One of the budget-cutting ideas being tossed around for public education in South Carolina is reducing students’ days in school.

Not all other states hold as many class sessions as South Carolina, said District Superintendent Bennie Bennett, and with economic hard times, one of the recommendations he’s heard is five fewer classroom days for students.

“In this calendar though, there are 180 days, 190 days for our teachers,” he said at Monday night’s board meeting. “It would take legislative action to do anything different.”

Washington state students, for example, says Board Chairman Don Saylor, go to school for just 150 days.

“And they have the option of cutting their school year 2 percent,” Saylor said.

“It’s amazing the difference and we’re all accountable to the same standards,” he said.

“I don’t know if I have an opinion now,” said Pomaria-Garmany Elementary principal Beth Brooks on a 175-day school year after Monday night’s meeting. “I just know how economic times are really hard right now and it calls for drastic measures.”

Budget cut season began for the district in 2009.

Chief Financial Officer Susan Dowd reported a finalized number Monday of the second state money cut for the school year.

“It was a little bit better than what I had anticipated, about $150,000 or so better, so that was a good thing,” she said. “But the total cut, the total second cut was $1,009,139.”

But together with the first $628,904 cut this school year, the Newberry School District has a total of 1.6 million fewer dollars to spend.

“The state is going to have to do what it has to do to make it meet (budget),” said Little Mountain Elementary principal Rudie Tarver.

Even so, Tarver says he hates to lose instructional days and hopes decision-makers first look to see if anything could be cut within teachers’ five professional development days.

Bennett said a 175-day option came up among superintendents in discussion, and is one of many options administrators in the state are considering to relieve budget woes.

Other ideas involve limiting bonus money for teachers who achieve National Board Certification, eliminating some of the required units for graduation and suspending tests that the federal government doesn’t require, among other options.

“One of the ones that’s just getting a lot of attention is the 175 days,” he said.

Also at Monday’s meeting:

CALENDAR

A draft of the calendar for next school year is available at www.newberry.k12.sc.us/ and Bennett welcomes opinions.

And just a note, next year’s spring break is slated for the first week of April he said, because putting the vacation around Easter is so close to the end of the school year.

“We felt that would be a very, very late spring break, so we have the spring break scheduled for the first week in April,” he said.

CONGRATS

• The board gave Superintendent Bennie Bennett an “exemplary” nod in its annual rating of his job performance, noting his open communication with workers and board members.

“We’re thrilled to death with Mr. Bennett,” said Saylor. “He’s doing an outstanding job.”

• Board member Clyde Hill received a service pin for 15 years of service on the school board.

“He’s kind of an old pro and we turn to him when we need advice or some help along the way, because his experience is invaluable when we have to make those tough decisions,” said Bennett.

• The seven-member school board does a lot for little pay and makes a lot of hard decisions, said Bennett, for School Board appreciation month Monday night.

“But I never have to worry about where their heart is when they make those decisions,” he said. “They’re going to do what they think is in the best interest of the children in this community.”

Each board member received blue-lined baskets with goodies from Cathy’s Cakery for their work.

But for the only female board member, Lucy Anne Meetze’s basket was lined with hot pink paper, a gesture Meetze says she appreciated, considering she is the only female at home, too, where she has a husband and four sons.

COMMITTED

For another year, the School Board officers will keep their current roles with Chairman Don Saylor, Vice Chairman and Legislative Liaison Jody Hamm and Secretary Clyde Hill.

Cinderellas a plenty

Heather Hawkins of the Ritz Theater spoke at the public forum of change coming at the Ritz Theater.

Youth participation there is high with around 45 students showing up recently for Cinderella auditions.

But overall, in light of budget concerns, Hawkins said the theater will have an open meeting tomorrow at 6:30 p.m. to see what’s the best use of the building in the future.

“We’re kind of at a crossroads with our organization,” said Hawkins. “It has been a tough year to say the least…We need a home, the Community Players need a home, but we may need to share it.”