By Sarah Campbell
scampbell@salisburypost.com
SALISBURY ó The Rowan-Salisbury School System could dip into its fund balance to spare jobs next year as it faces a nearly $8 million budget shortfall.
School officials have proposed taking $2 million from its nearly $7 million fund balance.
Chief Financial Officer Tara Trexler said the district has worked to grow its fund balance over the last several years in anticipation of deep cuts.
ěWe have built it for a purpose,î she said. ěEssentially, the emergency is here, itís time to look at utilizing the fund balance.î
Trexler said although tapping into the fund balance will help keep programs and support intact, it will be a short-term fix.
ěOnce we spend it, itís gone,î she said.
The school system cut 137 positions in 2009-10. Three central office slots were frozen and 21/2 assistant principal positions were cut this year.

Trexler said thatís just one of the options suggested to help fill the estimated $7.9 million state budget gap.
The district will also utilize its $4.2 million slice of federal Education Jobs Fund money.
ěWe are very, very fortunate that we held onto that,î Superintendent Dr. Judy Grissom said. ěMany school systems had to use that money last year.î
But Trexler said additional adjustments will also have to be made to help balance the budget.
She said the district is looking into freezing and cutting central office positions.
ěThis is one of the things we will put as a priority,î she said. ěWe have to keep in mind when we donít replace those people it could potentially shift some of that responsibility to the school level in order to continue doing what has to be done.î
Trexler said the district will also revisit the list of proposed cuts from the previous budget cycle.
That list includes athletic supplements, mentor pay, site support, clerical positions, teacher supplements, media assistants, remediation teachers, instructional supplies, curriculum coaches and more.
Trexler said each program will be looked at to determine whether positions will be cut or scaled back.
At this time, there has been no talk about which items might be slashed.
On the heels of deep cuts, the district is also anticipating mandatory increases in the retirement match rate, which could cost an additional $467,000.

Trexler said the administrative team proposed the combination of freezing central office staff, cutting staff development and dipping into the fund balance as a last-ditch effort to protect the classroom.
ěThat is how we view surviving next year without sending people home,î she said.
The Board of Education will have the final say in the decision. The entire board will meet for a work session Monday at the Long Street administrative offices.
ěIf we arenít in agreement to use some of the fund balance, then we are going to be cutting some of those positions and we do need to let those people know,î Grissom said.

The school system will face additional discretionary reductions in excess of $520,000.
ěWeíve dealt with cuts for the last couple of years. This is just on top of that,î Grissom said.
Elementary school field trips and hiring incentives for exceptional children, math and science teachers were also eliminated this year.
Tuition reimbursement, textbooks, school remediation and out-of-state travel costs were all reduced the previous year.
ěThose are things we didnít add back, positions we didnít add back,î Grissom said.
Grissom said the school system will have dealt with a total of nearly $20 million in cuts in three years.
ěThat is huge,î she said. ěYet the expectation is still going to be the same.î
Contact reporter Sarah Campbell at 704-797-7683.