Las Cruces Public Schools principals address concerns for cuts next year

There will be more students per teacher at the four Las Cruces high schools next fall.

It was a meeting of the minds Tuesday as the Las Cruces, Mayfield, O ate and Centennial high schools principals met with members of the school board. They talked about right sizing the district now that major financial problems could be looming for Las Cruces Public Schools.

“It’s always hard losing. Especially when you have good teachers. It’s the hardest part of the job but we know it has to be done,” O ate High School Principal David Day said.

“I’m down to the bare bones in math, science, English and social studies areas,” Mayfield High School Principal Jo Beth Hawk said.

The three principals from O ate, Mayfield and Las Cruces high schools said they’ll be having to cut 31 positions next year. Centennial High School will not have to cut any.

“The good news is we believe there will be no lay-offs required,” LCPS Superintendent Stan Rounds said. “Through vacancies, through retirements, through temporary employees that came in after the beginning of the year, we garner enough that nobody will lose their job that has one today and is in good standing.”

With a decrease in student enrollment and state funding, principals try to gauge the changes that effect how many students are in each class with a teacher at a time.

Rounds said he’s gratified to have such high-level professionals on his team that understand when cuts need to be made. As ABC-7 has previously reported, he district has already cut into reserves and may have a deficit next school year.