Kaukauna School board cuts

KAUKAUNA - The Kaukauna School board met Monday night to figure out how to reduce the district's budget by 2.4 million dollars.

The board spent the first part of its night listening to public comment about these potential cuts.

Board members spent the second part of their evening going through a list of 43 items that would reduce the budget.

The list includes increasing hot lunch prices, which would bring more money into the district.

It also involves cutting the equivalent of about 20 full time positions within the district, including administrative and teaching positions.

Some of those positions serve a program called SWS or "School Within a School." The program, as one student put it, is for kids who need an extra push, some one on one attention. Many people spoke about the importance of the program. Some said they would not have graduated, had the program not existed. The board voted to keep enough instructors to maintain the program.

"To keep on track with graduating is a big thing because I know if I wasn't in there I wouldn't have graduated at all."

The music department was a different story. The board voted to cut about one and a half positions from the music department.
 

"I don't think it should be in the music department, that's my interest and my concern. I think we need to look elsewhere because I think that is a big part of Kaukauna and what makes them a quality school, is what they have now."

The board also voted to increase the tax levy, though that has not been finalized. The board voted to increase taxes by $30 on a home valued at $100,000.