The Wright City R-II School Board last week voted to slash close to $100,000 from next year’s budget, a decision that in large part was made to gain efficiencies within the district due to uncertainty related to state funding. As part of the budget cuts the district will no longer mail the Wright City Connection, a student-produced newspaper, to parents and subscribers and will reduce the number of printed copies from 6,000 to 2,000. The move to an electronic format will save the district around $17,000, according to Superintendent Dr. Chris Gaines, of which $14,000 is from postage costs. He said information about signing up for the electronic edition will be released in the future. The printed copies, however, will continue to be available in local businesses. Also included in the budget reduction process was a decision to reduce technology capital expenses in next year’s budget. That will save the district around $40,000. The district also will save $13,000 in the first year and $15,000 the following year by getting rid of  the on-campus suspension teacher position within the Wright City Academy. Those duties are currently shared by the academy’s GED teacher, which will continue to be funded as a part-time position. The district also has eliminated several extra-duty positions that have been unfilled over the last several year, as well as sponsors for elementary character education and communication liaisons. Those cuts combined will save the district around $8,500, Gaines said. Gaines acknowledged the district was able to avoid significant cuts and that normal daily operations of the district will not be impacted. “We will gain some efficiencies,” he said. “We have not really had to move to a deep cut. Now we’re moving to gain some efficiencies and look at some things that were not being effective. “It really became a question of are we spending these monies appropriately? Are we getting a return on investment for these monies?” Also included in budget cuts was a decision made in March where the school board voted to eliminate the high school French position, a move related to a schedule change to the classroom schedule. That reduction alone, Gaines said, will save the district an estimated $46,750. Beginning next school year, the high school will follow a hybrid seven-period schedule, meaning students will have seven 55-minute classes three days per week, four 95-minute classes one day a week and three 95-minute classes the remaining days of the week. Currently, the high school uses a 10-block schedule with classes held every other day. The length of each class is 55 minutes. Gaines said he doesn’t anticipate any more cuts to be needed as district officials continue to work on next year’s budget. But some uncertainty will remain until the state legislative session wraps up next month. “We still want to see what happens with the Legislature and see what happens come May, but we think we’re done,” he said.   Board Approves Officers Also at the April 17 meeting, the school board approved officers for 2012-13. Austin Jones will remain board president, while Alice Klem will be vice president. Corri Ruge and Mary Groeper will serve as secretary and treasurer, respectively. Jones will be the district’s Missouri School Board Association delegate, while Klem will serve as an alternate. Board members named to district committees are: Klem and Groeper (policy committee), Joe Butterfield and Melissa Springmeyer (truancy committee), and Laura Marsh, Groeper and Springmeyer (waiver committee).