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49 °F 5 Day Forecast Saturday, November 29, 2003 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | eSouthernOregon | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find a Rental Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Email Story to a Friend November 4, 2003 Medford schools face more cuts Medford board will reduce staff, programs to plug $2.4 million gap By JILL BRISKEY Mail Tribune The Medford School Board is expected to plug a $2.4 million deficit today by cutting at least 23 positions and slashing everything from outdoor education to the district’s annual music festival. "We’re all just sick about this," board member Trisha Prendergast said Monday. "It makes me nauseous, literally. Nobody wants to make these kind of cuts." The board is also prepared to adopt a back-up plan at the meeting outlining $9.2 million in reductions that would take place if a Legislature-approved income tax surcharge is overturned by voters. "We want people to know exactly what the damage will be if they vote down that temporary tax increase," said board Chairman Mike Moran. "We’re not trying to scare anybody. We’re not trying to threaten anybody. We’re trying to give you the facts and figures." Advertisement The initial cuts are not dependent on the surtax and would mostly take place in February. Those cuts include seven child development specialist positions, two school nurses, two school psychologists and several maintenance and secretarial positions. The district also will begin charging students who want to participate in sports. The cost will be $100 per student per sport in high school and $50 per student per sport in middle school. The district will eliminate one administrative position in the district’s central office. Kathy McCollum — director of elementary education and staff development — will retire in June and her job won’t be filled, Medford Superintendent Dick Gregory said. Also, a principal’s position will be eliminated by assigning one principal to cover both Ruch and Jacksonville elementary schools. The majority of the back-up plan — $5 million — would require the approval of the district’s unions. It includes cutting several school days, renegotiating the district’s insurance policy and reducing raises from 3 percent to 1 percent. More than $4 million in cuts in the back-up plan, however, can be made without union approval. Those cuts include cutting 13 positions in elementary music, laying off counselors, and eliminating secondary music or requiring a "pay to play" fee for musicians. Most of the cuts included in the back-up plan would not be enacted until the 2004-05 school year. The School Board will discuss the details of both proposals during a meeting today at 6:30 p.m. in South Medford High School’s cafeteria. The public is invited to attend. According to Gregory, the first wave of cuts will enable the district to cover a deficit created this fall by unexpected repairs to South Medford High School, declining enrollment and 17 teachers hired at a cost of $1.3 million. To date, the district has already cut more than $940,000 from its 2003-04 general operating budget of $79.5 million by reducing expenditures 20 percent, cutting expenses and slashing several positions. The majority of the $2.4 million in cuts will be raised by laying off support staff on Feb. 1. "This is pretty major for those people," said Gregory, who added that employees who will lose their jobs have already been notified. A handful of employees will be shifted to other jobs, while a few others will see their hours scaled back. "We’re down 300 students ... that’s a loss of more than $1.5 million in state funding," added Gregory. "That means we have to shift costs and make adjustments." Gregory said the board could change the list of reductions, although he added that changes aren’t anticipated. Board members will first discuss several personnel issues during a private session prior to the public meeting, which may or may not change the outcome of the cuts, he added. The district has been drafting a back-up plan since September, following the Legislature’s approval of an $800 million revenue package to fund the 2003-05 state budget. Approximately $414 million of that plan was set aside for public schools. The package would be financed through a three-year surtax and an increase in the corporate minimum tax. For a household making $36,461 — the median income in Jackson County in 1999 — the surtax would cost $43 a year. Opponents of the plan are gathering signatures to bring the issue to a vote Feb. 3. If voters overturn the tax, school districts across the state would face a 9 percent reduction of funding in 2004-05. Jim Bond, who represents the Oregon Education Association, said he needs more detail regarding the district’s proposed back-up plan before making a statement. "I know the system cannot sustain further reduction and maintain itself as a viable system," said Bond. "We’re all concerned about the future of education." Medford School budget cuts Below are cuts proposed for the Medford School District for this school year and next. Tier I cuts are proposed to be made regardless of the status of the state income tax surcharge. Tier II and III cuts would be required if the surtax is overturned by voters. Cuts to be made in 2003-04 and 2004-05 — Tier I Eliminate district funding for DARE — Feb. ’04 Reduce one warehouse position — Feb. ’04 Reduce additional warehouse position — ’04-05 Reduce one Child Development Center leader position — Feb. ’04 Close high schools during summer Reduce athletics cost through the reduction of positions: i.e. weight coach — Feb. ’04 Reduce one grounds position — Feb. ’04 Reduce additional grounds position — ’04-05 Eliminate district music festival — ’04-05 Charge actual custodial costs for facilities use Reduce substitutes — Feb. ’04 Eliminate outdoor education — ’04-05 Reduce administrative travel — now Reduce one painter — Feb. ’04 Reduce one utility maintenance position — Feb. ’04 Reduce home instruction via Internet-based instruction Eliminate TAG stipend — Feb. ’04 Reduce campus monitors 10 percent through scheduling Reduce 1 drug/alcohol counselor (secondary) — Feb. ’04 Reduce part-time district office administrative positions — Feb. ’04 Reduce 1 school nurse position (don’t fill current opening) Reduce 1 additional school nurse position — ’04-05 Combine CDC operations at one school Reduce athletics by pay to play: assumes 75 percent pay per sport — $100 per HS student; $50 per MS Reduce one media assistant position (HS) Eliminate district-funded field trips (elem.) —Feb. ’04 Eliminate elementary planetarium program — Feb. ’04 Use athletic carryover to offset athletic expenses Eliminate student employee positions at schools and district office — Feb. ’04 Reduce 2 psychologist positions Eliminate 7 child development specialist positions Reduce one elementary principal position and assign one principal for Ruch/Jacksonville Reduce 1 district office administrator and 1 secretary Cuts under consideration in ’04-05 — Tier II Reduce extended days in June Reduce extra compensation positions Reduce one counselor at each high school Reduce high school administrative support — eliminate division leaders, activities and athletic time Change to six-period day at middle schools Change high school to compressed block — 10 teaching positions Reduce print staff — 2 positions Reduce 1 secretary/secondary school — 4 positions Elementary music — Reduce 13 positions Elementary media specialist — Reduce to 7 Eliminate secondary music (cut or reduce to pay to play/sing) Additional cuts in ’ 04-05 — Tier III (need union approval) Eliminate class size assistants (elem.) and elementary principals’ assistant time Staff classes at two students over standard for elementary classes (grades K-1 increase from 20 to 22; grades 2-3 from 25 to 27; grades 4-6 from 30 to 32) Reduce in-service before and after school by three days Reduce salary increase from 3 percent to 1 percent Renegotiate insurance — menu of services Reduce number of school days — $250,000 savings per day. Reach reporter Jill Briskey at 776-4485, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2003 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback 3 WEEKS FREE! ADVERTISERS SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Real Estate Showcase Food for Thought Hike of the Week Wellness Connection Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Openings Prime Times