Along with the cuts received in February 2016, Waters was also impacted by budget cuts at the start of the 2015/16 school year and by the upcoming furlough days.
The initial budget given to us last summer forced us to cut two positions: the literacy coach position and one classroom teacher position. The classroom teacher position was reinstated before school started due to higher-than-projected enrollment. The literacy coach position could not be saved, which is a significant loss for our students who need extra support in the English Language Arts, including new and reluctant readers, diverse learners, and English language learners.
We started the school year with a budget in which 97% of the funds were allocated to salary and benefits, leaving just 3% to cover operational expenses.
Furlough days recently announced impact our students by taking away instructional time and impact teachers both financially and professionally—those non-attendance days at the end of the school year are used for professional development and planning for the next school year.
Again please review my more detailed post on budget cut impacts and review the recent presentation given at the March LSC meeting.