The Orcas Island School District has cut $120,000 from its current operating budget.

The shortfall has been caused by a combination of factors: cuts to state funding, lower than predicted enrollment in some schools, and increased costs of operations. As part of these budget cuts the School Board has instructed the district administration to reduce spending on transportation by decreasing bus service by one day per week.

Beginning Friday, March 23, the school will not provide bus transportation to or from school on Fridays for the remainder of the school year.

“We recognize that this reduction will have an impact on many of our families who rely on our bus drivers to get their students to and from school safely,” said superintendent/principal Barbara Kline. “We are hoping that with some advance notice, families will be able to arrange car pooling to transport their students.”

Kline says she appreciated all of those who have donated to the Orcas Island Education Foundation to support the school district.

“Positions have been restored thanks to the generosity of donors,” she said. “Unfortunately the $6500 needed to avoid cuts to transportation has not been raised. None of us want to make any of these cuts but we feel that the cuts are required in order to ensure that the district ends the year with a positive fund balance as we need to do.”