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School officials foresee trouble
They consider holding bonuses for new skills in next year's budget
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Published: September 30, 2009
As tight as this year's school budget is, school officials expect an even tighter budget next year. With that in mind, they're considering saving $375,000 by suspending bonuses for teachers who learn a new skill.
Winston-Salem/Forsyth County school officials know they're already looking at at least another $2.8 million in state cuts for next year, plus such other budget challenges as reductions in textbook funds and increased matches for retirement and health insurance.
"We are probably going to be facing some fairly significant reductions." Superintendent Don Martin said last night at the regular meeting of the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Board of Education.
Through such measures as increasing class sizes, Martin said, the school system was able to put together a budget for this year that allows it to operate with $8 million less than last year without cutting jobs.
"Some of the things that allowed us to get through the year were one-time things that will not happen again," Martin said.
It's going to be difficult to make additional cuts for next year without cutting jobs, said Kerry Crutchfield, the director of financial services for the school system.
One way to save some jobs, Crutchfield said, would be to suspend the Teacher Compensation Plan, a voluntary incentive program that awards bonuses of between $225 to $450 to teachers for learning new skills and developing collaborative projects. Martin and Crutchfield said that, although those bonuses wouldn't be paid until July, the board needs to decide soon whether to suspend the program so that teachers can know.
"I do think we are facing some hard times and our main goal is not to lose anybody," said board member Jeannie Metcalf. "I think anything is fair game as long as we can save jobs."
Board members put the issue on the board's action agenda for its Oct. 13 meeting. Crutchfield also urged board members to begin thinking about such issues as whether to hold open vacant positions.
In other business, the board:
□ Unanimously approved naming the stage at Reynolds Auditorium in honor of Robert Mayer, a long-time teacher at Reynolds who worked hard to raise money to renovate the auditorium.
□ Unanimously voted to buy, for $30,000 an acre, 23 acres on Shore Road near U.S. 52 in northern Forsyth County. The land would be banked to use for an elementary school some day.
"It's an area we're going to need a new school," said Darrell Walker, the assistant superintendent for operations.
At present, there are no plans to build a school there.
kunderwood@wsjournal.com.
727-7389
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