Staff writer
Because of a surprising, dramatic decrease in enrollment this year, Hillsboro Board of Education voted Monday to cut three positions.
Superintendent Steve Noble expected to lose about 10 students from the 2012-13 school year. Instead, enrollment decreased by 52 students. That means a likely loss of about $360,000 in state funding, Noble said.
As the first stage of cuts, the board voted to cut an administrative assistant position at the district office effective Dec. 20, leave an open bus mechanic position unfilled, and cut the activities director position, currently held by Robert Rempel, at the end of his contract on July 1.
Bus mechanic John McMinn retired Oct. 31. Noble said he didn’t know who would be cut from the district office yet.
Noble said the activities director duties would be absorbed by the middle and high school principals and the superintendent.
Noble said he wanted to keep as many cuts away from classrooms as possible.
“We know what needs to be done, we just don’t know who will do it and how,” he said.
Noble also proposed merging the formal administration of the middle and high schools to substantially reduce the number of reports required. He said it wouldn’t change the functional administration of the middle school, but it would require a public hearing open to comments because the state would technically consider the change “closing” the middle school.
“The doors are open. The office will be open,” Noble said. “There will be a principal there.”
In other business:
- The board approved paying the Kansas Association of School Boards $4,500 for policy consultation and review.
- The board met in closed session for 40 minutes to discuss personnel matters. No action was taken on return to open session.