Colfax Elementary School District trustees have approved more than $275,000 in budget cuts for 2010-11.

Last month the school board agreed to cut $96,000 from its 2009-10 budget. A budget review committee has been brainstorming ways to slash costs since Superintendent Fred Adam announced in January that the district could be out of money by June due to declining enrollment and state cutbacks. Both budgets put the district theoretically back in the black.

However, Adam said actual numbers could change based on other negotiations. For instance, on Monday trustees opted not to consider eliminating the school’s full-time physical education teacher, which would have saved approximately $49,000.

“I think PE is a cornerstone part of what we do have left here in Colfax,” said board member David Ackerman.

Trustees did agree to eliminate the school counselor for a savings of $11,635 and either replace a retiring teacher with a lower-paid instructor for a reduction of $25,000 or, depending on enrollment, eliminate the position entirely.

State law requires school districts to give preliminary notification of layoffs by March 15. The board has until May 15 to make their final decision.

“Even at that point, cuts could be rescinded very easily with…a reemployment,” Adam said.

Principal Anne Stone expressed sympathy for both affected staff and the district.

“In my teaching career, I spent three years being pink-slipped,” she said. “It was not fun but I never took it personally. I knew the district was doing it to protect themselves.”

If the counselor — who currently works one day per week — is let go, staff will cover student counseling needs as they already do four days a week, Stone said.

“It’s nobody’s favorite answer,” she said. “We’re all very sad about this.”

Another possibility is charging parents for bus transportation, reducing bus services or some combination of the two. Colfax Elementary pays Mid-Placer Public Schools Transportation $29,000 a year for bus service. In the past, the district has earned $5,800 back by charging $180 per student annually, Adam said. Colfax High School currently charges $220.

Other recommendations include reducing supplies, lowering costs associated with hiring substitutes, vacation buyouts and increasing energy-efficiency to reduce the utilities budget. Committee members are also searching for ways to make sure revenue-generating programs like an after-school intervention program don’t exceed the money they bring in.

School financial advisor Terri Ryland said the district looks to be in a good position, but still cautioned trustees to anticipate the possibility of more bad news.

“In the back of your minds, be prepared for another $100,000 hit before end of year,” Ryland said.

Ryland recommended the district increase its minimum reserve from approximately 3 percent to 5 percent, similar to changes made by the Rocklin and Western Placer school districts, to provide emergency funding for the future.

As for the 2009-10 budget, teachers, administrators and classified staff have agreed to add a furlough day and cut instructional aide hours from 3.75 hours to 2.25 hours daily, for respective savings of $13,000 and $16,000. Adam has also agreed to limit his on-campus time to two days, as well as eliminate his costs for conferences, mileage and life insurance.

The budget review committee is composed of the five board members, superintendent Adam, principal Stone, and several teachers, district staff and community members.