Emotions run high as Pender County School leaders warn of impact from budget cuts

PENDER COUNTY, NC — Emotions ran high in Pender County Tuesday as school administrators and principals pleaded with the Board of Education over proposed budget cuts that could significantly impact classrooms across the district.

Several principals became emotional while addressing the board during a specially called meeting focused on a nearly $2.7 million budget shortfall.

Among them was Pender High School Principal Nick Paquette, who questioned how the district reached this point and expressed frustration over the funding gap.

“I have attempted to put in calls myself to the commissioners to understand,” said Paquette.

The district faces the reductions after county commissioners last week approved just $1.3 million of the Board of Education’s $4 million funding request.

Superintendent Brad Breedlove presented a list of possible cuts and said many of the reductions could affect staffing because personnel make up the majority of the district’s budget.

“About 80, you saw on the screen about 86% of that budget is personnel, and so it’s hard to make 2.7 million cuts without impacting personnel,” said Breedlove.

Proposed cuts include moving district office staff back into classrooms, reducing substitute funding, and scaling back teacher support and services.

Breedlove said district leaders were not prepared for the size of the reduction and described conversations with staff about potential cuts as difficult.

“We had prepared for maybe a quarter cut, or a half a cut, and even three quarters of a cut and that’s really what the allotment was about three quarters shy of what we would ask for,” Breedlove said. “But then to take that and explain that to our principals, our staff, those that would be impacted over this past week, having those conversations on the front end about next year is extremely difficult. No matter what the cuts are, whether it’s people or programs, it’s all going to impact classrooms eventually.”

School board members said they want the opportunity to sit down with county commissioners and discuss the potential impact of the cuts before any final decisions are made.

Breedlove said communication and collaboration will be key as both sides work through the budget challenges.

“I think it’s just understanding, right? Understanding the impact on the school system, understanding their position as well, and can there be a compromise? What can we do to move the system forward, whatever that is, and I think when leaders sit down and work together and compromise and at least hear each other out, I think that’s progress in and of itself,” said Breedlove.

Board member Beth Burns thanked the administrators who attended the meeting and praised their dedication to students.

“There has never been any doubt in my mind that Pender County Schools is a family, and I think that that family is about to join together to do what they have to do to make sure their students feel the implications of this current budget as little as possible,” said Burns.

The Board of Education has called a joint meeting with county commissioners to discuss the budget gap. It is scheduled for Wednesday at 6 p.m. in the commissioners’ boardroom at the Pender County Government Administrative Building at 805 South Walker Street in Burgaw.

Click here to read Dr. Breedlove’s presentation to the board of education.