KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Hickman Mills School District announced on Tuesday that 55 positions, including dozens of teaching jobs, will be cut as the district grapples with $3.4 million in budget cuts.
According to the district, 47 teaching jobs will be cut, along with four central office positions and four building administrator positions. The district says that the number of teaching positions cut could be significantly less, depending on retirements and other factors.
“Obviously, these are decisions we wish we didn’t have to make,” said Bonnaye Mims, Hickman Mills School Board president, in a statement. “But ultimately, we have to take into consideration the projected budget for the 2012-13 school year and figure out a way to make it work with minimal disruption in the classroom.”
Following a meeting earlier this month with teacher union officials, the school board decided against eliminating recess aides, removed four media specialist positions from the chopping block and decided to reduce the Parents as Teachers budget by just $35,000, down from the originally proposed $100,000.
The cuts also included the elimination of one security officer and the elimination of intramural/extra duty positions, the district said in a statement.
“We know not everyone will be happy with this,” Mims said in the statement. “But every budget decision was made with the best interests of our students, parents and patrons in mind.”
