The Octorara Area school board announced more cost cuts for the 2011-12 budget during a work session on Monday.
The district will likely furlough one additional middle school math teacher, use an additional $100,000 from the school district's fund balance and eliminate the evening custodial staff, a move which will save $770,000 over four years.
"The savings are just too significant to ignore," board member Brian Norris said of outsourcing the evening maintenance work.
Norris also expressed appreciation for the district's second-shift custodial staff.
"It's a tough decision that has to be made," said board member John Maloney.
Parkesburg resident Ken Knickerbocker said that while he trusts the school board to look out for the interests of the community, he finds the outsourcing of maintenance jobs and the furloughs of professional staff most disturbing.
"I am most deeply troubled by the elimination of these jobs," Knickerbocker said.
Superintendent Tom Newcome, saying the district will likely award the evening maintenance contract to low-bidder Servicemaster, said the firm hires locally and may hire the furloughed staff.
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