For Mammoth and Bishop School districts the cruel business of money, classes and potential lay-offs continues. Bishop has handed out 7 pink slips and Mammoth officials still consider the options.

Both schools boards meet Thursday night. First, the story in Bishop. Superintendent Maggie Kingsbury confirmed that 7 pink slips have gone out to Bishop teachers. By law, lay-off notices have to go out by March 15th even if its likely the teacher wont leave school employ. The big problem no one really knows how much money the state will offer up to education until measures are voted on May 19th.

Bishop High School District hopes to take over the Keith Bright continuation school. That would add two teacher positions to the pot. The State Board has to act on issues related to that change at their meeting May 12th. Lay-off notices that have gone out are based on seniority, Kingsbury said.

Another problem in Bishop declining enrollment which further subtracts from funding. The Bishop High School Board meets Thursday night at 6:30pm in the high school library.

Meanwhile in Mammoth Lakes, Superintendent Frank Romero said that he will review options with his board at a special meeting Thursday. Romero said that officials will discuss the state budget, the stimulus package and Mammoths own programs. Romero said officials are working on ways to cut the school budget deficit and will go over all of this in a closed session at 5pm Thursday before open session at 5:30pm. That meeting takes place in the high school library.

Superintendent Romero said that Mammoths deficit ranges between $300,000 and $400,000. Officials would like to handle this without lay offs. As Romero noted, its tough within a $13,500,000 budget. 86% of that amounts to salaries, he said.

 

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