Litchfield School Board gave final approval during its March 13 for about $250,000 in budget reductions, primarily related to staffing.
The reductions were prompted by the end of additional federal funding the district received during the COVID-19 pandemic. All the funds must be spent by Oct. 1, 2023, meaning they won’t be available to cover some of the staffing increases and alterations the district made during the pandemic.
“Our administrative team has spent many meetings discussing possible reductions,” Superintendent Beckie Simenson wrote in a memo to the board. “The steps we have taken in this process was to review the federal funded positions and to prioritize them. Our primary focus was to try to keep the reductions outside the classroom.”
The administrative team also tried to view the reductions through the district as a whole, not by individual building, though the reductions were listed by building in Simenson’s memo.
Reductions, along with estimated cost savings, will include:
- Wagner Education Building (Early Childhood Family Education positions) will review paraprofessional needs. ($5,000)
- Ripley Elementary will reduce an interventionist position and two lunchroom supervisors. ($78,000)
- Middle school reductions will be in the form of two regular education paraprofessionals. ($40,000)
- High school reduction will be to not replace a night-time custodial position. ($56,000)
- At the district level, cuts will be a reduction in the curriculum budget, shifting of building duties to be more efficient and a decrease in overtime. ($45,000)
- Additionally, advisor and coaching positions at the high school and middle school level will be adjust to better reflect students enrolled in each activity. ($17,000)
“In the event the legislature provides additional funding, we will review the reductions and make adjustments as our budget will allow,” Simenson wrote.
Litchfield School Board approved a change in date for one of its May meetings. Rather than meet May 15, the board will convene May 22.
The change was made to accommodate the board’s role of canvassing the May 9 referendum results. State election requirements necessitate the board canvass the results between May 12-19.
Freezer purchase approved
The board approved the purchase of a new walk-in freezer at a cost of $63,037. Half of the cost will be reimbursed through an AGRI Equipment Grant from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, according to Business Manager Jesse Johnson.
Litchfield Public Schools’ participation in the Farm to School program has increased the need for freezer space in the district, Johnson wrote in a memo to the board. Additionally, supply chain issues have caused delivery irregularities, making it difficult to manage food service inventory levels.
The district has used a freezer at the Wagner Education Building for storage in the past, but that freezer has reached the end of its useable life, in addition to not being large enough for current needs, Johnson wrote.
Three companies bid to supply a Themalrite walk-in freezer, with Boelter Premier of Minneapolis entering the low bid of $63,037 for freezer and installation.
Litchfield School Board approved the following personnel moves during its March 13 meeting:
- Hiring Madeline Clancy as a Dragon Kids Club aide at the hourly rate of $13.50, and hiring Harold Craswell as middle school custodian at hourly rate of $17.49.
- Jen Kraabel resigned as FCCLA assistant advisor at Litchfield Middle School at the end of the school year.
- Sara Hirschi will move to special education assessment coordinator next school year, replacing the retiring Marsha Goraczkowski.
