As you have read in this newspaper, the White Salmon School District is facing cuts due to declining enrollment. The board met in a workshop on Thursday, November 13, to discuss the financial state of the district. The district's fund balance (cash reserve) has shrunk from $561,826 in August of 2002, to $410,018 in August of 2003, and could end at $232,700 by the end of August of 2004. Given projected enrollment patterns, if significant cuts do not occur, the ending fund balance in August, 2005, could show a deficit of $138,000.

In order to attempt to slow the declining fund balance, $187,600 in cuts have been made over the course of last summer and this fall. However, due to lower enrollment than anticipated, the cuts were not nearly enough to stop the decline. The school district will soon be forced to lay off certificated, classified, and administrative staff. The board discussed the proper time to begin these reductions. Certificated and administrative staffs have signed contracts, and therefore will be employed at least through the remainder of the school year. Classified staff do not have contracts but will be retained as long as the enrollment of the district does not lower significantly between now and the end of the school year. A reduction in force (RIF) will take place prior to the state deadline of May 15. The number of positions reduced will be determined by the enrollment of the district in March and/or April. As many as 6 certificated staff, 5 classified staff, and one administrator could receive their RIF notices this spring.

The school board will hold another work session on Wednesday, December 3, 5 p.m. at the school district office to look at schedules being developed by staff and administration in each of the three buildings. The high school and middle school staffs have been directed to look at their current 4-period day schedule. They were asked to determine if being reduced by 2 certificated teachers would allow them to maintain their current 4-period day schedule. CHS and HMS staffs were also asked to develop a 5-period day and 6-period day schedule. The ramifications of each of these schedules will be discussed at the workshop. The school board will make a decision at the December 17 board meeting as to the type of program they would like to see in our schools. This decision could impact the upcoming replacement maintenance and operations levy to be run later this winter.

-November, 2003