School funding: Some PTA suggestions apply to district as a whole

These suggestions for cutting expenses and generating revenue in the Orion school district as a whole came from a community meeting the Orion PTA sponsored on Wednesday, March 31, at St. Paul Lutheran Church, Orion.

Comments were submitted by small groups, and were not attributed to individuals.

District

1. Reduce energy cost at schools.

Comment: MidAmerican Energy Company can evaluate the district’s usage and give better rates depending on usage. This could produce substantial savings on utility bills.

2. Look for more grants.

Comment: Many teachers have written applications for state grants.

3. Increase lunch prices.

Comment: The cost of lunch is minimal, and an increase in  the prices would generate more money. This would not harm students receive free or reduced-price lunches.

4. See if teachers and classrooms can be reassigned so C.R. Hanna classes have fewer students and OMS classes have more.

Comment: Space at OMS is underutilized, while classrooms at C.R. Hanna are overcrowded.

5. Have OMS principal Gary Heard, OHS principal Ron Harris and OHS athletic director Nathan DeBaillie teach one class a day.

Comment: This would allow the schools to offer more classes, or it would help resolve scheduling conflicts.

6. Reduce paper usage. Use e-mail as much as possible, or put information on the district’s website. Have teachers create only one copy of a test, and direct students to write their answers on notebook paper.

Comment: These suggestions would save paper.

7. The district should sell its recyclable items for money.

Comment: There are companies that will pick up recyclables and pay the district for them.

8. See if local insurance agents will offer policies for cheaper rates.

Comment: Shopping around could save a lot of money.

9. Sell the administration building and move the people who work there into empty rooms at the high school.

Comment: Not only would the district receive funds from selling the building, it would save the costs of maintaining it.

10. Have the district’s custodians clean the administration building.

Comment: This would save the cost of hiring a cleaning service.

11. Eliminate the position of dean of students at the high school.

Comment: People believe Nathan DeBaillie does a wonderful job, but Orion has fewer students than 10 to 20 years ago. Larger schools do without the position. The dean of students is assigned duties the principal used to carry out at a time when OHS had more students.

12. Evaluate the duties of secretaries in each school, and see if some positions can be eliminated.

Comment: All three schools have lots of secretaries, even though enrollment has declined. Also, the district has more administrative personnel than before.

13. Eliminate the position of head of maintenance, or have him and the groundskeeper work in one of the buildings.

Comment: This would save the cost of salaries and benefits for the head of maintenance, or, if the position is kept, save the cost of additional personnel.

14. Offer the teachers who were dismissed a chance to work part-time, or an opportunity to work as aides.

Comment: Most of the teachers who were dismissed are wiling to try to find ways to save their jobs. If they are still on the payroll for the next two years, they can be moved to full-time positions when more senior teachers retire.

15. Find sponsors for sports programs and elective classes.

Comment: If increasing taxes is not an option, give taxpayers and businesses a chance to help out by making donations to specific programs. Other school districts do this, and it might bring in a lot of money.