Positions cut
By Gail Boehm
Star-Times
Several members of the Mauston School Board expressed the struggle they faced in cutting positions in the school district at the Monday evening special meeting.
Three of the most debated items were to eliminate the gifted and talent position, to reinstate the full-time secretary position at Lyndon Station Elementary with an increase in some responsibilities, and reduce one nurse position from 30 hours per week to 20 hours per week.
Interim Superintendent Dr. Bill Conzemius said, "This has been a daunting task. The principals and administration have talked weekly all year long to develop the budget." He said the board cut $500,000 last year and needed to cut $410,000 for the 2008-09 budget. He said the reasons for the continued cuts were because of revenue caps, district enrollment having a slight decline, double digit increases in health insurance, bus fuel and energy.
Board members Chris Arens and David Linsmeyer voted against the elimination of the gifted and talented position.
Arens said, "This really affects my family." She said there is a tremendous focus on the special needs students and the gifted and talented students, on the other end of the spectrum, should also be considered.
Arens added that "the teacher and her family have given a great deal to the school district over the years."
She said the gifted and talented teacher also coordinates the summer school program, works directly with students and has several other responsibilities.
Linsmeyer asked if the board could wait a year until the new position of curriculum and instruction director could be in place to take on the gifted and talented responsibilities. Several board members said they could not wait a year to make the change.
Linsmeyer also questioned why each school in the district needed to cut positions and reduce to meet the budget, while the athletics department had no cuts. He said he thought there should be some changes with the high cost of transportation.
Carrie Buss, president, said that sports are regulated by the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA).
The board approved payment of over $6,000 to the Wisconsin Retirement system to the gifted and talented teacher so she could retire at 100 percent of her benefits since she would be taking early retirement.
The board approved having the full-time secretary position at Lyndon Station remain because of continuity and safety reasons. Conzemius said having one person there for the whole day was very important to the school.
With the nurse having her hours cut to 20 per week, he said either the nurse's hours would be cut or a secretarial position would be eliminated.
The board approved the cut of the nurse's hours, so the full-time secretarial position would remain. Conzemius said the secretarial position would support custodial, curriculum/instruction and the nurses.