By Pepper Fisher
PORT ANGELES – No one knows which budget cuts the Port Angeles School Board will authorize at Thursday night’s meeting, but we now know which ones School Superintendent Marty Brewer is going to recommend.
Brewer presented a budget forum Tuesday night to explain how he thinks the district should deal with a $5 million budget shortfall. Finance Director Kira Acker first explained where the discrepancy comes from. The district has about $55 million in revenue, $59 million in expenses, plus teachers are getting around $$770,000 in raises.
Brewer will recommend cutting the budget in 3 main categories.
“One, we’re going to raise class sizes to contractual language. Two, we’re going to look at every resignation and retirement and try to assess whether or not we need to refill that or not. And three, we’re going to eliminate, reduce and/or align program supports.”
Class sizes to contractual language means, the District can increase average class sizes to different degrees, depending on the grade level, and Brewer plans to do so. Class sizes will increase between 1 and 8 students per class in K-6 next year, junior high class averages will go from 17 to 32, and high school from 20 to 27.
Brewer will recommend not filling certain positions due to resignations and retirements, and he mentioned four specifically.
“We have the 6th grade band. The 6th grade band teacher is retiring this year. We’re happy for him. And, right now, my recommendation to the board for Thursday night is to not refill that position. We have general education teachers that are choosing to retire or resign. My recommendation to the board will be to not refill those positions, as well. Pre-covid, we had four school nurses. We will have three registered nurses that will work in our system that next year. That will be my recommendation to the board. And finally, we have a high school assistant principal that is retiring and we will not refill that position, as well.”
Brewer said band for students will begin in seventh grade, going forward.
As for eliminating, reducing and/or aligning programs and supports, Brewer said he will recommend eliminating transitional Kindergarten, contracted services, and the Nature Bridge program. He will also recommend eliminating the district’s two Dean of Students positions, the Special Education Assistant Director position, and he wants to take the high school’s Athletic Director and CTE Director from full time to part time positions. He also wants to reduce the number of educational coaches, and eliminate the position of Truancy Secretary.
Finally, Brewer said that the number of para-educators in the district grew during the pandemic from 100 to 138, and wants to see that number come back down to close to pre-Covid levels.