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Show School Officials Explain Changes Creating Countywide Concerns By Nancy Twitchell Garfield County News Editor PANGUITCH The president of Garfield County's board of education educa-tion and the school district's suprin-tendent suprin-tendent are endeavoring to settle rumours and unrest that broke out throughout the district after changes in staffing in local schools were announced. On Tuesday, Garfield County School District Board President Marc McLemore and Superintendent Philip Blais clarified adjustments in teaching staff that are taking place. Both stated that cuts are necessary neces-sary but painful. McLemore said that the board's decision-making process had been "absolutely grueling gruel-ing in trying to determine where cuts must come." March's school board meeting, one of the longest in history, lasted some five hours. McLemore encourages en-courages parents and staff with questions regarding the recent changes to attend the upcoming Apr. 15 school board meeting set for 6:30 p.m. at Escalante High School. McLemore prefaced his remarks by stating that the board has been grappling with some awesome budget constraints since late 1998 and feels it has come up with the best possible plan. In a three-hour workshop in November 1998, School District Business Manager D'Lynn Poll brought board members mem-bers up 'to speed about looming budget deficits and familiarized board members with just where revenues were generated, what could be cut and what could be altered. Problems began in 1998 when district-wide school enrollment declined de-clined by 67 students. "This wasn't from any mass family exodus from lost jobs at sawmills or changes in employment but because those moving into the district have tended to be older, retired couples without school-age children," McLemore said. He said he could confirm that fact through his positiuon at South Central Utah Telephone Association Associa-tion where the demand for new service serv-ice pressures his service staff, increasing in-creasing with each passing month. Adding to the 1998 student decline, it is anticipated that enrollment will drop by an additional 25 students in 1999. According to Business Manager D'Lynn Poll the district has been functioning on funds that were based on student enrollment from the previous year. Payments to the district come in equal increments. In previous years the district would usually get an additional $200-$250,000 $200-$250,000 based on actual enrollment enroll-ment figures. But with declining enrollment when students were calculated cal-culated based on acutal enrollment as of Oct. 1, 1998, the district re- (See SCHOOL on page 2-A) SCHOOL From Front Page ceived only $120,000. "Then last week," said Poll, "we got the actual fiscal calculations and beginning in July the district will experience a decline of $3 14,000." Another significant factor impacting im-pacting both last year and again anticipated for this year were increases in-creases in insurance premiums. In 1998 the school district saw a whopping 15 percent increase in " Educator's Mutual group health insurance coverage, resulting in a dollar value of $99,000 in increased costs. And, according to McLemore, that figure would have even been higher if legislators had not capped that increase at 15 percent per-cent last year. The cap is no longer in place for 1999 and, due to some districtwide extreme health factors factored into the equation in the past few years, those insurance premiums are anticipated an-ticipated to escalate between 1 8 and 26 percent in 1999. An 18 percent increase would translate to $138,000, up to a possible $200,000 at 26 percent. McLemore indicated two factors could possibly change that scenario: implementation of coverage reductions reduc-tions districtwide or introduction of . a revised co-payment policy. Poll explained that presently school district personnel pay a $5 co-pay at both the clinic and pharmacy phar-macy and a $25 co-pay for emergency emer-gency visits. Coverage has been outstanding in the past, but the district is presently looking at increasing in-creasing the co-pay amounts to $10 and possibly 10 percent for emergency emer-gency visits. Educators Mutual offers three options and the district is looking at the high option standard stan-dard plan. The other possibility in the future is passing a portion of the monthly premium cost on to district workers. Adding both those mitigating factors, loss of student dollars and insurance premium increases, ' the school district budget declined critically criti-cally by half a million dollars, McLemore said. McLemore explained that school budgets cannot be impacted like budgets for private enterprise. Generally Gen-erally if a business experiences a down trend it can cut expenses and potentially increase its sales. According to McLemore, "the school district is in a situation where we cannot increase revenues (numbers of students), we can only reduce expenses.'' But no amount of reduction in supplies, travel, programs, etc. could make up such a significant deficit. For the past three months, school board members have agonized ago-nized seriously over just what changes they could and must implement. im-plement. McLemore explained, "in the process of mediation over the past months with representatives of the Garfield Education Association the school district had indicated that reductions in force would be necessary. neces-sary. And," he added, "we had some heartfelt pleas from people" on where not to make cuts. As board president, McLemore said he felt it was important to "first make the cuts administratively administra-tively where possible." He went on to explain those impending cuts and changes and how board members have worked hard to make these across the board, so no one school or area is more greatly impacted than another. He explained: In Panguitch, Julie Chidester has served as a "head teacher" combining com-bining both administrative and teaching responsibilities at Panguitch Pan-guitch Middle School. She is certificated certi-ficated in art and will take a forced pay cut and in 1999-2000 begin full time as an art instructor. Ted Chidester, Panguitch High School Principal will now assume responsibility respon-sibility over both the high school and middle school administrative needs. McLemore said board members mem-bers felt the two schools were in good proximity and the number of students administered was not excessive ex-cessive and adequate coverage would be provided. As a natural consequence of that action, Mark LeFevre, Tropic, who had been hired by the district to (See SCHOOL on page 4-A) SCHOOL From page 2-A finish out the remainder of art teacher Jim Clarke's term this year, will not have his contract option picked up in the fall. Also in Panguitch, where there are three full time English instructors, instruc-tors, one of those positions will be reduced to half. Similarly, at Bryce Valley Elementary, Ele-mentary, Carol Stewart who had served as "head teacher" will take a reduction in pay as she vacates her adminstrative responsibilities and begins only to teach kindergarten. Those adminstrative duties will be, taken over by Bryce Valley High School Principal Earl Slack. In Escalante, the current art instructor in-structor has resigned (an action not related to these cutbacks), however, that position will not be filled in the coming year. Boulder school will lose one teacher and Antimony Elementary will lose a teacher's aide. At the district office in Pan- guitch one position will also be reduced to half time. McLemore said the board also looked at combining grades at Escalante Esca-lante Elementary and other options that could still take place in the future if student enrollment continues contin-ues to decline or other financial impacts hit the school district budget. McLemore said that a number of complaints had been received about why the arts were taking such a hit. He explained that because of state and district graduation requirements, the dispensable subjects include music, art, language and forensics. In Panguitch, he explained, parents par-ents made an impassioned plea to save the music and art programs. While they did lose art instructor Mark LeFevre, their art program will be carried forward by certificated certifi-cated instructor Julie Chidester. According to McLemore, some of those same programs could face (See SCHOOL on page 5-A. i. SCHOOL From page 4-A further trimming, depending on future needs. Asked why cuts in sports programs pro-grams had not been undertaken rather than all the hits coming in the arts programs. McLemore said no matter what, the schools are still mandated to provide a physical education edu-cation program. He said regarding the sports programs that "sports in this area is an emotional issue and often with an emotional issue, lucid thought goes out the window. "The board," McLemore continued facetiously, "could see no way to cut sports without endangering the lives of its members." The present school board is comprised of Randy Miller and Earl Roe, Panguitch; Trish" Thompson, Cannonville; and Dell LeFevre, Boulder. McLemore serves as current cur-rent board president and has been on the school board for six years. |