District 220 chooses among cuts, additions

A list of $546,140 in potential budget cuts and savings based on Barrington Unit District 220’s declining enrollment received a tentative nod from school board members this week.

But only $167,722 of $998,663 in potential budget additions won tentative approval from the board. The conversation will continue at the board’s Feb. 21 meeting.

The proposed cuts and savings include:

Ÿ Reduction of Sunny Hill School’s fourth and fifth grades by one classroom each.

Ÿ Barrington Middle School’s Prairie Campus staff would be reduced by one sixth grade teacher, two seventh grade teachers, 0.2 full-time positions for both seventh-grade Spanish and eighth-grade French and a part-time position for sixth- and seventh-grade vocal music.

Ÿ Station Campus’ extended science section would be reduced by 0.2 of a full-time position.

Ÿ The district also would lose 0.2 of a psychologist position and a boys’ gymnastics coaching stipend.

Ÿ The district is anticipating saving $135,000 by pre-purchasing electricity and $20,140 by eliminating seven bus routes without any hardship.

The recommended additions to the budget include:

Ÿ 1.19 full-time positions in contingency staffing, three co-curricular stipends, additions to the middle school drama stipends and a part-time position for the reading strategies program at Station campus.

Ÿ A grade-tracking software package called Mastery Manager costing $30,000.