While some school districts may have trouble crunching the numbers and finding money amid a financial crisis, one local school district and its leaders feel prepared and confident that it will make it out unscathed.

According to Superintendent Linda Rice and Business Administrator Marge Robbins, the Union Springs Central School District is in a good fiscal condition going into what is shaping up to be a tough budgeting process.

“We're prepared because of many of the decisions we made this year,” Rice said. “I would praise the board for the decisions they've made over the years for keeping us in a good financial situations so we can look three to five years down the road.”

So far, Union Springs has identified numerous ways to fill a near $1 million deficit as Gov. David Paterson has cut $553,831 in the district's education aid for the 2009-10 budget to plug a state shortfall in the millions.

The school district has been bracing for a difficult budget season this year since Paterson suggested mid-year state aid cuts last fall.

At that time, departments across the district met to discuss ways to immediately conserve funds. Administration eliminated a teacher assistant position and a maintenance position as employees resigned mid-year. The athletic director consolidated bus runs to athletic events and permitted only home scrimmages.

While conferences, field trips and supplies were not outright eliminated, district leadership was more selective in approving them. As a result, teachers are relying on distance learning, which allows students and teachers to interact in real-time between classrooms no matter how far away.

This, coupled with the declining cost of diesel and obtaining a $50,000 rebate in utility costs, resulted in nearly $300,000 in savings, which will be added to the district's unappropriated fund balance.

“We specifically worked very hard to save money so we could offset that shortfall,” Rice said. “We got to work immediately as soon as we heard about it. I'm proud of the staff. Those savings are because they rose to the occasion.”

To close the gap, district leadership will, as it does before every budget season, study enrollment trends - which is anticipated to shrink by 30 students next fall to 920 - to identify the staffing requirements.

“We'll know what our needs and what are student needs are,” Rice said, “and the needs of programming will drive decisions. That process is going on right now.”

The district downsized its staff last year, eliminating two teacher positions, a cleaner position, an administrator, a part-time nurse and computer technician position, mostly by attrition.

Union Springs, as well as a number of other districts in the area, collectively applied for a grant through Safe Schools-Healthy Students, a federal grant designed to create safe and drug-free schools and promote healthy childhood development.

The district is also awaiting word about the federal stimulus plan, how much is coming and how that money can be accessed and utilized.

But though Rice and Robbins are confident the district will make it through these tough times, they are still being cautious in their preparations.

“We're hoping for the best,” Rice said, “but preparing for the worst.”

Staff writer Alyssa Sunkin can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 239 or alyssa.sunkin@lee.net