Twelve resignations this month could help Muncie Community Schools get a little closer to balancing its budget.
In March, Mark Burkhart, associate superintendent of Muncie schools, said $300,000 still needed to be saved to balance this year's budget, and not replacing five teacher jobs could do the trick.
He said he's not sure which positions, if any, the school system can afford to leave vacated. For example, he said Rick Pippin's position as physical education teacher at South View Elementary School must be filled. The school will still need PE teachers, he said.
Burkhart is also retiring this year. He and Pippin each have 40 years experience with Muncie schools.
Along with his title as associate superintendent, Burkhart also holds the unofficial title as chief financial officer for the school system.
He said before the school board looks into replacing him, it has to decide if it wants to officially change the title to reflect the financial duties of the position.
Most chief financial officers have no experience as teachers or administrators, he said, and his teaching background has really helped him understand the business of operating a school system.
Keeping the old title would limit the pool of applicants to people with a superintendent's license, he said. If somebody comes into this position without an educational background, it will seem foreign to them.
"Schools are businesses, but they're different than profit-making businesses," he said.
Cost saving and downsizing have been consistent themes for Muncie schools ever since Burkhart came to the school system.
"We're very experienced at this," he said.
Despite the economic struggles, Burkhart said the school district will make it through the tough times.
"I think we're in pretty good shape," he said.
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