The Ketchikan School Board will discuss the first draft of the district’s FY ’15 budget at its regular meeting on Wednesday.
The budget proposes reducing the district’s preschool staff by three teachers through attrition. In a memo to the Board of Education, Superintendent Robert Boyles compared this reduction with cuts the Juneau and Anchorage districts plan to make. Juneau plans to cut more than 20 teachers and Anchorage plans to reduce by 219 staff members.
In the memo, Boyle pointed out other budget-tightening proposals. They include refraining from updating the hardware for the Schoenbar 1-to-1 digital learning program for one year and reducing funds for activities.
There will be public forums to discuss the budget on Feb. 4th, from 5 to 6 p.m.; and Feb. 8th from 1 to 2 p.m. There will additional meetings in March.
The School Board will also vote on whether to accept the resignation of Ketchikan High School automotive technology teacher David Sweetman. He has been teaching for the Ketchikan school district for 14 years.
In his letter of resignation, Sweetman writes that he feels it is time to let a younger person take over the auto shop at Kayhi.
The board will also vote on whether to approve an upgrade for one of Kayhi’s computer labs, at an estimated cost of about $39,000. The upgrade would include 30 new iMacs to replace the six-year-old computers currently in the lab.
Wednesday’s School Board Meeting is at 6 p.m. in the Ketchikan Gateway Borough Assembly chambers at the White Cliff building. Public comment will be heard at the start and end of the meeting.
