’ll spend a lot of time around the horn on (finances),? he said. ‘It’s about how we deal with the moving target that comes from Lansing.?