Canton school may face 44 job cuts

CANTON — Faced with a projected $2.5 million shortfall, Canton Central School District could be forced to cut 44 jobs next school year, according to a worst-case scenario presented Thursday to the school board and about two dozen community members.

“The cuts would impact virtually every area of the school,” Superintendent William A. Gregory said. “Business as usual is a thing of the past.”

Cutting the number of teachers at each grade level would boost class sizes to 30 to 40 students, according to projections.

Sports, elective classes, and extracurricular and other programs are also in jeopardy unless the state Legislature agrees to restore more money to low-wealth districts.

Canton can also compete for a portion of $250 million in efficiency grant funding the state plans to dole out for the 2012-13 school year.

The preliminary $24.7 million spending plan for the 2012-13 school year is a hike from this year’s $23.66 million budget.

With roughly 72 percent of the district’s budget going to employee salaries and benefits, most of the increase is related to health insurance benefits, retiree pensions and salary hikes.

A chart prepared by Mr. Gregory showed that Canton Central is the only St. Lawrence County school district that does not require its teachers and several other employee groups to contribute toward their health insurance premiums, which are expected to increase by 14 percent next year.

Administrators, including building principals, chip in 10 percent. A contribution is also collected from food service workers.

This year, 25 of the district’s employees contribute while the remaining 195 don’t.

Having all employees contribute 10 percent would reduce by about $250,000 the amount the district must pay for health insurance, Mr. Gregory said, noting that collecting from all employees could be accomplished only through contract negotiations.

Collecting employee health contributions “would help mitigate” the district’s revenue shortfalls, he said.

Dr. Brian R. Kerrigan, a physician and parent who resides in the district, described the rising cost of providing employee pensions and health insurance as problems that can’t be ignored.

“We have a couple of elephants in the room that we have to deal with,” Dr. Kerrigan said. “I think our people are paid fairly well. I don’t think they’re overpaid, but I think they’re paid fairly well.”

During his PowerPoint presentation, Mr. Gregory did not identify specific jobs or programs that are at greatest risk for elimination. Earlier in the day he gave a similar presentation to faculty and staff members who gathered in the high school auditorium.

Academic intervention services, including those provided to help students graduate from high school, could also face cuts. Even if more state money is restored next year, a shortage of cash is expected to plague the district in future years.

“I have not heard anyone say this is a one-year problem. I’ve heard just the opposite,” Mr. Gregory said.

The dismal news comes about a week after Canton voters overwhelmingly approved spending $15 million for upgrades to the school building complex, with state aid expected to cover 89 percent of the cost. The building aid funding is separate from operating aid.