Staff Reductions and a Mill Levy Part of Path Forward for Hillsboro Public Schools

The Hillsboro Public School Board met in a special session Wednesday. 

The board approved approximately $371,000 in budget cuts for the next school year, mostly revolving around staffing reductions. The largest cut was eliminating the elementary and high school strategist positions. That decision alone saves the district about $128,000. Other areas of staff reduction include counseling, office staff, and custodial staff. The board also approved combining next year’s 2nd grade classes, as enrollment is currently projecting 28 students in that grade.

Superintendent Jon Dryburgh says he doesn’t feel the district won or lost after the budget cuts but rather shifted where needed in order to move the district forward in the best way possible.

The board also initiated a mill levy request aimed at generating around $300,000 for the school’s operating expenses. Dryburgh details that process going forward.

Board Member, Brad Richter, estimates the levy, if approved, would increase taxes by about 57 cents per acre for farmers/landowners and around $70 per $100,000 value for homeowners.

Dryburgh says now is the time to move forward and begin the healing process for the entire district.

Here is the full list of budget cuts/actions for the next school year, along with the approximate dollar amount saved:

*Suspend School Board Stipend-$10,000

*Cut elementary and high school strategist positions-$128,000

*Eliminate Elementary Sports Payments-$10,000

*Cut The Village Therapist-$30,000

*Reduce District Counselors from 2 to 1.61 FTE-$50,000

*Reduce Business Assistant to Part Time-$20,000

*Reduce Elementary Office Assistant from 12 Months to 10 Months-$25,000

*Reduce Custodial Staff to 2 per Building-$30,000

*Combine 2nd Grade Classes into One Room- $68,000

Full Interview with Jon Dryburgh below: