Sherwood School District cuts teaching jobs

Sherwood — The Sherwood School District unanimously adopted a budget Tuesday for the 2012-13 fiscal year that will eliminate 8.5 teaching positions.

The adopted budget is the same as the budget proposed in April with the exception of adjusting for the collaboration grant, said Chief financial officer Wayne Lowry.

The state grant, awarded in May, will add $332,000 to special revenue funds and will be primarily used for professional development around the new Common Core State Standards.

Although the general fund for next school year is at $38.7 million, compared with $37.8 million in 2011-12, the district had to make cuts. Costs, including health insurance, PERS, step increases and inflation have gone up while revenue has remained flat, according to Lowry.

Three elementary school and 3.5 middle school teaching positions will be eliminated. At the high school, two jobs that were to be added to keep up with growth have been scrapped.

After the budget meeting in May, the district pursued contract negotiations with teachers, administrators and classified staff for two more furlough days in addition to the ones outlined in the proposed budget.

The certified association declined to take those days, which would have allowed the district to keep three teaching jobs that will be cut.

The adopted budget includes two furlough days over the summer, July 5-6, for administrators and year-round staffers, in addition to the three furlough days in place for all employees during the school year.

Overall, the district will experience $1.34 million in reductions for 2012-13.

– Findley Merritt
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