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But board members disagreed whether they should vote to re-instate it in the next spring if a levy referendum passes this fall.
"I have a problem with saying that right now," Jennifer Woodward said.
She and Natalie Siderius said they don't want to guarantee residents the program would be reinstated, only to have financial circumstances change and have to go back on their word.
A lot can happen between now and then, Siderius said.
But board members and chairman Larry Laber were outvoted in a measure that will reinstate full-day kindergarten if a levy referendum passes.
Much of the board meeting was devoted to determining what can be cut in light of a more than $1.5 million deficit projected for next school year. The board has pledged to make $2 million in reductions.
Kindergarten changes
In the fall, kindergarten will be held Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, with an enrichment program offered the other days through a Community Education program.
Kinder Academy will cost parents roughly $1,000 per year, or less if they qualify for the federally set income guidelines for free or reduced lunch.
The state only pays for half-time kindergarten, and through the change, the district estimates to save $240,000.
Teacher cuts
The board also went ahead with a proposal to cut five general education teaching positions from the Winona Middle School, a savings of approximately $240,000.
Human resources director Pat Blaisdell estimates approximately 10 teachers will retire from the middle school, which should prevent staff from being laid off.
The board could vote on whether to cut four and one-half positions at elementary schools, for a savings of approximately $216,000, at a future meeting.
While Winona Area Public Schools administration has brought forth individual proposals before, it now has presented a general list of targeted reductions, totaling $1.92 million.
The rest of the $2 million the board pledged to cut for the 05-06 school year comes from reductions already made for this year, Superintendent Paul Durand said.
The reductions proposal includes $440,000 in cuts to clerical, administration, maintenance and paraprofessional personnel, $800,000 in teaching positions, $150,000 for a leadership program, $90,000 in transportation, $100,000 each for athletics and fine arts and $240,000 for full-day kindergarten.
Not all details on what reductions will specifically entail were presented.
Marching band
By cutting the high school and middle school marching band programs, the district estimated it would save $9,420, based on last summer's staff costs.
Instead, the board voted to charge middle school students, who currently pay $15, $30 to participate, and high school students, who have no fee, $45, to cover staff cost. Five dollars of each fee will cover costs beyond salaries, such as travel.
In the past, towns where the bands traveled to perform in parades have paid them, which defrayed transportation costs, band directors said.
Other items
--District 861 taxpayers will save over $1.5 million due to refinancing of bonds on debt for the Winona Middle School construction.
This translates into almost $120,000 less per year across the district for property taxes payable in 2006 through 2018.
--After adjourning to hold a closed meeting, the board voted to expel a Winona Senior High School student for the remainder of the school year.
Because of student privacy restrictions, the board did not release the name of the student or the nature of his or her offense, other than that it violated the district's student code of conduct policy.
--The school board meeting was continuing at press time, so there will be more coverage in future editions of the Daily News.
Reporter Shannon Fiecke can be reached at (507) 453-3519 or shannon.fiecke@winonadailynews.com.
