In just one meeting the Goodrich School board chopped $250,000 from the school budget.
The Goodrich School Board voted 5-2 on Monday night to eliminate the district’s paid extracurricular positions and make them unpaid volunteer positions. The group of activities will include school class sponsors, National Honor Society and SADD (Students Against Drunk Drivers). A parent or school volunteer will now work with the students. Board President Timothy Zirnhelt and Trustee Nikki Wiederman voted against eliminating the positions.
Superintendent John Fazer said the unpaid extracurricular positions will save the district about $48,000.and would not apply to extracurricular positions that were part of a class, such as band, choir, music and theater.
‘These changes will hopefully be just short-term,? added Fazer. ‘These changes are difficult and we had some excellent discussion on Monday night. But tough changes are necessary to stave off deficit spending in the future.?
There was good discussion on Monday night, on going effort to stave off deficit spending.
The board also voted 6-1 to eliminate block scheduling and return to the traditional schedule for the 2012-13 school year. The cost savings is about $200,000, said Fazer.
Trustee Jeff Gardner voted no.
‘Next year we don’t know the student count or the amount of state revenue’so why make that decision now, without knowing all the factors? If the board would have done this next year in March for example, I would have voted otherwise.?
The cuts are an effort to avoid a $700,000 deficit anticipated in the 2012-13 school year. Already, 14 teacher positios have been cut and pay concessions of 5 percent have been made by administators and CMPT.