Fowlerville schools make $1.5M in budget cuts

FOWLERVILLE -- Fowlerville Community Schools will make cuts to student services next school year — including its band and art programs — as part of nearly $1.5 million in budget reductions the district's Board of Education approved Tuesday night.
The cuts, which also include the jobs of teachers, counselors, media specialists, athletic coaches and administrators, are needed as the district anticipates a $3 million deficit in its upcoming $25 million spending plan.
Continued drops in student enrollment and cuts in state per-pupil funding as well as rising retirement costs are expected to create the deficit. The district will eliminate band at the elementary level, offer fewer art classes, and a reduction in hours for media centers that will leave high school and junior high students with only three class periods to access their school libraries each day.
The board's vote was unpopular among some students and parents who attended Tuesday night's meeting at the Fowlerville High School media center.
"The whole point of coming to school is for education," said parent Nan-Marie Fox. "I think they are making cuts where it affects curriculum and children's futures. That is not the place to do it."
In addition to programs, nine teachers will be laid off along with counselors and media professionals. Administrators, including the assistant superintendent, curriculum director and technology director, will have their work hours reduced.
Four assistant athletic coaching positions will also be eliminated while athletic participation fees at the junior high will increase by $20 per student.
Superintendent Richard Heinrich said he recommended the cuts assuming the district will lose 100 students next school year in addition to decreases in state funding. He said he hopes all of his assumptions do not come to fruition.
"If some of these things change between now and the start of the school year, we may be in a situation where our position changes," Heinrich said. "I don't want people to feel like everything is hopeless."
However, even with the $1.5 million in approved cuts, the district will still need to realize another $1.5 million in savings to avoid a deficit.
Much of that additional savings is expected to come from employee concessions, as all of the district's bargaining groups — except the bus drivers — have expired contracts or will have an expired contract by June 30.
Prior to Tuesday's decision, the school board held two meetings in March to address public concerns about the district's financial situation.
While board President Mike Brown acknowledged Tuesday's decision was difficult, he said he was happy with the public input the district received.
As a result of overwhelming protest from students, parents and staff, the district's Performing Arts Center director position was not cut as originally planned. Instead, the position will be compensated next year at 75 percent of the current level. http://bit.ly/9NjwsX