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USD 415 Board Approves Budget Cuts, Schedule Change

By Greg Bebermeyer

03/28/2014

(KNZA)--The Hiawatha School Board has approved nearly $162,000 in budget reductions for next school year, and a schedule change for middle and high school students.

The board took the action following a closed-door session at a special meeting Wednesday evening.

As part of the budget reductions, the district will outsource it’s food service program. The building budgets and paper budget will each be cut by 25 percent. In addition, the textbook budget will be reduced $25,000. Also the high school art position will be reduced to part-time and overtime for night custodians reduced.

Other budget cuts will include no zero hours and overload courses for high school teachers, making the Bahamas trip totally self-funded, elimination of the district newsletter and not hiring a paint crew for summer projects,

Superintendent Penny Hargrove says the budget reductions are necessary due to increased operational costs and a drop in enrollment.

In other action, Hargrove says board approved switching the middle school and high school to a 5 by 5 block schedule. She says the change will allow students the opportunity to take more electives and for staff to be shared.

Currently, the high school is on a 4 by 4 block schedule and the middle school on a traditional 7-period day.

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