DeKALB | Sycamore School District 427 will cut a total of 35 staff positions and three programs, effective next school year.

Two of the programs that will get cut include intramural sports and the Spartan Academy, a summer school program for kindergarten through fifth grade students. Another program that will be cut is Teen REACH, a program offering services and activities during non-school hours focusing on life skills, education and recreation. Superintendent Wayne Reisen said all of the programs are after-school programs. The cuts pose to save the district $1.7 million.

“These savings will simply go towards reducing the budget deficit and will work towards the Board of Education’s goal of bringing the budget back into balance over a three year period,” Reisen said.

Sycamore Mayor Ken Mundy showed his support to the board.

“No one better knows the needs of each school district than the locally elected school boards and the appointed administrations which are charged with school operations,” Mundy said.

Reisen said the cuts were necessary because of diminishing revenues caused by many factors including a downturn of the local economy, lack of new residential growth, the impact of the tax cap on taxing bodies and the state’s inability to pay their bills to school districts.

Jacinda Cruz, junior elementary education major, said this will pose additional obstacles for teachers and students.

“If one student needs individual help it makes it much more difficult to focus on them because of larger class sizes,” Criez said. “It is going to affect both teachers and perspective teachers.”

Criez proposed some steps that should be taken before cuts.

“Instead of cutting programs they could try to combine them,” Criez said. “Teachers should also become more aware of all of the state grants that are available out there.”