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BL school cut $170,000
Originally published 12:00 p.m., April 4, 2008
Updated 07:10 a.m., April 8, 2008
Rick Bleichner
Faced with declining enrollment and low state funding, the Battle Lake school district is cutting $170,000 from its budget next year.
Those cuts were approved at a school board meeting March 17, said Superintendent Rick Bleichner. They include reductions in positions: One special education and two aid positions were eliminated, and the school’s counselor will work one day less a week. The district also made cuts to its budget for technology equipment and supplies.
“It’s never an easy process — nothing’s off the table,” Bleichner said of the decision-making process. “We’re basically a two-section school so we don’t have a lot of fat to cut.”
To make those decisions, the school board looked at shifts in student enrollment, Bleichner said. The elimination of a special education position, for example, came as a result of fewer special education students.
The good news, Bleichner said, is that the district's finances are sound enough to absorb remaining budget shortfalls.
“We’ve got a fairly good fund balance in place to get through this period of time,” he said.
Battle Lake is among the 10 percent of Minnesota school districts not planning a levy referendum, Bleichner said. What all districts need, he said, is a leg-up from lawmakers.
“They just need to step up to the plate and they’re not doing that,” he said. “They’re shirking their responsibilities.”
Comments
The Daily Journal is happy to host community conversations about news and life in Fergus Falls and the surrounding area. As hosts, we expect guests will show respect for each other. That means we don't threaten or defame each other, and we keep conversations free of personal attacks. Witty is great. Abusive is not. If you think a post violates these standards, don't escalate the situation. Instead, flag the comment to alert us. We'll take action if necessary. It's not hard. This should be a place where people want to read and contribute -- a place for spirited exchanges of opinion. So those who persist with racist, defamatory or abusive postings risk losing the privilege to post at all.Posted by AndyMosity (anonymous) on April 4, 2008 at 1:49 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I wonder if anyone has researched the idea of combining Battle Lake and Underwood together.
Posted by lostebayer (anonymous) on April 4, 2008 at 2:34 p.m. (Suggest removal)
What an ignorant comment!!!! 2 relatively new buildings, both state-of-the-art, and the glue that holds those 2 communities together respectively! Both of those schools are way better off financially that Fergus - how bout FF combining with Breckenridge???
Posted by AndyMosity (anonymous) on April 4, 2008 at 3:45 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Ignorant? Me?
Unpossible.
Posted by hightag08 (anonymous) on April 4, 2008 at 8:50 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I believe, AnyMosity, the correct quote is:
"Me Fail English? that's Unpossible" -Ralph Wiggum
Posted by byteme (anonymous) on April 4, 2008 at 8:53 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Interesting, the excuse Fergus Falls used to get their new building passed was that they were loosing all their students to Underwood & Battle Lake because they have new schools! Yet a new building doesn't seem to be helping them much! I guess you can't trust your elected officials to have any morals these days! Lieing must be high up on the list of credentials!
Posted by walleye29 (anonymous) on April 4, 2008 at 10:43 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Consolidaion is an excellant idea! You can keep both campus's, but eliminate some repetative administrative and service postitions. It may very well afford us the ability to increase educational opportunities while saving administrative costs. If done correctly neither town will loose its' school or identity. If those at the helm of our schools are truely interested in ost savings, a committee should be formed to explore the possibity of a unit district
Posted by pilsnerurquel (anonymous) on April 5, 2008 at 9:28 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Why is Battle Lake among the 10% of schools not considerng a levy referendum??? Weren't they just planning more renovations to their new building?
Posted by taylor2110 (anonymous) on April 5, 2008 at 9:39 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Combining Battle Lake and Underwood was looked at some time ago for sports. Battle Lake and Henning combined rather than Underwood. I think the real underlying problem is the principal. He really doesn't know how to handle kids. Therefore, they go elsewhere now that we have open enrollment. Battle Lake has a great school with great teachers. They have some great elective classes especially for the guys. It is unfortunate that they are having to make cutbacks. Things seem slim already. Back to the Underwood combination. Underwood and Battle Lake have been rivals for so many years...it probably wouldn't be a good idea, thus the combo with Henning. Henning and Battle Lake would make more sense if push came to shove. Hopefully, that won't have to happen. Sorry to the English majors if my grammer be incorrect!
Posted by justme (anonymous) on April 5, 2008 at 6:14 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Actually, Battle Lake, Underwood, and Henning have had combined wrestling, track and field, softball, and baseball programs for many years. They are the Ottertail Central Bulldogs.
As far as combining schools, I hate to see these great small schools be forced to combine and become one huge school district recognized only by a bunch of initials. Where the heck is BL-U-H, Minnesota, anyway?? Not to mention the nightmarish bus rides from one part of the county to the other. I'd rather send my kids to the school of my choice than a conglomeration of the good, the bad, and the ugly. (Nothing against any of the above mentioned districts, just an expression!!).
Posted by taximom (anonymous) on April 5, 2008 at 7:45 p.m. (Suggest removal)
we have combined for sports very well.. coach olson is very top notch... wrestling is very impressive with coach hart.. coach anderson created that program...why mess with what has proved to be such a succesful program. underwood can not field a softball team.. or a base ball team... there would be no wrestling team in battle lake.... track would be weak...what we have is working so well..doesnt one out away from state in 6aa mean anything...we dont need to combine schools for the rest..we can all survive on the merits of great schools.. we have them... underwood battle lake and henning had better be proud.. we are an endagerned species...
Posted by taximom (anonymous) on April 5, 2008 at 8:03 p.m. (Suggest removal)
my biggest worry is the wave of kids from fergus that can't afford the 200 dollars per sport.. why not go to underwood... we have enough kids from fergus.. we already take 2 busses from fergus...dont you want to keep your kids..that is an unreal amount of money...
Posted by Nuzzget (anonymous) on April 5, 2008 at 8:59 p.m.
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
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