Sylvania schools plan to trim 50 positions

5/10/2010
BLADE STAFF

Sylvania City School district expects to drop 50 staff positions, including 31 teachers, to eliminate a projected $4.2 million deficit by June 30, 2011.

Superintendant Brad Rieger told the Board of Education Monday night most of the reductions will be through retirements, resignations, and leaving positions vacant.

The district expects about 15 teachers would be laid off before school begins in the fall.

The school board plans a special meeting next Monday to vote on the superintendent's proposals, although based on comments from board members, a proposal to cut seven math intervention teachers may be modified.

Board President Jim Nusbaum said the board will consider putting a tax issue on the fall ballot. That decision will be made this summer, he said.

A $3.2 million deficit projected earlier this year grew as a result of continued losses of property taxes and state funding, Treasurer Laura Sauber said.

Mr. Rieger said 85 percent of the district's $85 million operating budget is spent on salaries and benefits.

The superintendent outlined $3.9 million in budget reductions, with the lion's share, $1.3 million, coming from operational expenses such as building and department budgets for the district's 12 sites.

The district plans to save $450,000 by not purchasing or updating its computers, and an additional $150,000 by not purchasing textbooks.