Post by BrianSullivan on Jul 1, 2010 9:18:04 GMT -5
www.app.com/article/20100629/NEWS/6290357/Freehold-Regional-cuts-74-positions
ENGLISHTOWN — Further reductions to the Freehold Regional High School District's 2010-11 tax levy likely will mean significant changes to district operations.
"Come September, this is going to be a very different school district," Freehold Regional spokesman James Quirk said.
The regional Board of Education unanimously voted Monday to decrease the proposed $118.25 million levy by $2.65 million, the amount determined by state Education Commissioner Bret Schundler.
Schundler weighed in on the levy, which voters defeated in April, after the eight sending municipalities in the district failed to agree on how much should be cut from it.
Schundler's decision was met with mixed reviews. Some residents were pleased with the number, while some board members wished it had been less.
And Carol Fox of Marlboro said that Schundler and Gov. Chris Christie failed the public.
"It is disrespectful, it's a mockery . . . that they only took 2.6 (million)," Fox said.
The $2.65 million reduction means 74 positions will be eliminated: 66 teaching and media specialist jobs, seven academic supervisor posts, and one administrative supervisor, who is retiring.
This is in addition to the 76 full-time and five part-time jobs that were eliminated in the district's originally proposed budget. Combined with this newest round of cuts, the district's work force has been reduced by 10.5 percent, according to officials.
The district also will hold off on $502,110 in capital equipment purchases. Another $390,000 in savings will come from bargaining unit concessions, which includes employees' 1.5 percent salary contribution toward their health benefits.
Various predictions have been made regarding the impact of such a reduction on classes and busing.
Though school board President Ronald Lawson said Tuesday he did not know what specific changes will be made, he also said Staffers will have to shoulder more responsibilities, and there was "no question" that class sizes would be larger.
"We can't avoid some impact. We're going to try to minimize it," Lawson said
ENGLISHTOWN — Further reductions to the Freehold Regional High School District's 2010-11 tax levy likely will mean significant changes to district operations.
"Come September, this is going to be a very different school district," Freehold Regional spokesman James Quirk said.
The regional Board of Education unanimously voted Monday to decrease the proposed $118.25 million levy by $2.65 million, the amount determined by state Education Commissioner Bret Schundler.
Schundler weighed in on the levy, which voters defeated in April, after the eight sending municipalities in the district failed to agree on how much should be cut from it.
Schundler's decision was met with mixed reviews. Some residents were pleased with the number, while some board members wished it had been less.
And Carol Fox of Marlboro said that Schundler and Gov. Chris Christie failed the public.
"It is disrespectful, it's a mockery . . . that they only took 2.6 (million)," Fox said.
The $2.65 million reduction means 74 positions will be eliminated: 66 teaching and media specialist jobs, seven academic supervisor posts, and one administrative supervisor, who is retiring.
This is in addition to the 76 full-time and five part-time jobs that were eliminated in the district's originally proposed budget. Combined with this newest round of cuts, the district's work force has been reduced by 10.5 percent, according to officials.
The district also will hold off on $502,110 in capital equipment purchases. Another $390,000 in savings will come from bargaining unit concessions, which includes employees' 1.5 percent salary contribution toward their health benefits.
Various predictions have been made regarding the impact of such a reduction on classes and busing.
Though school board President Ronald Lawson said Tuesday he did not know what specific changes will be made, he also said Staffers will have to shoulder more responsibilities, and there was "no question" that class sizes would be larger.
"We can't avoid some impact. We're going to try to minimize it," Lawson said