Carlton school board cuts staff, band program for next year

Superintendent Donita Stepan asked the Carlton school board to downsize staff by more than four full-time positions, including three teachers, during Tuesday’s school board meeting.

Included in the cuts were one full-time position at South Terrace Elementary and the band program at the middle school/highschool.

Declining enrollments and the accompanying decrease in revenue from the state have driven the retrenchment. In her remarks on the issue, Stepan pointed to the unassigned general fund balance — which should be kept to at least 16 percent of expenditures, according to district policy. At the annual audit reviewed last month by the board, the unassigned balance stood at $370,000, which is more like 6 percent.

“In order to get to 16-percent fund balance, which is our board policy, you would have had to make around $700,000 to $800,000 worth of cuts .... Of course, that number is unrealistic in one year,” said Stepan. The target for this year is $300,000, she said. Also mentioned in the resolution was the hope to partner with Wrenshall in math, band, College in the Schools, and the building and grounds position.

“About 80 percent of school district funds are salaries,” Stepan said. “We’re in the people business, right?”

She posited the board really has only two ways to reach that $300,000 mark.

“Either we’re making cuts to programs and positions, or raising class sizes,” she said.

Without mentioning details, Stepan singled out certain areas for reorganization.

“At South Terrace … we have specials [specialists] that are not full-time specials. We pay them full-time, but we don’t have enough kids to make them full-time,” she said. She then outlined how elementary students would actually get more music, physical education and STEAM (Science,Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) next year by more efficient use of the specialists.

Other reductions were planned for South Terrace.

“The other thing that you’re going to see here is the reading specialist that was put in place a couple of years ago using ESSER funds,” said Stepan, referring to federal Covid funds provided for three years, “And now that term is up .… Our reading specialist position doesn’t see kids on a regular basis. Although we love her and she is very good .… It’s either that, or cut an elementary teacher position.”

She defended the cut to secondary music, noting that the band program has approximately 19 students. Making new art offerings is being considered as a replacement.

“We’re committed to offering three arts courses next year … that more kids can be interested in,” she said. Ideas included visual arts, media arts, ethnic studies, and perhaps even a theater class.

”Nobody wants to go through a budget reduction process,” Stepan said. “We have $800,000 we have to cut this year if we were going to try to get up to that 16-percent fund balance, and it would be irresponsible for us not to consider budget reductions moving forward. Of course, if consolidation happens … that’s going to make things a little bit better. Six hundred students is better than 300 students, and we’ll have more opportunities for kids moving forward if that happens.”

Board members spoke about the effect on staff.

“My biggest concern is the educators that we have and the marvelous job that they’re doing on a day-to-day basis, and being mindful of what’s being added or subtracted from their plate,” Ryan Leonzal said. “I think it’s very important for us to keep in mind when making these difficult decisions.”

There was no dissension when the vote was taken, and it was 5-0 in favor of the cuts as presented in the resolution. Board member Sue Karp was absent.

In other action, the board approved hiring Kari Solarz as principal for South Terrace Elementary. Solarz is a Carlton resident who graduated from Wrenshall.

“[She is] part of the community,” Stepan said. “She knew the kids when she came in. She knew the adults when she came in. She’s part of Wrenshall. She’s part of Carlton. We couldn’t ask for anything better.”

Solarz’s compensation is a $90,000 a year salary in addition to health insurance and other benefits. Her contract covers what is left of the fiscal year and the following 2024-2025 school year. Solarz still lacks an administrative license, but Stepan was confident she could get a variance from the state until Solarz’s license requirements are met this summer.

Also on Tuesday evening, in response to a previous request by the Pine Knot News, Carlton released information pertaining to discipline against Carlton band teacher Sherri Janovick. At a special meeting earlier this month in closed session, the board approved a one-day suspension for Janovick. According to the notice of suspension, the discipline was “Due to the inappropriate nature of … communication with students and families regarding a scheduling change.”