Plainfield School Board will hold a special meeting at 7:30 a.m. Sept. 11 at the administration center, 15732 Howard St.

Yep, that's a Saturday.

At that meeting, the board plans to discuss what they would be willing to cut in the budget for the 2011-12 school year. The district is expecting a deficit of about $7.5 million in June.

Superintendent John Harper told the board he needs marching orders on what the board wants regarding the upcoming budget cuts. He asked for five to eight parameters that can drive the work as administration puts together a budget for next school year.

"Tell me if you want fees to be touched. Tell me if class size should not be touched. ... AP classes," Harper said last month. "If the board can help me, give me the priorities, it will guide the work and I think the product will be a good one."

School board President Stuart Bledsoe said it's time for the board to get creative in finding future cuts because they can't keep cutting teachers. In fact, he would like to see class sizes even smaller.

The board will also discuss if the district should form a Citizens Advisory Council.

Harper recommended forming a council that would be composed of residents with financial expertise and community members invested in curricular, co-curricular and extracurricular programs.

The council would include Harper, district finance administrators and one board member.

The group would meet seven consecutive Thursdays, Oct. 7 through Nov. 18, with a presentation to the board Nov. 22, offering suggestions on what the board could possibly cut in administrative costs, operations, instructional and co-curricular and extracurricular programs.

The entire board has yet to discuss this proposed council. But a committee of three board members had some reservations.

So do you think the district should have a Citizens Advisory Council? Will it help? And, what should the district cut?

Here's the article about the council:

Herald-News