Bismarck-Henning teachers accept pay cut

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March 19, 2010

DAVID DELGADO The Commercial-News Fri Mar 19, 2010, 07:54 PM CDT

BISMARCK — Bismarck-Henning school board members met Thursday night to discuss budget reductions for next year.

About 50 teachers, students, and parents gathered to find out how school board members would handle the state funding predicament.

Faced with some tough choices, school board members voted to cut a business teaching position and a special education teaching position at the high school. They also voted to cut the fifth- and sixth-grade basketball programs.

Board members approved the retirements of the high school art teacher and the grade school assistant cook.

The retirement of art teacher Mary Smith left many students wondering if the art class would be included in next year’s reductions

Concerned with the fate of the class, Bismarck-Henning graduate Catlin Overmier approached the school board to defend the art program.

After listening to Overmier’s speech, school board president Dave Clapp announced the board had decided to keep the class thanks to a compromise made by the Bismarck-Henning Education Association. The news was met with a round of applause.

Bismarck-Henning Education Association spokesperson Mary Ann Vinson announced members of the association were willing to take a 1 percent reduction in their contractual wages and salaries for next year. Superintendent Randy Hird estimated the savings to be about $50,000.

Clapp said he was pleased with the association’s willingness to compromise with the board.

“We really appreciate the Bismarck-Henning Education Association stepping up, because without them there would have been a couple of programs that probably would not have come back,” he added.

Clapp said there will be a reduction of administrative salaries. There will likely be an increase in fees associated with the driver’s education class next year he added. The school also will cut transportation to soccer practice and board convention travel expenses.

“We’ve come up with a little over $500,000 in savings to the school district, and I think we’ve done that without really cutting programs” Clapp said. If the situation becomes worse next year, deeper cuts may be required he added.

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