Canton Super Forced To Deliver Bad News

CANTON - Telling 10 employees they may not have a job next school year hasn't been a pleasant task for Canton Central School District Superintendent William A. Gregory.

Delivering bad news has been the reality over the past several weeks not only for Mr. Gregory, but many public school superintendents throughout the region.

Jobs as well as programs, athletics and extracurricular activities are at stake as school officials look to close budget shortfalls created by dwindling state aid dollars and rising expenses.

At Canton Central, a team of school administrators has identified 12 possible job cuts, including two that could be eliminated through retirements.

The other 10 jobs would require layoffs in faculty and support staff positions from all three buildings - elementary, middle and high school, Mr. Gregory said.

Proposed job and program cuts would trim about $600,000 in expenses, the superintendent said.

"It was a very difficult process," Mr. Gregory said. "We tried to determine which cuts would have the least impact on kids."

The targeted positions do not include any administrative jobs, Mr. Gregory said.

A list of proposed job and program cuts will be released at Thursday evening's school board meeting when Mr. Gregory will summarize a proposed budget that calls for a 4.1 percent increase in next year's property tax levy.

In this year's $24.18 million school budget, $7.2 million was collected in property taxes. The current tax rate is $17.84 per $1,000 of assessed property valuation.

He will also give an overview of teacher salaries, contractual expenses, supplies and expenses related to the St. Lawrence-Lewis Board of Cooperative Educational Services.

Following a 6:45 p.m. executive session, the public session is expected to begin at 7 p.m. at the Morley Fire Department Bingo Hall, 7220 County Route 27.

The impact of each job cut will be explained, Mr. Gregory said, so that board members can review the information before making decisions.

In some cases, the impact includes increasing the number of students per class.

Under Gov. David A. Paterson's proposed state budget, Canton is slated to lose 7.18 percent of its state aid revenue next year, an estimated $1,023,000. At the same time, expenses are expected to hike by 3.5 to 4 percent.

In past years, state lawmakers have restored funding cuts to education that were recommended by the governor, but some educators are afraid that won't be the case in the next state budget.

"My concern is the governor's proposal is the best case scenario. Usually it's the worst," Mr. Gregory said.