LIVERMORE FALLS – SAD 36 school directors are looking at cutting $300,000 to $350,000 from this year’s budget due to an anticipated $110 million to $150 million state revenue shortfall that could grow, Superintendent Terry Despres said Thursday.

However, he said though this is not good news, the district is in good shape to deal with it.

Despres said he and the administrative team have been working on making reductions but keeping staff in place and sustaining programs for students.

“We have a solution to walk through it without major damage,” Despres said but other school districts are not as fortunate.

State Commissioner of Education Susan Gendron has informed all superintendents that the Department of Education, which accounts for nearly 40 percent of the state’s General Fund expenditures, is responsible for recommending to the governor nearly $54.8 million in curtailments for the current fiscal year.

“These reductions will cut deeply and because nearly all department funding is General Purpose Aid to Education, that is where most of these curtailments will have to be made, ” Gendron stated in a letter Nov. 10.

Gendron also noted that the Legislature may subsequently take action of its own to make changes to the curtailment through a supplemental budget.

“These are extremely difficult economic times with very difficult choices for use in the days ahead,” Gendron wrote.

Despres put a freeze on spending last month and said that most of the supplies, books and materials were already bought at the beginning of the year.

Despres added that the district has saved about $100,000 budgeted for fuel oil, has received more tuition from Fayette for students, and was awarded a $35,000 state grant for the statewide SAD 36 initiated procurement service.

“I think we are well planned to move forward but we need to move forward together,” Despres said.