Rochester schools face drastic personnel cuts

ROCHESTER - As many as 15 teaching positions, including English, biology and business teachers at the high school, are on the chopping block as school officials struggle to bring their budget under the tax cap.

With the budget needing to be trimmed by $1.9 million, administrators and the school board are looking at about $1.2 million coming from personnel salaries.

The proposed cuts must be finalized in March when the new proposed budget will be sent to the City Council.

Superintendent Michael Hopkins said earlier this month that every certified teaching positions cut saves the district about $80,000, but shows up in reduced student services and more work for the remainining staff.

He said increases in insurance and a loss in building aid, expenses the district has no control over, accounts for most of the budget increase.

Ongoing budget discussions on where the cuts may come from continued Monday night.

Cuts must be finalized by March 3.

The full list of possible cuts:

East Rochester reading specialist, E. Rochester, Gonic School behavior specialist; Tutoring Academy teacher, paraprofessional; elementary reading specialist; Rochester Middle School teacher, a guidance counselor, reading specialist.

High school cuts: biology teacher; English teacher, Business teacher; making ELO teacher part-time; turning the CTE HVAC teaching position to part-time position; 10 paraprofessionals, occupational therapist, special education consultants.