Bisbee has reduced its school days from five to four, other districts are looking at wholesale cutting of arts and athletic programs and reducing of teaching staff.
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In a presentation to the board, Dr. Earl Simmons said that the district was at a critical juncture. “Decisions we make now will impact the young people of our community for years to come,” he said.
He stated that this cannot just be a quick fix, but the district must seek viable, long-term solutions.
Simmons said the goal with the cut is to maintain core values:
√ Maintain excellent educational programs for students and families.
√ Structure the district to maximize financial efficiency.
√ Preserve as many jobs as possible.
“We simply can’t pink slip our way out of this difficulty. If we want to maintain our educational programs, we need teachers.”
Initial proposed cuts include:
• $550,000 in cuts from Directors and Principals that minimally impact instruction. Each administrator and director will take one unpaid leave day next year to make up that funding.
• $130,000 in reductions to athletics. Part of this is due to the loss of middle school athletics. Sierra Vista is cutting their programs, and since they were the Middle School’s main competition, there simply wouldn’t be anyone to compete with.
• $75,000 by reducing overtime and consultants.
• $100,000 by reclassifying positions.
• $250,000 through a capital fund transfer.
Simmons said another alternative would be no physical education in the elementary schools, no band and art in the middle schools, returning the middle school librarian to the classroom, have the middle school share an assistant principal and reduce to a half-day kindergarten. This would save more than $600,000, but again would dramatically affect the type and quality of education the students receive, Simmons said.
Ray Borane Middle School
Simmons said the brutal fact is that it costs $1,000 more per student to educate middle school students at Ray Borane than it does at Paul Huber, $3,524 to $2,546.
Ray Borane was originally constructed as a high school with a capacity of about 800 students.
It currently serves 373 students.
“While I do not want to see Ray Borane Middle School close, I believe consolidating the middle school will benefit students and the district as a whole.
Seventh and eighth grade students would be taught at Huber, and would allow the schools to maintain an art, physical education and band program, and there is a potential for school-wide intramural sports.
Simmons believes the change would meet the NCLB restructuring requirements and provide approximately $600,000 in savings, which represents about one-quarter of the necessary cuts.
Other suggestions in the report include moving preschool students At the ELC to Faras, Clawson, Sarah Marley and the high school, moving all but Faras sixth grade students to the now vacant ELC; and having a hybrid program at Clawson and Sarah Marley schools with Clawson becoming a PreK-3 school and Sarah Marley 4-6 grades.
Utilities
Currently, the district is receiving $900,000 from the state for “Excess Utilities.”
It helps meet the total cost of $1.5 million annually in energy costs, but under the current legislative plan, no district in the state will receive these monies.
So the district has to make up that $900,000 loss in utilities.
The plan is to begin a district-wide energy conservation program immediately, which will include operating the heating and cooling manually; individual responsibility; and reduce watering of the grounds.
“Even if we reduce our energy usage, we can not count of reducing energy costs by $900,000 just with conservation,” Simmons said, and the district needs an additional reduction strategy for next school year.
The non-instructional cuts along with the closing of Ray Borane would save about 5.75 percent of the necessary 12.5 percent with little or no impact on the quality of instruction.
“Now all departments and schools face cuts of 6.75 percent instead of 12.5 percent,” Simmons said.
“Federal stimulus monies could further reduce this 6.75 percent to a much more manageable percentage at each department and school.”
The information presented to the board was just a report, and no action was taken.
Comments
An Idea wrote on May 14, 2009 10:29 PM:
Math Teacher wrote on May 11, 2009 11:57 PM:
Another thing people should keep in mind is that the education of students IS NOT the sole responsibility of the teacher. Students are dropped off at school with the expectation that they will be returned clean, fully educated, and well fed. Teachers only interact with students for 7 hours a day and parents have them for the rest of the day... including weekends! Douglas parents need to spend more time with their kids and invest in their education. Having students stay with Nana or their Tia while parents spend their time in AP or Shooters is often considered “normal” behavior here in Douglas.
DUSD should consider work furlough days, which is currently being implemented by the state. All DUSD employees (admin, certified, classified, clerical, custodial, etc) should work a day or two “for free” to compensate for the shortfall in revenue. I know this sounds horrible but when you think about the benefit of not losing your job, medical benefits, and retirement, it’s an excellent option. Staff that doesn’t agree with the policy may decide to quit or retire early if eligible. It essentially thins out the non-committed staff members of the district. In addition, the district will not have to worry about moving students, restructuring the schools and increased transportation costs. If you read the Arizona Republic, teachers throughout Phoenix are being laid off due to the same circumstances. No need for that here.
