Bracing for another tough budget year, the Cherokee County school board is eyeing a long list of cost-saving measures.

The board at its work session Thursday night reviewed proposals from the school district staff that range from continuing class-size waivers to trimming art, music, physical education and special education programs.

Other ideas on the table include: switching to a half-day kindergarten; increasing the size of special education and gifted classes; making cuts or charging fees for student activity and athletic programs; trimming transportation services for the regular school year and summer school; reducing the school nursing staff, safety and security expenditures and maintenance contracts; skipping the purchase of new textbooks; and raising fees for the use of school facilities.

County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Frank Petruzielo said if these cuts come to pass, they will be met with frustration.

"None of these are going to be met with wide applause by parents," he said. "When the money is not there to provide those services, then something's got to give."

In light of Gov. Sonny Perdue's recommendations that school systems make mid-year cuts to the school nurse program, Petruzielo said the district has no choice but to do so.

"We'll immediately make the adjustments as necessary," he said.

The district employs 47 school nurses for its 40 schools.

The decision to not purchase new textbooks for the upcoming school year would be the first time the district has done so in 10 years, Petruzielo said.

Also, with Perdue's announcement that teachers should take three furlough days during the next five-and-a-half months, Petruzielo recommended Jan. 8 and 11 be counted as two of them. On those days, the schools were closed because of the ice storm.

The proposal was approved by the board. The financial impact of the loss of those days' pay would occur between February and June, and the amount would depend on an employee's salary schedule.

Upon Petruzielo's recommendation, the board pulled $1.9 million from the district's reserves to prevent a third furlough day for all employees.

The use of the $1.9 million would add to the $8 million-hit the district's reserves have already taken in the last 18 months, Petruzielo said. The district currently has about $37 million in its reserves.

"We're already in pretty dangerous territory," he added.

District staff took three furlough days last semester as recommended by Perdue.

Board member Kim Cochran at Thursday's meeting inquired what the impact of furloughs has been on teachers' salaries.

Based on a first-year teacher with a bachelor's degree making the starting salary of $41,500, he or she would lose $1,092 in pay as a result of the five furlough days so far this school year.

Petruzielo said the district will continue to leave six coordinator and supervisor positions vacant in the coming budget year and not make any changes to its organizational chart. Those six positions, he said, have been vacant for two years.

Along with not filling those positions, some teachers-on-special-assignment at the district central office may be moved back into the classroom to fill teaching positions.

Also to help relieve the cost of transportation, the district will not purchase any new school buses next year. Petruzielo said the district staff will look as well at tweaking bus routes in an effort to cut down on fuel usage.

Board members said they were appreciative of the superintendent's and cabinet members' efforts on proposing cuts that would have the least impact possible on classroom learning.

"I appreciate the folks sharpening their pencils on this," board member Janet Read said.

Board Chairwoman Debi Radcliff added this year "will be a difficult year" for the school system.

Board member Mike Chapman additionally outlined ways he thought the district could also further cut costs.

Chapman, who used the manufacturing plant he manages as an example, said it would be wise for the district to "think outside the box" to come up with ways of saving money. These, he said, could include monitoring heating and air conditioning usage, cutting down on paper usage and being meticulous in negotiating vendor contracts to purchase things at the lowest price possible.

"We need to have every teacher and employee-focused on cutting cost," he added.

Petruzielo said the district staff has already taken these steps, adding it was unfair to compare the school system's budget to a business model.

"Unlike your business, we are treated as though we can balance our budget on a miracle," he said. "I hope the public doesn't get the perception that these things haven't been addressed."

In other business, the board approved an $18.7-million contract with Hardin Construction Company to build a replacement elementary school in Ball Ground.

The board voted 6-0-1, with Mrs. Radcliff abstaining because of a potential conflict of interest, to approve the contract, which was the second lowest out of 10 proposals submitted.

The school, which is located within the city limits, will have a 1,200-student capacity and use the same design as the replacement Little River and Canton Elementary Schools.

The 146,403-square-foot building will sit on 25 acres and have 74 classrooms, a media center, computer labs, a gymnasium and art and music rooms. Manley, Spangler and Smith have signed on to be the architects of the project.

Work is slated to begin in February, and the building is scheduled for occupancy in August 2013.

The board on Thursday also approved amending its application to the state government requesting little- to no-interest Qualified School Construction Bonds.

The district had planned to seek $115 million in bonds to build replacement facilities for E.T. Booth and Teasley Middle schools and to construct two new elementary schools.

The elementary schools are being scrapped, which reduces the bond issuance request to $81 million.

The board also voted on Thursday night to purchase one or two properties at undisclosed locations for undisclosed prices based upon staff's approval, provided the sites meet appraisal expectations.