Half-Day Kindergarten Survives--- Evansville School Board votes 5-2

The Evansville School Board voted 5-2 on Monday night to remove from the list of cuts the half-day kindergarten. Pierick, Phillips, Cambell, Willoughby, and Larson voted yes, and Knutson and Hatfield voted no.

The Board had earlier voted a list of savings-cuts--

Utility costs---60,000'
Operating budget--74,645
Health Ins change --$20,000.
Raise Material Fees-- 10,000
Phone saving---$32,000
Pro. dev.stipends---$2500
Calendar printing---$1500.

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On a motion by Pierick the board voted to consider the first seven items and voted to approve these savings and hold the others for later discussion. The Motion carried.

Thus by this action, the School Board has the cuts necessary for the next school year. If any other positions are added, additional cuts must be made---- The half-day kindergarten will not be among these.

Art Phillips spoke for the motion to remove the cut of half-day kindergarten from further consideration of cuts this year by saying that it was not appropriate to keep parents coming to these meetings and reaching no decision. He indicated there were other areas for cuts to be made if positions had to be added.

The only caveat to all this is that there would still have to be enough interested parents to meet the minimum class size for the half-day students. In the past, however, there has been more than enough interest in this format.

This school board meeting appeared to the Observer to be part of a budding but growing effort of the School Board to function as a board and in this discussion which was heated, they acted to indicate their will on the options presented before them.