For all you critics of educators and administrators, you need to spend some time in a classroom before you have a right to say anything. Volunteer at Sarah Marley or RBMS for a week or better yet, substitute teach (if you have a degree of course)! We’ll see how quickly those opinions will change. "
To Border Patrol wrote on May 10, 2009 9:16 PM:
To get real wrote on May 8, 2009 9:33 PM:
teacher wrote on May 8, 2009 8:48 PM:
This is what is called an overgeneralization. Not all teachers have planning periods and many do not have TAs. If we do have TAs, they are designated to help the special education students in our classroom. They don't grade papers, teach our classes, or manage classroom control. I am not saying this to complain; on the contrary, I am very grateful for my job. However, when someone badmouths us and acts as if our job were easy, it is offensive. I don't know anyone who works the hours I do. On my weekends and evenings, I grade papers, write lesson plans, tests (often 4 versions to accommodate special needs), and try to come up with unique ideas to keep my students interested in learning. In the morning, I get there early to get my room prepared and then I make Power Points to teach new content and input grades. There is always more to do. So, I work on my breaks too. I'll probably work a great deal of my summer break just re-evaluating my lessons and trying to organize and come up with new ones. As far as stipends, if I were in charge of a club, I would maybe get $400 a year. Before taxes. That amounts to about a dollar for every hour spent after school. Again, I like my job. I don't like being under appreciated and ridiculed, however. "
get real part 2 wrote on May 7, 2009 9:01 AM:
Cup-o-Joe wrote on May 6, 2009 9:59 PM:
Nobody needs to justify their job unless they are insecure about it. By the way I believe that it's Teacher Appreciation Week so thank a teacher and dont critisize, volunteer to help them for one day.
BP, you are doing a fine job nabbing illegals and drugs. "
To BP wrote on May 6, 2009 9:40 PM:
Reply to GET REAL wrote on May 5, 2009 4:23 PM:
To BP wrote on May 5, 2009 3:47 AM:
Swine flu could be a blessing wrote on May 4, 2009 7:22 PM:
to get real wrote on May 4, 2009 7:04 PM:
BP wrote on May 3, 2009 11:36 PM:
why would you put this agency down when all they do is try to keep this community safe, but i am not suprised, this is typical of you douglas residents. besides im sure you dont contribute a dime to the tax system, you more than likely take from the tax system if your douglas resident. and yeah they do make a lot more money than most people in this town and lot of that goes toward the tax system, besides, they have to have some incentive to stay and live and work in this dump. "
Wesley wrote on May 3, 2009 11:09 PM:
To Whomever Wrote To What Nerve wrote on May 2, 2009 7:25 PM:
Get Real wrote on May 1, 2009 8:49 PM:
to parent wrote on May 1, 2009 8:35 PM:
to what nerve wrote on Apr 30, 2009 8:43 PM:
We are also told to take care of discipline ourselves. So when the principal is gone for the day, guess what, the day goes on. Let's not even bring up money. As for the cars at schools on weekends, unless the principal owns many different vehicles and can drive more than one at the same time, don't even go there. Maybe you should go to a place that will feel your pain. "
To Parent wrote on Apr 30, 2009 5:26 PM:
parent wrote on Apr 29, 2009 11:43 AM:
parent wrote on Apr 29, 2009 11:42 AM:
What a Concept wrote on Apr 29, 2009 8:06 AM:
parent wrote on Apr 28, 2009 8:22 PM:
to everyone wrote on Apr 28, 2009 6:42 PM:
to What Nerve-not all administrators work Monday thru Friday, much less on a Sunday. the RBMS principal spends his days doing absolutely nothing behind closed doors; Mrs. Overman spent from September 2008 until last board meeting trying to fire a teacher at her school...actually she began working on that even before September 2008.
For Douglas,you definitely are paid quite well - even the assistant principals at the middle schools that Pettit wanted to not renew for next year earn a very good salary. Of course I cannot include it here because when Pettit was asked their salary, he had no idea what it was. I believe someone in attendance at the meeting had to provide that information. You want a total waste of money - what Earl Pettit earns! "
What Nerve To Parent wrote on Apr 27, 2009 10:07 PM:
to parent wrote on Apr 27, 2009 9:55 PM:
reality check please wrote on Apr 26, 2009 11:39 AM:
disappointed wrote on Apr 24, 2009 1:51 PM:
What kind of numbers wrote on Apr 24, 2009 2:33 AM:
Leroy wrote on Apr 23, 2009 5:26 PM:
parent wrote on Apr 22, 2009 1:28 PM: