Some Rapid City School District staff members were told Friday they would be reassigned to different positions next year as the board considers cuts to pull the district out of a downward financial spiral.

The district needs to cut $4 to $6 million from its operating budget next year as the first step to keep from falling into the red by 2010.

Sue Podoll, co-president of the Rapid City Education Association, was one of several staff members who learned Friday their programs are in jeopardy. Podoll has taught in the district's suspension and expulsion classroom for 16 years. The program allows students who have been expelled or suspended from school to continue with schoolwork.

"Those individuals that could potentially be affected were told on Friday by building administration," she said.

Central High School reading literacy support specialist Connie Krueger said she was told Friday by assistant principal Steve Vernon that the secondary level math and reading support specialist program has been cut and staff would be reassigned to different positions, and possibly different schools, next year.

"I woke up Friday morning and I knew I would be axed," Krueger said, adding she understands her position could look like an "extra" in the middle of a budget crisis.

Krueger, who was an English teacher at Central for 12 years before becoming a support specialist a year ago, said her only option to stay at the school would be as a substitute teacher.

"I have a lot of emotions," she said. "If you have someone in a building for 13 years and they want to be there, I would keep them."

Krueger said she's disappointed on a number of different levels.

"I wish someone had told me when I was hired that I might not stay here if (the program) was cut," she said, adding that the staff has been doing long term planning for the program and was excited for the future. "I wish there had been some foresight. How could you not know $4 million was walking out the door?"

In talks last week, the board and administration said they rolled the dice with the budget by increasing teacher salaries, spending down reserves to appease Gov. Mike Rounds and hoping the legislature would reward them for it.

In the meantime, Superintendent Peter Wharton said the increased costs of running the district have outpaced education funding, especially when trying to keep ahead of No Child Left Behind, which is an unfunded federal mandate.

Podoll said part of the reason the district is in a crunch right now is because too many people were hired using grant money, which is one-time money.

"We never advocated for the district to be fiscally irresponsible," she said. "When we continue to apply for grants and hire staff with soft money, it's not sustainable."

To blame the budget problem on teacher raises and the legislature not giving as much as expected is not fair, she said.

"That's really frustrating because the teachers don't set the staffing numbers, the administration does," she said. "The legislature funds education … sometimes it feels like we're scrapping for the leftovers, but it's a struggle all around."

School officials released a list of possible cuts last week that included eliminating elementary band and orchestra, the Virtual High School and the gifted education program. The board is also considering a salary freeze, increasing student-teacher ratios, increasing activity fees and closing an elementary school.

A school could not be closed this coming year, Wharton said, because that decision has to be made by Dec. 15 the year before the closure.

The board and administration are also considering opting out of the property tax freeze.

Friday's discussions were not meant to panic anyone, Wharton said.

"We did it as a courtesy to staff to let them know that their areas were under review and discussion," he said. "I don't want to give them a few days notice."

It's important to remember, he said, that the budget numbers are preliminary and final revenue and contract negotiations haven't been factored in yet.

He said no final decision have been made on cuts, but they could be made as early as

Tuesday night, following an afternoon work study session for the board at Central High School at 3:30 p.m.

Krueger said from the way she understood Friday's discussion, her reading literacy coaching days, and possibly her time in Central's hallways, are coming to a close.

"I just want to know what I'm doing next year," she said. "I have so much time and energy invested in Central … I'll adjust, but I thought I'd end my (teaching) days here. I thought I'd die trying here."

Contact Kayla Gahagan at 394-8410 or kayla.gahagan@rapidcityjournal.com