Teacher layoffs are forestalled

The city school board avoided laying off teachers, but halved the hours of one physical education teacher and cut hours for non-teaching personnel, as board members approved a $9 million budget for the coming school year.The balanced budget also calls for five furlough days for all district personnel, draws upon 10 percent of the district’s $1.3 million reserve fund, and makes use of $800,000 raised by volunteers, parents and other community members.The state’s financial crisis has s