Budget cuts: Library-less week continues; school furlough tomorrow

Quick reminders: Today is the second day of the weeklong Seattle Public Library shutdown. And tomorrow, also because of a budget shortfall (different governing body, though), Seattle Public Schools will be on a systemwide furlough day to save money toward its budget gap. A message from SPS says, “We negotiated this furlough day with our teacher and principal unions, and also required furlough days for our non-represented staff, to make up for the $4 million shortfall caused by the cuts to teacher, principal and administrator salaries in the last legislative session. These days were negotiated to have the least possible impact on students-though missing a day right before school starts may mean that classrooms and buildings will not be as ready as we hoped for the first day of school.” Which is a week from tomorrow – Wednesday, Sept. 7th.

Alvis August 30, 2011 (3:32 pm)

The $4 million budget shortfall would be closer to $3.5 million if the school board hadn’t OKed hundreds of thousands in severance pay to the last superintendent on her way out of town.

Katie August 30, 2011 (5:33 pm)

I’d bet many teachers worked today anyway, planning and preparing from home. Thank you, teachers!

Al August 30, 2011 (7:05 pm)

I already worked today, unpaid, at school. What’s one more day of unpaid work to get ready for our students? We are not even allowed to email tomorrow. It’s quite silly!

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