JAY – The school and budget committees agreed to recommend a $9.7 million fiscal 2010 budget to voters on Tuesday, April 14.

The town-meeting style-vote will be held at 6 p.m. at the Jay Middle School cafeteria.

The spending plan represents a decrease of $482,234 from the current $10.2 million budget. It also supports moving fourth-graders to the middle school and restores some items.

Among those are a high school librarian, business teacher, learning center teacher, returning a half-time art position to full-time, one special education teacher and a special education technician. Also back are a technology integration specialist three days a week at the elementary school, floor-care equipment for health and safety purposes, part-time help desk, graduation expenses, and a pre-kindergarten program through contracted services with Head Start modeled after SAD 17’s program.

Not restored are several teaching positions covering physical education, health, social studies, and chorus and music. Also out are a special education teaching position and a special education technician.

Initially, it was thought the school system would have to decrease 15 teaching positions and six education teaching positions, plus other services and programs due to a loss of revenue.

More revenue, including federal stimulus funding, $216,000 from surplus, and several administrators giving up some pay, contributed to restoring several positions, programs and services.

Jay school representatives, along with SAD 36 and SAD 9 board members, are working on a regional educational task force to try to find more efficiencies to offset loss of state and other funding. They are scheduled to meet at 5 p.m., Monday, April 6, a the Jay Middle School cafeteria. The meetings are open to the public.