Numbers are now in on how much state funding Goshen Community Schools can expect to lose for 2010 due to budget cuts, and the numbers aren’t pretty.

According to Superintendent Bruce Stahly, the state’s support numbers show GCS will receive $38 million for 2010 — nearly $1 million less than the $38.84 million received in 2009.

This significant reduction is due to a drop in state funding. Gov. Mitch Daniels said in January the state will cut school funding statewide by $300 million due to declining state revenues.

What’s more, school officials had originally anticipated receiving as much as $39.8 million for the year, leaving the corporation to deal with a reduction in planned-for funding of approximately $1.82 million.

With these final numbers now released, the corporation is left with the unpleasant task of finding ways to deal with their significant shortfall.

According to Stahly, the corporation has been looking at a wide range of options with regard to reductions, though exactly what options will ultimately be pursued are still being determined.

Options currently being considered as possibilities include:

• Hiring freezes for teachers and administrative personnel;

• Salary freezes for all school employees;

• Reduction in staff through attrition and retirement; and

• Significantly reducing travel expenses.

Stahly noted that the corporation’s main priority right now is avoiding any reductions in school staff.

However, he added that the corporation will most assuredly be facing additional cuts in 2011, and staffing reductions — including teacher and administrative positions — may very well be a necessity.

“In 2011 we could be looking at additional cuts,” Stahly said, “and it will need to apply across the board.”

In the meantime, Stahly mentioned that he will be meeting with the corporation’s first and second year teachers over the next few weeks in order to update them on the funding situation and prepare them in the event that staffing reductions are needed in the future.

In other action, Executive Director Barry Younghans provided board members with two new balanced calendar examples recently chosen by the corporation’s balanced calendar research committee as having a potential fit for the corporation.

Examples of both calendars will be made available today on the corporation web site, www.goshenschools.org.

According to Younghans, the first calendar, coined Calendar 11, is defined by a significantly higher number of mini-breaks, or intercessions, than the second calendar, though such intercessions will be shorter in length.

Potential positives of a Calendar 11 adoption include:

• Spring intercession would not impact the start of spring sports;

• Most intercessions would not interfere with varsity football or boys basketball;

• Middle school trimesters are not affected by the calendar; and

• Parent teacher conferences would occur after the first intercession.

Younghans then ran through some of the potential negatives of adopting a model such as Calendar 11.

Some of the noted negatives included:

• Possible disjointedness of weeks due to nearly 30 intercession days;

• ISSMA competitions may run into conflicts with school days during the month of March; and

• The start of school could negatively affect athletic practice schedules.

After his breakdown of Calendar 11, Younghans then went on to give a brief breakdown of the second calendar, or Calendar 12.

Positives associated with Calendar 12 included:

• Less frequent intercessions, which equates to less interrupted weeks;

• No conflicts with assessment windows;

• The addition of a three-day Thanksgiving break;

• Start of school and fall athletics are better suited; and

• No conflicts with testing windows.

Younghans then listed several of the potential negatives associated with adoption of a model such as Calendar 12.

Such potential negatives could include:

• Possible conflicts with ISSMA contests during the month of March;

• Fall intercession could conflict with the state marching band contest;

• Requires last teacher day to be a Monday which would require a memorandum of understanding; and

• Parent Teacher conferences would be held before the first intercession.

At the conclusion of his presentation, Younghans reminded the board that these examples are still just that — examples — adding that there is still plenty of room for revision.

“Both these calendars have pros and cons,” Younghans said.

That said, Stahly indicated that it is the corporation’s intent to endorse one of the two provided calendar models at the board’s Feb. 22 meeting.

“Administratively we will be recommending one of these calenders for adoption,” Stahly said. “That doesn’t mean we’ll have to choose one, but we will administratively recommend one.”