Peabody Looks To Cut $6 Million From School Budget

PEABODY, MA -- The school system is looking to cut its budget by $6 million to $72 million, according to the Salem News. The cuts include $500,000 that had been budgeted for school supplies and the positions of 10 classroom teachers, five teachers aides, a custodian and a guidance counselor. The proposed cuts also call for the elimination of two professional development days for a savings of $550,000.

Half of the staffing cuts would come through retirements and non-renewal of contracts, interim Superintendent Herb Levine told the newspaper. "We don’t expect to lose anyone we want to keep. Everybody we want to keep will have a job," he said.

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Patch file photo.

Dave Copeland can be reached at dave.copeland@patch.com or by calling 617-433-7851. Follow him on Twitter (@CopeWrites) and Facebook (/copewrites).