| District takes important step |
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| Opinion | |||
| Written by Editorial Board | |||
| Wednesday, 10 March 2010 09:00 | |||
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Since discussion of the 2010-2011 Louisburg USD 416 budget began in earnest several weeks ago, it has been apparent that no cuts — should the district be forced to make them — would come easy. Board of Education member John Cleek said it best during a previous board meeting, when he said there was no fat left to be cut away. Every suspension to programs and staff they would make moving forward as the result of dramatically reduced state funding would be felt in the bones and sinew of the district. It has long been our opinion that district officials needed to do whatever they had to do in order to protect the teachers. Louisburg schools enjoy a sterling reputation academically, as they do in other areas, and so much of that can be attributed to the quality of those educating the youngest minds of the city. Like most in town with a vested interest in the schools, we at the Herald have seen the list of recommended cuts and potential new revenue sources distributed by the district. It’s a list that represents many tough decisions, not the least of which is the possibility of 15 licensed staff positions and another 10 classified staff. But if hope can be found in such a scenario, a glimmer of it appeared Monday night as the district revealed the list once more — this time in prioritized format, with those items most likely to be eliminated at the top. Though it’s far from a finished document, the list indicated that it would take cuts of more than $1 million to the district’s budget before staff positions were touched. Nothing about this process is simple, and that isn’t to say the programs that would need to be suspended aren’t valuable. But in order for Louisburg schools to consider setting the standard academically, the integrity of its classrooms must be preserved. By working with each other and the community, district officials have taken a big step toward ensuring they do just that.
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