Balancing solvency — LaCroix asks trustees to consider ‘strategic down-sizing’ amid $1M shortfall

Facing an estimated $1 million shortfall as enrollment drops and costs rise, Superintendent Brad LaCroix is asking the Weston County School District No. 1 board of trustees to consider “strategic downsizing,” a move that could reshape staffing, services and the structure of Newcastle area schools for years to come.

In a letter ahead of a Feb. 25 board workshop, LaCroix wrote that the meeting’s purpose was “to consider strategic downsizing and maintain quality programming for students.” He attributed the anticipated gap to employee pay raises, declining enrollment, rising insurance costs and higher Wyoming Retirement contributions.

LaCroix asked trustees to examine a wide range of areas, including initial and continuing contract staff, custodial and maintenance departments, transportation, administration, technology, the lunch program and sixth-grade sports extra duties. He also suggested reducing board meetings to once a month and reviewing AACES and recreation mill use.

The scope of the list signals that both instructional and operational areas could be affected.

“The district values all staff members, and we know these are not easy decisions,” LaCroix wrote. “To meet the financial goals of the district, the Board should make decisions based on the district’s needs and not personnel.”

“Everything is on the table,” LaCroix told the News Letter Journal Feb. 26.

He said the Feb. 25 workshop was held in closed session because personnel matters, such as contract expiration dates, can quickly become part of the discussion.

About 85% to 90% of the district’s budget is tied to “people and programs,” LaCroix said, making staffing levels central to balancing the budget.

“What we’re going to do is keep as many quality programs for our students,” he said. “We don’t want them walking out the door. But we also realized that we have a staffing size issue that needs to be addressed.”

LaCroix said the district would prefer to reduce costs through retirements and resignations, rather than layoffs, which can be disruptive for staff and students.

“It is a lot easier to save money when those people are leaving naturally than when you have to riff people,” he said, referring to reductions in force.

He confirmed that trustees have been asked to consider whether to refill certain positions, including an elementary counselor and a principal. When vacancies occur, he said, the district must weigh whether duties can be absorbed and what that would mean “for kids and services.”

The financial strain comes as enrollment trends continue to influence funding. Smaller kindergarten classes today can shape staffing needs for more than a decade because those same students move through the system together.

“I’m hoping that we have a kindergarten class in the 30s,” he said. “I’m hoping it’s not in the 20s. Because remember those are the classes that stay with you for 12 years. And they usually don’t grow.”

He said the district must remain competitive in attracting both families and educators, even as it trims costs.

“If you were a young family, why would you want to come to Newcastle and raise a family?” he said.

LaCroix acknowledged that potential changes at the state level could further affect school funding, but he said the current focus is on what the district can control locally. The goal is to “set it on a course where it’s good for another 20, 30, 40, 50 years,” he said.

Two executive sessions are scheduled in the coming weeks as trustees continue personnel discussions tied to the budget. The board meets at 5 p.m. March 3 to discuss personnel and negotiations under state statute. Another executive session is scheduled for 5 p.m. March 11 to discuss administrator evaluations and contracts, as well as initial and continuing contract teachers and non-tenured certified staff.

For now, discussions remain exploratory, and no specific layoffs or program eliminations have been proposed. But as trustees weigh solvency against opportunity, the choices they make in the coming weeks could influence what Newcastle area schools look like for the next generation of students.

Board Chair Billy Fitzwater and trustees Dana Gordon and Tyler Mills said the workshop was helpful.

Fitzwater and Mills told the NLJ that the workshop provided a thorough overview of ADM and school funding.

“It is essential that we carefully evaluate all available options to ensure we are making the best decisions in support of our students and staff moving forward for long-term success,” Fitzwater said.

Gordon said the board will have some tough choices to make.

“We all hope we can do what is absolutely best for our students and staff,” she said.

Trustee Paul Bau told the NLJ that he could not attend the workshop because he was out of town.