When Dixie School District students return to school in August, they are not likely to feel the impact of $670,000 in budget cuts trustees were forced to approve this summer.
That is thanks to school administrators, staff and faculty who have agreed to tighten their belts for the foreseeable future.
Dixie Superintendent Thomas Lohwasser told the board of trustees at a recent meeting that all staff at the district will work fewer days to help save the district's precious dollars. The district will reduce its costs by 15 percent at the administrative level as well as at school sites and in maintenance and custodial work. Teachers will get two fewer days of professional development and the vacant assistant librarian position at Miller Creek Middle School will not be filled, Lohwasser said.
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Students, on the other hand, will stay in school for 180 days just as they have in the past.
"I just want to thank teachers classified staff and everyone who has pulled together and given up a little bit," said trustee Kristi Raube before the board passed the 2010-2011 budget unanimously.
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Dixie officials expect revenues of $15.1 million, an 8.8 percent decline from $16.6 million in 2009-2010. Expenditures will slide 7.2 percent to $16.7 million from $17.9 million last year.
Trustee Mark Schott noted that the district will have to ask district residents to pass a parcel tax next year and the shortfalls in the budget need to be communicated to parents.
"We need to tell the story that we are not broke but we are pretty close," Schott said.
Lohwasser agreed.
"We will have to do a better job in communicating the loss of revenues," he said. "The next things on the list are pretty serious."
Robert Marical, Dixie business manager, said much of the reason revenues have been severely lowered over the last two years is because the state billed the district for $441,000 in 2009-2010 and $672,000 to pay back their "fair share" of property taxes. Cuts in state revenues are expected to continue through 2013.
"Property taxes are assumed to be flat through 2013," Marical said. "I hope it levels out and we don't see any more decreases."
But, for now, parents and students can expect the school year to be like any other.
"My interest is the kids and education, and we came up with a plan for the kids and education," said Bruce Abbott, board president. "At the end of the day I feel very good about it because this is the best budget possible for the kids."
