Independence district may close school, cut staff

The Independence school superintendent is proposing closing an elementary school and cutting more than 10 full-time staff positions as a means to cut expenses by more than $1.4 million over the next two years.

The district anticipates ending this year in the red.

Closure of East Elementary would shift students to West Elementary. The middle school's 177 seventh and eighth graders would go to the high school. The current middle school would become a building for grades 3 to 6.

Some of the larger anticipated savings would be realized through the following proposed staff reductions: administration, $86,000; middle school science, $78,000; media, $75,000; music, $72,000; custodial, $60,000; art, $52,000; physical education, $46,000; and high school marketing, $44,000.

The cuts are detailed on the district's Web site: www.indee.k12.ia.us/metadot/index.pl

The school board will hold its first public hearing on the recommended reductions at 7 p.m. Monday in the middle school commons. A second public hearing will be held at 7 p.m. Jan. 18 in Brandon, with the board expected to take final action on Jan. 25.