Lynchburg City School Board members are expected to vote on a budget for the 2010-2011 school year at their meeting Tuesday.
The budget bridges an expected $8.7 million revenue shortfall, equivalent to 10 percent of last year’s budget. Measures are expected to include elimination of nearly 100 staff positions, reductions in benefits, and closure of the Hutcherson Early Learning Center building among other changes.
The board members will also take separate votes on several major items related to the budget.
ä Superintendent Paul McKendrick’s proposal to close the Hutcherson Early Learning Center: The Hutcherson program would relocate to Perrymont Elementary School, where it would co-exist with Perrymont’s K-5 elementary school program.
The school administration projects a savings of $56,000 per year and $3.5 to $4 million in future renovation expenses by closing the Hutcherson building.
ä Changes to next year’s calendar: The new, temporary, calendar would include fewer, but longer school days for students and fewer work days for teachers and other staff. Winter break would be longer and seven periods would be mandatory at the high school level.
ä Changes to the Reduction in Force policy: While the RIF policy is not officially part of the budget, it could potentially affect which employees lose positions as a result of the budget cuts.
McKendrick is proposing several changes to the policy. One specifies that employees on the de-staffing list will not be laid off if another employee with more seniority in the active area of assignment is on a plan of assistance. Currently the policy reads “may not” rather than “will not.” In the Lynchburg City Schools, the plan of assistance is a tool to help employees who may be struggling or have received poor marks on evaluations.
In addition, the board is also expected to vote on closing school for high school students on May 4, when City Council elections will be held. School board members voted at their last meeting to close middle and elementary schools, but not high schools on May 4, at the recommendation of the superintendent.
McKendrick now is recommending that high schools also be closed, because he has learned that the date of advanced placement exams can be changed without any additional costs to the school division.
IF YOU’RE GOING
What: Lynchburg City School Board meeting
Where: School administration building, 915 Court St.
When: 5:30 p.m. Tuesday
For more information: www.lynchburg.org
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