Job cuts would save the district $2.3 million

By Philip Sean Curran, Staff Writer
Superintendent of Schools Brian G. Osborne outlined on Monday the 29 possible job cuts that would save the district $2.3 million.
His proposal, although not final or even a sure thing, comes as the district is putting together a budget for the next school year.
The latest draft budget, based on assumptions on what state aid and the property tax cap will be, puts school spending at $112.4 million for the fiscal year that begins in July.
The tax hike remains at approximately 3 percent, but the numbers can change.
Osborne said he hoped the jobs could be eliminated through attrition, such as retirements and resignations, rather than through layoffs.
“Nobody likes to do this,” Osborne said.
If layoffs are necessary, they would go according to seniority.
Among other steps, the district has proposed scaling back its pre-kindergarten program from full-day to the state-mandated two hours a day. Osborne also outlined non-personnel spending cuts of $1.96 million.
At that same time he spoke of cutting jobs, Osborne said the district wanted to hire six more teachers to accommodate a bump in enrollment at the elementary schools. In all, the proposed cuts combined with the six hires would result in a net reduction of 23 jobs.
Paula Bethea, president of the South Orange-Maplewood Education Association, was at the school board meeting Monday. She said she had “no thoughts at this point.”

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