South Bend school board hears more ideas for cuts

SOUTH BEND — Thanks to the recent property tax caps, the South Bend Community School Corp. is facing a shortfall of $167,000 in its transportation budget. On Monday, transportation director Jovon Boyer gave a sampling of ideas to fill the gap. One option, he told the school board, is to lengthen the walk zone to students’ bus stops by half a mile. It would cut 11 buses but add 12 crossing guards for a net savings of $405,000. A few board members spoke against that out of safety concerns for the kids. But Boyer said he’s researching many other options than he highlighted Monday. There aren’t any proposals before the board for now. Ideas include using technology to make more efficient use of buses. If Senate Bill 309 passes in the state legislature, Boyer said, the school corporation could take money from its $2.6 million bus replacement fund to fill the shortfall. Half of the buses for special activities could be cut to save $177,500. High school buses could be cut, instead giving students tokens for Transpo buses. Boyer said this idea is still in a discussion phase, since Transpo at this point doesn’t have the capacity to take the 4,373 high school students who ride a bus. Savings: $49,721. For the 2012-13 year, Boyer said bus drivers could adjust the times they begin their routes, which would change the times that classes start. It may save more than $800,000. The corporation had originally projected its shortfall to be $600,000 this year, but it turned out to be $857,000, he said. His department has already made $690,000 in adjustments and savings. The corporation buses about 17,000 students. Later in the meeting, three librarians spoke in defense of their jobs. In an effort to make nearly $8.2 million in budget cuts, Superintendent James Kapsa and his administration have issued a long list of suggestions. Among many other jobs considered for cuts, it includes five librarians at the primary centers (saving $272,475) and 10 at the intermediate centers (saving $271,581). Paraprofessionals would manage the libraries instead. At the primary centers, paraprofessionals already do that with oversight by librarians. For example, there’s Tara Kenjockety, the librarian (or “media specialist”) for four primary centers. She said skilled librarians are needed to help students become “lifelong learners.” Chad Gish, the librarian at Marshall Intermediate Center, described a range of duties, from teaching a class to helping set up a TV studio and wire the TV network. Kapsa said he’s receiving lots of feedback on the list of suggested cuts. He doesn’t expect to recommend actual cuts until later this month. They are to cover money lost from statewide funding cuts, lost enrollment and the end in June of the grant that supports magnet programs at Dickinson, Marquette and Perley schools. To read the full list and offer feedback, go to www.sbcsc.k12.in.us. The board plans to meet for a working session next Monday about the suggestion of closing a primary and an intermediate center for the budget cuts. Staff writer Joseph Dits: jdits@sbtinfo.com (574) 235-6158