An update on the Loyalsock Township School District budget informed the board that recommendations from the finance committee have resulted in a cut of the deficit.
At Wednesday's board meeting, business manager Gerald McLaughlin told the board that the district's $272,000 deficit would be cut to just over $100,000 if recommendations from the finance committee were put into action.
"Many of the cuts were in athletics," McLaughlin said.
Two items that previously were part of earlier budget discussions that were not talked about by the finance committee were the middle school soccer program and eight paraprofessionals being cut from full-time to part-time employees.
McLaughlin said the committee did not make any changes to those two items.
Board member Maureen Carey asked if the middle school soccer teams could be revisited if it is found that other area districts are cutting their programs. She said it could create more costs if the district has to travel farther to find other districts that have soccer teams.
"We will constantly monitor it," Superintendent Robert Grantier said.
As a mother of a child with special needs, Theresa Moff asked the board to reconsider cutting eight paraprofessionals to part-time employees.
"These aides are integral to (the students') success," she said.
She said special needs students need consistency in their day, so losing their current aide will greatly affect their performance. Moff also asked why the district would change something that works so well.
"What we do now in the district, we do well," she said.
The district will present its proposed final budget at its next board meeting on May 16.
In other matters, the board unanimously approved the high school yearbook committee's proposal to hold a brick-engraving fundraiser.
Brooke Beiter, yearbook adviser and English teacher, explained to the board that the fundraiser would see community members, students and faculty purchase engraved bricks for $75 a piece. The bricks then would be used for a pavilion area outside the high school building.
She said it would help offset rising costs for the yearbook. The project would require some start-up funds, but Beiter said the first 150 bricks would pay for that cost.
When asked by the board if the yearbook committee could look to a different, cheaper company to produce it, Beiter said it is in the middle of a five-year contract but would look to do so after it expires.
She added that without the fundraiser yearbook costs for students would see a "significant increase."
Board member David Hornberger commended the group of students and advisers for "thinking outside of the box" when coming up with ideas for fundraisers.
