During their December meeting, members of the Aurora R-8 School Board made a number of staffing and program cuts for the 2010-2011 school year.
Hopefully, with the cuts, the district can achieve a balanced budget and rebuild reserves.
Following is the list of cuts (as unanimously approved by the board) totaling $1,071,208: substitute coordinator, contract transportation/custodial, athletic/transportation director, athletic summer camps, summer school coordinators, freshman athletics, athletic off-season, cross country, curriculum coordinators, groundskeeper, 2.3 food service secretaries, one interventionist, 10 percent cut to supply accounts, one technology position, one transportation/athletic secretary, one half-time junior high industrial arts, one half-time high school art, three In School Suspension positions, one teaching position at Pate, one assistant principal at Pate, one teaching position at Robinson Elementary School, one teaching position at Robinson Intermediate School, one teaching position at the junior high and one teaching position at the high school.
Closed Session
The evening’s meeting began with a closed session with members Roger Dummit (president), Charles Foltz, Michele Parbury, Don Sparks, Carolyn Swartz and Scott Welch present; Mark Mark McCully arrived after the board moved to open session.
In the closed session, the board discussed an employee disciplinary matter, discussed administrator evaluations and uphold the superintendent’s decision to suspend a student for 180 days due to a weapon violation.
Following the calendar hearing, the board approved the calendar for the 2010-11 school year with classes starting on August 18 and ending on May 18. Some patrons were present to share concerns about the calendar.
With the consent agenda, the board:
• approved monthly expenditures in the amount of $1,556,577.33
• accepted the resignations of Cindy Ott, high school counselor’s secretary, and Jim Waggoner, athletic/transportation director
• tabled an item about bus bids due to lack of information regarding the contracting of transportation services
New Business
Under the heading of new business, the board:
• accepted the Annual Performance Report, the prior year audit report, the Building Level Improvement Plans, the Technology Program Review, the Transportation Program Review and the Fall Athletic Program Review
• approved adding bowling as a club sport at no cost to the district (providing the district’s insurance will cover the participants without an increase in premiums)
• authorized Dr. Lucy Lyon, assistant superintendent, to pursue the possibility of Lowell School being used for one of the local Head Start programs
• approved participating in the Missouri Department of Secondary Education’s Race to the Top
Aurora, Mo. —
