Community Weighs in on District 181 Budget Cuts

Parent Meg Cooper came to a District 181 community engagement session to say that she has concerns that District 181’s budget cuts will spread administrators too thin.

“It does worry me that they cut too much out of the leadership to the point they overburden themselves and lose their ability to innovate and lead,” said Cooper, who is also president of the District 181 Foundation. “I do worry that they spread people so thin that they cut their ability to actually implement new ideas.”

But, she said, she trusts school officials are doing the right thing as it looks to trim its $53 million operating budget to eliminate a projected deficit.

“I think we have to trust the administration that if they feel they can cut the administrative jobs, then we have to trust they know their business. I am a little worried about the idea of cutting the per pupil site budgets, but if they feel they can do it, then good,” Cooper said.

Her comments came after Community Consolidated School District 181  hosted the first of two community conversations this week, during which participants met in small groups to provide comments on proposed budget cuts and share thoughts about the district’s foreign language program.

“The meetings are an opportunity to increase community engagement,” Superintendent Renée Schuster said.

Approximately 48 people attended the meeting Tuesday night at Clarendon Hills Middle School. Another session was held at 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 16 at Hinsdale Middle School.

Facing a $1.2 million deficit for the 2011-2012 budget, District 181 officials wanted to get residents’ opinions on possible cost-saving measures that can help close the gap. Originally the deficit was at $1.7 million, but was reduced when the district decided to postpone the Language Arts renewal until the state finishes reviewing the standards, Schuster said.

“We really need your feedback on what we need to consider,” Schuster said.
For the past two years the district has been making budget cuts, she said. Those actions included eliminating administrator positions, as well as some teachers and assistants. The budgets for supplies, equipment, purchased services and transportation were reduced. And last year the Administration Building was closed and fees for sports and other activities were increased.

Now the district is considering further reductions that include the elimination of the director of building and grounds position, which would save approximately $100,000. Current director Sue Kamuda is retiring at the end of the year. With no building projects underway, the district could get by without filling the role, Schuster said.

“We’re in a cycle of maintenance,” she said. “And for a couple of years, we can manage with our existing staff and the oversight of [Assistant Superintendent for Business] Dr. [Troy] Whalen.”

Also proposed is the reduction of building and grounds supply purchases by $40,000; a $150,000 reduction of instructional assistants based on declining student enrollment/need; reduction of the per student building budget allocation from $150 to $125, which is estimated to save $100,000.

Another proposed reduction is restructuring student supervision during lunch periods, which would save $50,000.

“Currently we bring people in—it’s a separate job,” Schuster said. “By making lunchroom supervision part of existing staff members' jobs, we believe we can restructure that and save money.”

The district could save $400,000 by using medical insurance reserve funds to reduce the projected 15 percent increase in 2011-2012 premiums, and save $150,000 by consolidating bus routes.

“Buses will be a little more full, but they won’t be to capacity,” Schuster said. “And we’ll save money and transport every student that would want transportation.”

The district is also proposing a four-day work week during the summer month to save $21,000 in energy costs.

The district estimates it can generate $450,000 in revenue through the authorization of the Cook County rate increase factor.

“We have one more year where that tax rate can be collected for Cook County,” Schuster said.

Retired teacher Lois Mejdrich, who used to teach at The Lane School, attended the meeting because she wants to continue to be involved in the  education of the students.

“We are in deficit spending, so we need to cut the budget. I agree with the most of [the proposed cuts)]. I think the one that I was a little bit concerned with was the $400,000 from our [medical insurance] reserves. But I understand we have $1.8 million in reserves so that I felt that we could do,” Mejdrich said.

Parent John Czerwiec said the district did a good job outlining the financial challenges it is facing, and that the meeting was a good chance for community members to get involved.

Those who could not attend the community conversations but would like to submit a comment to the board on the topics discussed can do so through the district’s website at www.d181.org

“If anyone wants to weigh in on something, we invite them to do that,” Schuster said.

A report with the feedback gathered from this week’s community meetings will be presented at the Board of Education Committee of the Whole meeting at 7 p.m. May 9 at Clarendon Hills Middle School.