MIDDLETOWN ?The Middletown School Board adopted its second interim budget report at the March 11 meeting. District superintendent Korby Olson said the second interim budget report included cuts in funding from the budget passed by the State Legislature.
“The cuts to current year amount to $528,000,” according to Olson.
Director of Business Services for the district Sherrie Ebyam, presented the budget and the projections for the next school year that will require more budget cuts and staff reductions amounting to 1.3 million dollars. Ebyam said that 55 percent of the cuts are due to declining enrollment. The district is projecting a drop in enrollment of 65 students this year.
Olson said addressing this drop in enrollment and budget reductions required the board to adopt a resolution reducing certificated staff by just over 15 positions ?three from administration and 12 from the teaching staff. The board also passed a resolution offering a retirement incentive in the hope that retirements could help offset the Reduction in Force or RIF notices the district would need. These preliminary notices must be delivered by March 15 of each year and are often referred to as “pink slips.” The Board authorized the superintendent to issue 13 RIF notices.
The next Board meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. Wednesday in the Middletown multi-use room, off Wardlaw Street in Middletown.
