24 Teachers, Not So Lucky
CADILLAC -- Cadillac Area Public Schools has decided on where more than $1 million worth of cuts should come from. Administrators’ salaries or positions didn’t make the cut list, but a lot more did.
Cadillac High School Athletic Director, Rich Giddens says "I just didn't believe it was going to be that much of a cut because the athletic department has reduced in a lot of ways since 2003."
Cadillac High School has already eliminated some coaching jobs, wrestling, sideline cheerleading, gymnastics, and freshman baseball and softball over the past few years. Now they’re preparing to say goodbye to all freshman sports and hello to a $90 “Pay to Play” fee.
Giddens says "There are certain sports that can absorb the numbers that will come from freshman sports, some can't. In the long run it will affect quality of the programs."
Those cuts are just part of the $1.3 million in reductions the school district has been forced to make. 24 teachers will have to find new jobs, so will 11 paraprofessionals, 2 social workers, an administrative assistant, and a custodian.
Although cuts were made to staffing positions at every level, there have been no cuts made to the administration. 7&4 News went to the CAPS Administrative Offices to ask Superintendent Paul Liabenow why those cuts haven’t been made to his office, but he was out of the building all day and unavailable for comment.
The layoffs and changes won’t take effect until November 30th, but a lot could change between now and then including more cuts. In the meantime, just like he coaches his student-athletes to do, Giddens isn’t giving up.
Giddens says "Hopefully we'll have the ability so that by the end of the school year, we'll have enough money raised to continue freshman sports."
The school district has to cut $500,000 from their budget to close the deficit. No word how, or when they will do that.
What do you think about these budget cuts? Leave your thoughts below.
