By Tammy Gray Three teaching positions, two full-time and one part-time, have been eliminated from the Joseph City Unified School District for the upcoming school year due to budget cuts. Governing board members approved the reduction in force during a meeting on April 8. The teaching positions to be eliminated include one third grade position currently filled by MaryAnn Bratt, one sixth grade position currently filled by Patrick Gaatz, and the family and consumer science (FACS) position currently filled by Glenna Spurlock. The teachers affected have received notice that their contracts will not be renewed for the upcoming school year. Superintendent Bryan Fields formerly reported that the reduction in force was necessary due to a shrinking budget for the 2014-15 school year. Declining enrollment numbers during the current school year mean that Joseph City schools will receive less funding next year. He stated that the district has cut as many other costs as possible, but reducing the number of teachers based on the low enrollment numbers was unavoidable. In a memo to the board, Fields noted that he is still waiting for the state legislature to finalize the budget before setting salary rates for the upcoming year. “Once our staffing issues for the next year are settled and the governor signs the fiscal year 2015 budget, we can project with more certainty the amount available for salaries,” he wrote. “At that point, we will work together with staff and administration to develop a salary proposal for fiscal year 2015 and will present that to the board. Revised employee contracts will then be prepared to reflect any resulting changes to salaries. Our goal is to present those to the board for approval at the June meeting.” In other action April 8, the board: * Accepted the resignation of first grade teacher Corinne Rollins. * Approved student out-of-state travel for the senior class trip to California. * Approved an agreement with the Navajo County Consortium for special needs student services. * Held the first reading of policy updates recommended by the Arizona School Boards Association regarding board member conflict of interest, school board minutes, weapons in school, student wellness and child abuse reporting policies. The next regular board meeting is scheduled at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, May 13, at the district board room.