LITCHFIELD -- The Litchfield School Board cut more than $200,000 Monday from next school year's budget.
The district plans to cut $203,000 through staffing and supply reductions. Most of the staff reductions will be done through attrition, Superintendent Bill Wold said. A kindergarten position may be cut, however, he said.
At the high school, 0.2 of full-time English, 0.5 business and 0.5 special education positions will be cut, saving a total of $55,500.
A full-time equivalent teacher assistant position will be cut at the middle school, saving $18,000.
At Wagner Elementary, a 0.5 business teacher position will be cut, and at Ripley Elementary full-time equivalent first grade and 0.5 kindergarten positions will be cut. Those cuts save a total of $117,500.
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Another $12,000 in supplies will be cut.
The cuts are being made because enrollment is expected to decline by 30 to 40 students next school year, Wold said.
There are about 1,820 students enrolled in the district this school year.
The reductions will not change class sizes, Wold said.
Last school year, the School Board cut $202,000 from the budget.
Also at the meeting, the board discussed the hiring process for the high school principal. Principal Chris Bates is resigning to accept the superintendent position in the Pine Island School District.
The district had received 27 applications for the position by Tuesday, Wold said. By the end of the week, he said he will select six applicants, who will be interviewed by the site team on May 4. The list will then be narrowed to three finalists.
The School Board and Wold will then interview the finalists May 8.
