Atlantic School District Superintendent Dr. Michael Amstein, Monday, recommended cuts in staffing and other areas amounting to more than $755,000. On Feb. 8^th, the School Board heard from Iowa Association of School Boards Finance Support Co-Director Gary Sinclair, with regard to district finances for the past five-years. In his presentation, he recommended the district try to find ways to cut $700-thousand dollars as a means of improving its financial health.

During Monday night’s Board meeting, Amstein proposed six areas where the District could save $675,965. The first recommendation was to make across-the-board cost reductions for all departments, amounting to $185,146. Amstein said 12 teachers have accepted the District’s Early Retirement package, which saves the District $382,983. Reducing the Level 3 Behavioral Program by two Para positions would save another $41,814.

Other cuts include reducing the Atlantic Middle School At-Risk Reading position, the elimination of a Testing Para position and Summer School Transportation, for an additional savings of $66,022. Eight additional reductions and costing savings the Board could consider amount to $208, 961, for a total of $884,926. Of the eight additional cost saving measures, Amstein recommended the Board consider reducing the budget for Substitute Teachers and reducing the textbook budget, Utilize current staff to teach FCS at the Middle School, and reducing the Para contract hours to 35 hours, which would save $113,748 altogether.

Board member Dennis Davis and Phil Hascall both said they would have a problem reducing the Middle School At-Risk position. Amstein said that wasn’t on his original list of recommendations, but it was added by personal request from the instructor. Haskell said he feels uncomfortable reducing the position after having seen the dramatic improvements of the students in the program.  Davis said he doesn’t want to “Nickel and Dime” the budget now and have to come back later in the year to add more hours or hire additional personnel to fill the district’s needs.

Board President Kristy Pellett said “Certainly there will be cuts that affect students,” but the effects will be minimal because of early retirements. She was however concerned about the generalization of the “Across all departments” cuts…which she says is vague. Amstein says any amount other than salaries can be reduced depending on need, but there may be monies left over from areas such as snow removal, of which only 1/2 of what was budgeted for has been used.

Those areas which appear to be safe from the budget axe, include the elimination of a SAM position at Washington Elementary, elimination of an ELL position at the High School and the At-Risk Advocate position at the Middle School, along with the postponement of swimming and bowling activities.

The total cuts, if approved by the Board during their meeting on May 12^th, amount to $755,965. Amstein said the proposed cuts still give the districts “Some wiggle room,” while hitting the target cost saving goal proposed by Gary Sinclair.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press…

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Two top managers at the Iowa Department of Administrative Services have been asked to return for a second day of questioning before a joint legislative oversight committee. Doug Woodley and Paul Carlson didn’t help lawmakers clarify the big question: who authorized settlement agreements in which money was paid for secrecy.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – A plan to enroll more 4-year-olds in preschool and incentivize the creation or expansion of programs has won the Iowa Senate’s approval. The legislation that now goes to the House would offer additional funds to school districts with existing programs or those that initiate new programs, in an effort to expand preschool enrollment. These incentives would be offered for three years beginning in 2015, and would be based on increased enrollment.

OTTUMWA, Iowa (AP) – An Ottumwa man has been sentenced to 50 years in prison for the brutal beating of a toddler under his care. Dustin Dewayne Armstrong agreed to a plea deal before his trial on multiple charges of child endangerment was scheduled to begin this year. Prosecutors say in April 2013, the 20-year-old Armstrong grabbed Brayden Young’s jaw and slammed his head against a wall. The then-two-year-old boy was later hospitalized with broken bones and extensive brain damage.

FORT DODGE, Iowa (AP) – Young hunters will have a special opportunity thanks to the generosity of a Webster County family. Donald Seltz and his family decided to sell 75 acres of land to the county for $1,000 per acre. That’s far less than the $8,000 or more an acre the family could have earned for the land. The conservation area has been named the Shirley Kirchner-Seltz Prairie, in honor of Donald Seltz’s late wife.