Cuts, repercussions
At tonight's school board meeting, Salida R-32-J officials are expected to outline how the district intends to deal with a projected $750,000 budget shortfall for the 2010-11 school year.
Up to now officials have said they intend to maintain teaching staff at present levels, but not replacing those retiring or otherwise leaving the district. Officials have also said they plan to continue to operate the Crest Academy, Strawberry Door and alternative high school.
Among spending reductions being considered are cuts in athletics, hikes in gate prices, trimming travel, doing away with night football, reducing health and medical plans, cutting kindergarten bus routes and going to a four-day school week.
Board members are in a difficult position. Every decision to cut, reduce or maintain programs or staff will have repercussions elsewhere. Sparing one program will mean cuts, changes or fee hikes in others.
Officials have not said how or if the public will be able to offer comments or ask questions of decisions. While the changes to be made will be difficult, the public should have the opportunity to ask how officials came to decisions and provide perspective.
Officials said they listened to the public when moving to bring in as a part of the district the alternative classrooms and schools. The same opportunity should be afforded the public on programs and staffing questions with even greater district-wide impact.
Questions remain
A number of questions on the alternative classrooms remain unanswered. Among other questions, The Mail has asked what criteria will be used to determine who can attend Strawberry Door and Crest Academy and who makes student selections.
To this point these questions have not been answered. Officials have said there is no tuition fee for students attending the two classrooms and that those students attending the schools and their siblings before the merger with the district will be grandfathered in.
At issue is how the district intends to maintain equity and fairness in students selected to attend the alternative classrooms.
It should be noted that the alternative programs are not the only reason behind the financial crisis. The district anticipates a decrease in state funding of from 6 to 8 percent amounting to $550,000.
Nonetheless, the questions are pertinent in that the district is putting up some $275,000 initially to supplement the first two years of the alternative programs.
District officials project that these funds will be repaid in the next few years. However, at this time they come at the expense of other staff and programs, of students and parents, who will be asked to make up the budget shortfall difference through cuts, increases in fees and changes in programs.
Lion attack bizarre
Last week's mountain lion attack at the Bese home northwest of Salida is bizarre.
Lion attacks of pets and livestock are not unusual in Colorado's high country. The big cats have been known to jump and even kill lone hikers and joggers in the foothills near metro areas.
But wildlife officials said it's rare for a lion to enter a home and that this animal was not exihibiting normal behavior.
Though the family's small pet dogs were mauled, and one killed by the cat, it's not difficult to imagine a more serious scenario. Fortunately, a quick reaction by Michelle Bese and law enforcement officials averted what otherwise might have been.
- MJB
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