Schools

D-15 Removes Band, Orchestra From Cut List

Band and orchestra will not be included in a list of recommended cuts being given to the school board at its meeting Feb. 8.

District 15 officials have removed band and orchestra from a list of potential budget cuts that will be presented to the school board Feb. 8.

"We sought input from the community and the vast majority of people felt that this was some thing that should not be cut," District 15 Superintendent Scott Thompson said.

The school district sent out an email blast about the decision Monday afternoon.

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Although eliminating band and orchestra will not be part of Thompson's recommendations, the school board could still decide to cut the programs. Parent Brenda Cyr started an . As of Monday, Feb. 6 at 5:10 p.m. the petition had garnered 1,511 signatures.

Cyr stated in the that she still intends to have the petition delivered to the school board.

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School District 15 is attempting to close a projected $9.6 million budget deficit for the 2012-2013 fiscal year. Although District 15 has a significant budget deficit, the district also has about $55 million in reserves. However, district officials project that those fund balances will erode down quickly — to about $4.8 million by 2016 — if the deficit is not dealt with.

Thompson said his recommendation to the school board Feb. 8 will include recommended cuts of about $6 million, with reserves being used to fill the remaining $3.6 million hole.

The possible budget cuts were discussed . Among the options were the loss of 21 teaching positions through attrition, the loss of another 28 teaching positions and increasing average class size for kindergarten to 6th grade to 28 and increasing average class sizes for 7th and 8th grade to 30.


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