HUNTINGTON BEACH : 3 School Librarians Escape Budget Cuts

The superintendent of the Huntington Beach Union High School District this week revised his budget-cutting recommendations, saving the jobs of two librarians whose jobs he had proposed to eliminate.

Supt. David Hagen, who restored the librarian positions at the request of the Board of Trustees, now plans instead to cut $50,000 in district equipment and supplies, an area that has been badly depleted in recent years.

Hagen originally had proposed laying off or reassigning five of the district’s six librarians. Under his revised plan, three of the librarians would still be laid off or reassigned, along with 15 teachers, six psychologists, three nurses and 24 other employees.

Meanwhile, a district administrator this week assembled a committee of 11 staff members to recommend reductions in after-school activities, including music, drama and sports.

Hagen’s plan calls for $200,000 in after-school program cuts. Assuming that the school board adopts that reduction on March 10, the committee will begin meeting next week to discuss where those cuts should be made.

The committee, set up by John Myers, assistant superintendent of instruction, will present its recommendations to the board during a public hearing on March 24. Another public hearing will be held April 7, after which trustees will vote on after-school program cuts.

The panel will consider all after-school programs in proposing reductions, Myers said.

Rumors in the past two weeks had circulated among parents and school officials that marching band programs might be eliminated entirely at some schools. As a result, dozens of band supporters turned out at Tuesday’s public hearing on the budget, arguing that band should be saved.

Myers said staff officials have never discussed band cuts. When asked if the committee would consider eliminating any program altogether, he said, “I seriously doubt it.”

Most likely, the panel will consider making most cuts by eliminating all or some of the stipends received by walk-on coaches and assistant directors of band, vocal groups and drama, Myers said. Some programs may be reduced in scope in order to save the program as a whole, he said.

Programs that typically pay for themselves by ticket sales and booster club donations, such as varsity sports, almost certainly will be exempt from any cuts, Myers said.