Right before the start of the last school year, Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools officials announced that they’d be cutting hundreds of positions to save money amid a major financial crisis.
This year is beginning on a much higher note — the district is debt-free and rebuilding savings. But as Superintendent Don Phipps said at a press conference Monday, the debt elimination didn’t happen without losses that continue to be felt.
“We have fewer people doing that work, so the load is heavier than ever," Phipps said. "And we certainly appreciate the persistence that our folks have, but also the patience that our community has as well.”
He said in the future, some positions may be restored. But the district will have to be leaner to stay within the budget, especially with less revenue.
The All In For Our Schools campaign raised nearly $10 million for the district over the past year. It played a major role in clearing the debt and building a positive fund balance. But that isn’t recurring funding.
Phipps says the plan going forward is to implement strong financial policies, communicate with the public and school board about the budget more regularly and monitor student enrollment.