Sequester Could Have Mixed Impact On Parkway, SSD Schools

District administrators, including those in the Special School District and Parkway, are forecasting financial hits on programs from child nutrition to special education.

West St. Louis Country area school districts are crunching the numbers and trying to determine what mandated federal budget cuts would mean if they go into effect starting Friday as part of the so-called "sequestration process." (Sign up here for the FREE Patch Newsletter, including Breaking News Alerts.) The White House released a state-by-state projection saying "Missouri will lose about $11.9 million in funding for primary and secondary education, putting around 160 teacher and aide jobs at risk. In addition, about 17,000 fewer students would be served and about 60 fewer schools would receive funding." The Special School District, which is headquartered in Town and Country and serves students with special needs from nearly every …

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JoanLauterbach

5:51 pm on Friday, March 1, 2013

Maybe the schools could get back to the basics?   more ›

Parkway Budget Cuts Win Easy Approval at Board Meeting

The $3.3-4.1 million in reductions over the next two years, approximately 1-2 percent of the overall budget, were passed unanimously in a process that Parkway's board president characterized as lacking in any substantial controversy.

Budget cuts can often bring controversy and stir up emotions, but a proposed package of $3.3-4.1 million in spending reductions that will eliminate approximately 38 positions over the next two years won easy approval at a meeting of the Parkway School Board Wednesday night. The cuts include the loss of three full-time positions at each of the major high schools, a reduction in school budgets by five percent and dropper the summer school program from four weeks to three. Superintendent Keith Marty has previously said that the majority of jobs will be eliminated through attrition rather than layoffs. No residents used the “public comment” of the meeting to speak about the proposed cuts and it was passed by a unanimous vote following a short …

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Public Budget Meetings Offer Dialogue, But No Changes On Planned Parkway Cuts

The Parkway School District held the final in a series of four public presentations and feedback-gathering sessions last night and will vote on a proposal to cut $3-4 million from the 2013-14 budget next week.

With the last of its public budget meetings conducted last night, Parkway School District officials said they are ready to bring a proposal to cut $3.3-4.1 million over the next two years before the school board for a vote next week. The meeting at Parkway Central High School was the final in a series of four presentations at various district high schools to present information on the cuts and gather input from residents on the plan. School Board President Beth Feldman said the feedback at the meetings has not produced any broad themes or major criticisms, so herself and her fellow board members will likely vote on the package as it has been presented at their meeting next Wednesday. “I think the issues that have come up seem to be issues …

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Parkway Budget Cuts Public Meetings Begin Monday

As the Parkway School District plans to make an additional $4 million in cuts, it's inviting the public to January budget meetings to offer input. The first one is Monday night.

Parkway Considers Cutting Another $4 Million From District Budget

The cuts would begin in the 2013-2014 school year and come in the form of approximately 40 jobs through attrition.

The Parkway School Board is reviewing a proposal to cut approximately $4 million from the district's budget over the next two years, beginning with the 2013-2014 school school year. The district has said it needs to cut another $2-4 million, or approximately one to two percent of the district's overall operating budget, to restore its fund balance and prevent borrowing from reserves. (Sign up here for the FREE Patch Newsletter, including Breaking News Alerts.) "The revenues didn't come in where we thought they'd come in last year," Parkway's CFO Mark Stockwell explained. Last February, the board voted to cut up to $9.63 million over two years and ended up cutting just under $8 million from the 2012-2013 budget. The additional $4 million …

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School Board Preview: Presentation on Budget Cuts for 2013-2014

This preview takes a look at some of the item's the Parkway School Board will discuss at its 7 p.m. meeting.

(For instant news updates follow Patch on Facebook and Twitter.) The Parkway School Board will meet tonight at 7 p.m. at the district's central offices at 455 N. Woods Mill Road. Here's a preview of some the items on the board's agenda, which can be viewed here.

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Parkway Board Unanimous In Slashing Spending

Officials said expect $9.6 million in cuts over two years; blame economy.

The Parkway School District, one of the largest in the area, moved to cut up to $9.63 million over the next two years in spending, with officials blaming the depressed economy for lower revenue. "Districts in other areas were doing this three and four years ago," Mark Stockwell, chief financial officer for Parkway, said Wednesday night.The total annual budget is about $221 million. (Read Previous Story: Parkway Board Talks District Budget Cuts Wednesday) After parents questioned the proposed cuts in reading and math specialists, and staff questioned cuts in elementary school office staff, the board agreed to two put-backs before moving ahead with a 6-0 vote in favor of cuts Wednesday night. The typically light crowd at regular school board…

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Ladue School District Layoffs Part of Budget Cuts

Teachers learned Friday of cuts and reassignments, now students are rallying in support.

Ladue school administrators have chartered a course they hope will take the district through tight economic times, and as a result, go from having a deficit in the 2011-2012 budget to a surplus. The plan, released late Friday afternoon, includes layoffs, the reassignment of a number of staff members, and almost $500,000 in transportation cost savings, among other measures. Spokeswoman Susan Dielmann said the seven school staff members losing their jobs were told Friday during the school day. Five of those were full time positions. Other staff was reassigned. To demonstrate the amount of maneuvering which took place in reassigning staff, Dielmann described a hypothetical situation whereby a teacher who may currently be working in 7th grade …

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Aldermen Postpone Budget Vote Due to Absence of Mayor

Voting on key Town and Country issues, including budget, pay raises and health insurance, was postponed until next Monday because the mayor was out of town.

Voting on a number of key issues, including the 2011 budget and city employee pay raises, was postponed at the Monday night Town and Country Board of Aldermen meeting. Mayor Jon Dalton was on a business trip and could not make the meeting so possible voting was rescheduled for Dec. 20. Alderman Tim Welby, who served as acting mayor during the meeting, said Dalton wanted the aldermen to postpone voting on any budget issues because there was some information he wanted to share with them before the vote. The board agreed to postpone voting on ordinances regarding the 2011 budget, pay raises and health care plans for government employees. Implementation of the budget for deer management was also postponed until the next meeting. During the …

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