Adams 12 Five Star Schools will cut $24 million for the 2010-11 school year, with about 185 people losing their jobs effective July 1.
That includes 24 high school teachers, two assistant principals at Northglenn and Thornton High Schools, eight social workers in the middle and high schools, and 14 high school custodians.
“This is a heartbreaking situation,” said superintendent Chris Gdowski. “As I started to talk to some folks last week, I had some people in my office crying, and giving one another hugs.”
He expects another $15 million to $20 million to be trimmed for the 2011-12 school year, which will require many more job cuts.
“It will be difficult not to touch the classroom,” he said. “This year we’ve been pretty fortunate in minimizing those impacts, but that won’t be the case in 2011-12.”
The fifth-largest school district in Colorado, Adams 12 Five Star Schools has more than 42,000 students in Broomfield, Federal Heights, Northglenn, Thornton and Westminster.
Most of the cuts reflected the values of community members; about 6,000 of them responded to a questionnaire that asked where they would make the cuts.
Class size was a top priority, especially in grades K-2, so no elementary or middle school teachers will lose their jobs.
Services in the district received more than twice the percentage of cuts than did schools, dropping to 12.1 percent of the operating budget from 25 percent.
There will be a $15-per-student technology fee in the middle schools.
Participation fees for athletics will increase 25 percent, and the high school lacrosse and eighth-grade football and softball programs will be eliminated.
High school parking fees will increase to $50 from $30.
Middle schools will lose nine campus supervisors — people who patrol hallways and parking lots. High schools will lose 10.
“Much like what we saw at Deer Creek Middle School, teachers and other staff will have to be vigilant about who is on campus,” said Gdowski.
There will be fewer school counselors, down to four from five in high schools, and to two from three in middle schools.
“Teachers are often trusted adults, as are custodians, food service workers and the office staff,” said Gdowski. “Lots of people have that special relationship with kids, and I think our students will reach out more and more to those folks to talk through challenges in their life and get the support they need.”
Looking to the future of public education in Colorado, Gdowski believes people need to start having serious conversations about better investing in K-12 education.
“For a while we just squeezed down and tried to do more and more with less,” he said. “We’re finally at the point where we are going to be doing less with less.”
Colleen O’Connor: 303-954-1083 or coconnor@denverpost.com
