District removes teaching position

ALEXANDRIA BAY — The Alexandria Central School District's Board of Education has eliminated an elementary teaching position and plans to cut spending in several other areas to cope with a proposed $450,000 state aid reduction.

At a regular board meeting Tuesday, the board decided not to replace Donna Legg, a sixth-grade teacher who submitted her resignation Tuesday after working at the school for 33 years.

District Superintendent Robert B. Wagoner Jr. said the district cannot avoid a reduction in staff next year if it wants to keep the budget at a reasonable level.

The Board of Education has been drafting a list of potential spending cuts in many areas of the budget and has reduced the levy increase to 3.9 percent.

"We're not where we want to be yet," Mr. Wagoner said, "The board's goal is a 3 percent increase."

Last May, district residents approved a 2 percent levy hike and an $11.1 million budget, a 2.6 percent spending increase.

Mr. Wagoner said the board has discussed cutting the number of school field trips in half, cutting back on instructional supplies and several other ways to keep spending down.

The potential savings add up to $270,310, which means the district is now looking at a $280,570, or 2.5 percent, budget increase over this year if the state Education Department does not reduce the district's school aid any further, he said.

Last year, the board considered cutting an elementary position, a school psychologist and a teacher aide position because of state aid reductions but was able to retain those positions thanks to federal stimulus funding.

The board will hold a community budget workshop at 7 p.m. Monday in the school auditorium to gather public input. The budget hearing will be May 4 and the vote is May 18.