School Budget Cutting Public Meeting Tonight in Oelwein

The Oelwein Community School board is having a public meeting tonight, concerning pending school budget cuts that may lead to fewer teachers and courses.

The district is looking at cutting $800,000 from the 2020 school year budget. District officials have a couple of proposals they want to run by residents in the Oelwein School District.

The school superintendent notes that four teachers have already accepted early retirement, and the district changed the lighting in all school buildings, to LED, which will save the school $60,000 a year.

There are 36 potential budget cuts on the table, which would save the district $1.18 million, more than enough for cost cutting.
This does not account for any changes in educational funding the Iowa legislature would approve.

One proposal is to stop sharing an industrial tech teacher with West Central, which could eliminate some welding classes and RTC manufacturing. Another is to give the superintendent the added duties of a building principal, or share the superintendent with another district.

The school is also looking at possibly reducing the art program budget, by not using an Art certified teacher.
Other reductions were noted for Vocal and Band music, reducing a bus route, reduce maintenance staff, dropping a physical education teacher, reduce title one instruction, and cutting some summer positions.

Tonight's meeting starts at 7pm, in the Oelwein middle school auditorium.