A series of six community budget forums for the 2011-12 school year will begin on Tuesday, Dec. 6, with a look at class sizes, class combinations, and class rotations. The discussion materials for the forum are posted in the box on the right side of this page, along with links to some research studies on the topic.

The forum will be held from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in the Van Antwerp auditorium. Community members are encouraged to attend and provide their input and questions on the topic at hand. The district is posting materials on the topic ahead of time to inform the discussion and questions at the forum.

The district is holding the community budget forums as it heads into a budget process that is expected to be even more difficult than the last few. Based on current projections, the district will have to close a $3.5 million gap between revenues and expenditures to both live within its means and the confines of the new state property tax levy cap legislation.

Each of the six forums will be held for an hour, beginning at 6:30, prior to the Board's regularly scheduled meetings in December, January, and February. The full schedule and list of topics is below.

Community Budget Forum Schedule
6:30 to 7:30 p.m., Van Antwerp Auditorium

• December 6: Class size, combination classes, and class rotations
• December 20: Administration / Previous budget reductions
• January 10: Special Education and support services
• January 24: Athletics & extracurricular activities / Facilities use and charges
• February 7: Outsourcing / Shared services
• February 28: Program and course offerings