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Delavan-Darien budget now $500,000 leaner

DELAVAN — One teaching position has been eliminated, one teaching position won’t be filled and the middle school schedule has been restructured.

The changes have left the proposed 2008-09 Delavan-Darien School District budget $500,000 leaner, Superintendent Wendy Overturf said.

The school board Monday unanimously approved the preliminary budget.

Overturf said declining enrollment and the “structural deficit” built into the state school funding formula were the driving forces behind the cuts.

The cuts include one teacher layoff—a high school English position—and a few other positions, including an eighth-grade teaching position and an at-risk program position eliminated through attrition.

“We looked to see if there was a better way we could deliver services to students and reshuffle teachers into other positions,” Overturf said.

The district also changed the middle school schedule.

Students will spend more time in the classroom for core subjects and less time for special subjects, such as art, music and physical education. Class periods were increased from 42 minutes to 60 minutes.

“We’re always looking at being efficient,” Overturf said.

The budget includes spending $350,000 of the district’s fund balance to implement all-day 5-year-old kindergarten next year. The school board in November approved spending up to $500,000 for full-day kindergarten.