Les Cheneaux Community Schools is proposing reduced sports transportation, new insurance plans, and consolidated or farmed-out services in its Deficit Elimination Plan, approved by the Board of Education Monday, December 21. Board approval is the first step in a state-mandated plan to reduce the district's $65,337 deficit.

The board also approved a contract to hire the Eastern Upper Peninsula Intermediate School District to provide technology services, agreed to lease its three recycling trailers in exchange for recycling services, and hired an Intervention Provider and a Title VII Coordinator.

The district has completed a template for the elimination of its debt, which was to be sent to the Michigan Department of Education Tuesday, December 22, for its approval. The plan includes proposed budgets through the 2011-2012 school year and a narrative detailing how the district fell into a deficit and proposals on how it plans to get out of it.

Superintendent Amy Scott discussed the narrative with the board Monday, saying one of the major reasons the district fell into deficit was a loss of 115 students or 25% of enrollment since the 2004-2005 school year. Cuts in state funding also heavily impacted the district, she said.

Among proposals to reduce the deficit are exploring new insurance plans, partnering with other school districts and the ISD to consolidate food, business, and other services, and renting unused portions of the building.

Mrs. Scott said she has contacted DeTour and St. Ignace districts about consolidating services. The talks are very early, she told The St. Ignace News, and nothing has been decided. Mike Springsteen, superintendent of St. Ignace Area Schools, said talks with him focused on if St. Ignace could provide bussing for Cedarville. The feasibity, he said, is being examined.

A health care committee will be established to seek lower rates and savings, according to the elimination plan. The schools' goal is to have a new health care plan in place for the 2010-2011 school year.

The elimination plan also proposes reducing varsity sports transportation, which could save $5,000 for the remainder of the year and $10,000 for next year. An extra-curricular fee could also be administered, possibly raising $5,000.

Businesses Manager Kristine Hill said the district expects the elimination plan to be evaluated by the Michigan Department of Education and its decision returned by the end of January. The state agency will determine if the district's plans to eliminate the deficit are sufficient and request additional revisions if they are not. The district will be required to submit a progress report each month.

The Eastern Upper Peninsula Intermediate School District will provide technology services for Les Cheneaux Community Schools under an agreement that will cost Cedarville $13,632 for the remainder of the school year and $22,720 next year.

In turn, the ISD has contracted with the Regional Educational Media Center #1 in Hancock for trouble shooting advice via telephone and remote computer access when necessary. An ISD technician from Sault Ste. Marie will come to the school to solve major problems.

The media centers are state education resource centers.

Mrs. Scott expects the price of the technology service to be lower than $22,720, as the school’s former technology director, Janet Haske, has been contracted by the ISD to provide technical services for one hour a day. It is unknown how much money will be saved until she begins working, Mrs. Scott said.

Green Choice Refuse and Recycling Service obtained a lease from Les Cheneaux Community Schools for the free use of three recycling trailers. According to the lease, the business will provide free recycling services to Clark Township and the school district for items such as paper products, glass, and plastic. It will also furnish proof the trailers are insured each year, leave two trailers on school property, and keep them maintained. The trailers will be leased for five years.

The company is owned by Clark Township resident Mike McMaken.

The district has been using the three trailers for its own rcycling program, using volunteers to manage the process and take the recyclables to Sault Ste. Marie. Under the lease, Mr. McMaken will take over the recycling task.

Joanne Baker and Andrew Paquin have been hired to fill the Intervention Provider and Title VII Coordinator positions, respectively. Both positions are federally funded through a grant, Mrs. Scott said.

If a student is struggling with a specific subject, the intervention provider identifies what they are having trouble with specifically and uses research-based programs to help the student improve, Mrs. Scott said. The process is akin to a doctor identifying an illness and prescribing a specific medication to fight it, she added.

Title VII is the federal Indian Education program.