At least 12 positions and numerous student activities including the Madrigal Dinner appeared last week on a list of proposed cuts to address a looming $921,700 deficit in the Annandale School District next year. The list of 36 items totalling $966,350 was put together by school administration and was to be reviewed by the school board at its monthly meeting Monday, Feb. 23. No action was expected until the Thursday, March 26, board meeting, according to Supt. Steve Niklaus. At that time board members are not obligated to OK the entire list. Niklaus planned to advise them Feb. 23 to consider approving only $600,000, to $700,000 of the items until more information is known about the federal stimulus bill and what it might mean for Minnesota schools. By early March, schools expect to know more about state funding as well, he said. "Obviously, no one wishes to see reductions to the programs and services offered to our students. However, given our declining enrollment and the financial condition of the state, there is little choice but to begin making reductions for next year’s operations," Niklaus said. When making the list, school administration took into consideration the importance of keeping class sizes small especially in the kindergarten through second grades, and maintaining a comprehensive core curriculum in reading, math, science and social studies, he said. In a letter to district employees, officials also cited the importance of providing support for the personal and social development of the students to the extent possible, and the importance of providing student activities in a cost-effective manner. Listed among the top 15 are the elimination of the danceline program for a $7,700 savings, the middle school golf program for a $4,525 savings and the Madrigal Dinner for a $1,100 savings. The list also recommends discontinuing funding for the pep band, eliminating one speech coach and one wrestling coach. The school will save $12,000 by no longer funding the School Resource Officer program, which was discontinued last fall. The district will also receive an extra $40,000 through Q-Comp, an alternative pay program for teachers that was incorporated into the schools this year. Because of the lower enrollment, officials are proposing to reduce fourth, third and second grades by one section. That would leave class sizes at 26 students in each fourth-grade class, 24 per class in the third grade and 26 per class in the second grade. Reducing the second grade by a section was third from the bottom of the prioritized list. The list also includes staffing reductions equalling $80,000, two positions, at the high school and $139,000, three positions, at the middle school. The projected deficit is a result of record low enrollments and an expectation of no new money from the state compounded by rising expenditures on personnel and a $198,100 deficit carried over from the previous year. The district does have a fund balance of $1.7 million to fall back on if board members are not comfortable making some of the reductions listed, Niklaus said, but officials don’t like to see that balance drop below $1 million.