Cuts made at SA

BERNE — The general fund budget still projects deficit spending for the 2015-16 school year. But because of staff reductions and other adjustments the overruns have been drastically cut.
South Adams School Board on Tuesday approved reduction in force notices for two teachers and accepted two retirements, bringing the total budget cuts for the year to an estimate of more than half a million dollars.
The board also heard about the planning process for E-learning days.
Board members gave the OK to issuing reduction in force notices for fifth grade teacher Courtney Butcher and physical education teacher Aimee Lucabaugh. They voted to eliminate the part-time school nurse position that was held by Jeni Hirschy.
They also accepted retirements from Jane Minch, a 52-year teaching veteran, and Tom Huffman, who had served as a custodian for 24 years. Those were in addition to the retirements of Lora Flueckiger (first grade), Kathi Drake (guidance counselor) and Marty Goller (third grade) that it accepted at its June 2 special meeting.
South Adams had offered a retirement incentive of $15,000 to teachers and counselors, and the retiring staff members will not be replaced.
Those moves together are projected to save the school corporation nearly $520,000 for the upcoming school year.
Other savings are projected at $54,664.93 by transferring some positions to be paid out of Title I instead of the general fund, $30,000 for transferring utility costs for the kitchen and cafeteria to the lunch fund and $9,612 for eliminating four assistant coaching positions.
South Adams was faced with the need for budget cuts after incurring deficit spending of $393,214 in 2013-14 and more than $700,000 this year, dropping the general fund year-end balance to about $1.4 million from $2.28 million at the end of 2012.
It was projected to overspend by another $779,000 in 2015-16 if cuts were not made.
With the retirements, staff reductions and other cost-cutting measures, South Adams is now projected for deficit spending of $166,036.25 for the upcoming school year.
“It seems more manageable,” said superintendent Scott Litwiller. “$700,000, how do you do that? I feel like I can breath a little bit.”
Litwiller is hopeful that an enrollment increase — the incoming kindergarten class is expected to be larger than the outgoing senior class — could give South Adams more state funding and further mitigate the financial issues. He noted that further cuts may be needed, but said he preferred to see where enrollment and insurance premiums fall before making any further spending cuts.
“I think you’re to be commended,” said board member John Mann. “And I appreciate all the effort you’ve put into this.”
Litwiller credited the cuts as a team effort among board members, staff, teachers and administrators.
Board members Arlene Amstutz, Landon Patterson, Julie Mansfield, John Buckingham, Amy Orr and Mitch Sprunger also heard an update about E-learning days, which can be used when schools are closed because of inclement weather.
Technology director Myra Moore told the board that the option has been discussed, with teachers and administrators talking to other schools that have used E-learning and attending a presentation at Yorktown High School. She said more discussion is planned next year before implementing their use.
Litwiller noted the importance of making E-learning days valuable, rather than simply using them to try to save a snow day.
“I think it’d be worth the effort if the main goal is to provide a virtual learning experience for our students and to provide instruction during a critical time of the year,” he said.
In other business, the board:
•Hired high school coaches Grant Moser (football), Craig McKean (assistant football), Jeff Lehman (assistant football), Clark Moser (JV football), Jessie O’Dell (freshman football), Lack Taing (volunteer football), Toby Sprunger (volunteer football), Scott Steiner (volunteer football), Ashley Buckingham (volleyball), Jaime Beitler (assistant volleyball), Ashley Fosnaugh (freshman volleyball), Luke McClung (boys soccer), Kevin McClung (assistant boys soccer), Cindy Greer (boys tennis), Brent Hyman (assistant boys tennis), Greg Miller (volunteer tennis), Seth Sprunger (girls golf), Kristen Brown (cheerleading), Sarah Ellenberger (assistant cheerleading), Clint Anderson (cross country), Danette VonGunten (assistant cross country), Dianna Fox (assistant cross country) and J.D. Keller (volunteer cross country); middle school coaches Doug Beall (football), Logan Steiner (football), Paul Yoder (eighth grade volleyball) and Tequila Wagner (cheerleading); and summer school teachers Lois Bailey, Kristin Brown, Becky Dubach, Louann Reinhard, Andy Sommer and Sandy Sprunger (elementary school jump start), Andy Brown and Josh Hendrixson (middle school jump start), Lonnie Teeple (Wilson Reading) and Curt Amstutz (marching band); summer student workers Jillian McDonald, David Steffen and Sarah Schwartz; and Migrant Education Resource Office employees Larry West (bus driver/aide) and Amalia Miller (recruiter). Also agreed to contract with Rupp Enterprises to transport the migrant mobile classroom at a cost of $1 per mile and $17.50 per hour for the driver.
•Agreed to give Becky Biberstein permission to make fund transfers if necessary before the end of the fiscal year on June 30.
•Accepted a donation of $200 from M & M Market for the Starfire Invitational baseball tournament.
•Adopted the textbook America Past and Present from Prentice Hall for the high school AP U.S. History course.
•Agreed to accept all non-resident transfer students up to 120 per grade level for kindergarten through third grade and 130 for fourth through 12th grade if enrolled before the state’s February enrollment count date.