Nazareth school board proposes cuts to district positions, programs in budget proposal

FROM THE EXPRESS TIMES

The Nazareth Area School District administration recommends laying off or furloughing at least four high school teachers and eliminating an unspecified number of additional teachers and jobs through attrition.

The measures will help close a $770,000 gap to balance the $69.18 million 2012-13 budget. The budget already calls for a 2 percent tax increase.

District Superintendent Victor Lesky’s plan calls for eliminating teachers at the high school in the English, math, history and science departments. He said student enrollment has dropped at the high school from 1,680 to 1,495 students in recent years.

The plan calls for eliminating the job of Dennis Riker, assistant superintendent for human resources and support services, after Riker replaces Lesky when he retires June 30.

Other components of Lesky’s plan include:

* Several teachers retiring in June 2012 would not be replaced.

* Eliminate a district social worker position.

* Move a social studies teaching position from the high school to the middle school.

* The district would no longer contract speech therapy with Colonial Intermediate Unit 20, but would provide speech services in house.

* There would be a possible restructuring of teacher-leader teams, in which leaders would be teaching more regular classes in addition to performing their normal assigned duties.

* Administrators would explore ways to save money in the district’s sports and extracurricular programs, which could mean fewer coaching positions. However, it remains unclear how many would be cut.

Lesky said it’s unclear whether teachers would be laid off or furloughed. He said teachers would be notified in April of possible cuts.

The school board is continuing to pursue a wage freeze or some type of deferment of raises from its teachers and custodian unions. Lesky said at this time, there is no update from these unions.

The proposed 2 percent tax hike means the owner of a property assessed at the district average of $67,400 would pay $74 more annually in taxes. Lesky said the school board will not exceed the 2 percent tax hike.

Board President Lorin Bradley has vocally opposed any tax increase.

Lesky made the recommendations during Monday’s school board meeting. The plan still needs board approval. The board has until June 30 to formally adopt the budget under state law.

Lesky recommended against using the district’s fund balance to close the budget gap.

“The district needs to be able to pay for the programs and services it provides to students on a yearly basis,” Lesky said today. “Deficit spending or using fund balance to pay for yearly expenses will only set Nazareth up for future financial problems that would decimate the education program we are now providing to our students.”

http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/nazareth/index.ssf/2012/03/nazareth_school_board_proposes.html