Sisters Cuts Elementary Principal Position

In what some parents called a shocking decision, the Sisters School District will eliminate the position of principal at Sisters Elementary School in a cost-cutting move.

The unusual move is being made to help trim the budget, the district possibly needing to cut up to $3 million. According to School Board Chairwoman Christine Jones, the district is trying to focus cuts to keep from affecting time in the classroom.

This school year is the first time in recent years that the kindergarten program at Sisters Elementary has been cut to half-day. Making deep cuts now, the district hopes will allow them to stabilize the budget, avoiding cuts next year. That could mean a return to a full-day kindergarten.

Tammy Taylor’s daughter, Lauren, is in the half-day kindergarten now. Taylor says it’s “really hard” to coordinate for parents when students are only at school for half a day.

But Taylor’s greater concern is the education her daughter is getting. She says it’s difficult for both teachers and students to cover everything the kids should be learning on such a short day.

While surprising to parents, the move to eliminate a principal position is not uncommon.

A spokesman for the Oregon Confederation of School Administrators says it’s a move that’s been made by small districts for years. With the economy still down, he says it’s becoming increasingly common at larger districts. Often, one principal is used to oversee multiple schools.

Sisters appears to be planning to use the lead teacher model, with support from the superintendent’s office. As well, the district is hoping to consolidate services with the help of the High Desert Education Service District, to provide support