A Sampling of Efficiencies and Streamlining Taken over the Last 3 Years

42 employees reduced
Adjusted timer schedule for all lighting for Support Center
After school instructional programming has been reduced due to cost
Air conditioning has been raised
All completed/signed Work Order forms are scanned in lieu of saved in hard copy form
All utility bills are approved and scanned in lieu of making paper copies
Are rationing copy and construction paper
Are rationing laminating film
Automated receipts for building treasurers instead of handwriting
Avoid nursing subs when possible
Avoid paying substitutes for 1/2 days if a staff member is available to cover
Avoid postage by sending items home to parents in a sealed envelope
Avoid postage by sending items home to parents in a sealed envelope
Bought least expensive pencils we could find versus our traditional Eisenhower pencils
Car Rental and gas vs. Submitting Mileage claim at $.51 per mile
Change air filters and properly lubricate equipment to assure maximum life and efficiency
Changed all but one building to VOIP to save telephone costs
Changed light bulbs to high efficiency light bulbs in lamps
Classroom Instructional Aides are no longer employed
Classroom teachers, library and other areas use less lighting
Classrooms keeping rulers and scissors and using the following year
Closer monitoring of facility usage (Crown Point residents)
College partnerships to save families over 1 million dollars in college tuition costs this year
Combined bus stops
Computer shutdown schedule adjusted
Condensed building supplies to a central location to avoid stockpiling
Condensed building supplies to a central location to avoid stockpiling
Conduct building and grounds inspections to assure safe playground areas and equipment
Continue to adjust all building HVAC system schedules to run only during occupied hours
Continue to adjust all site and building lighting schedules for occupied hours only
Continue to adjust the irrigation systems at applicable buildings for maximum efficiency
Continue to assess the products used for weed and pest control
Continue to check and adjust air dampers to assure proper operation and settings
Continue to conduct yearly inspections on boiler and chiller systems
Continue to do snow removal and ice-control operations at 10 of our 13 locations
Continue to keep equipment in good state of repair
Continue to maintain high-quality grounds keeping at all buildings
Continuously monitoring idling time for buses
Contract freeze and insurance cost reduction
Copier supplies are shared between schools
Cost comparison shopping between vendors
Create job description of interventionist in leiu of hiring full time personnel
Custodial tasks incorporated into food service job descriptions
Cut back on ALL supplies as much as possible
Cut back on hours worked by secretaries
Decrease in 403b vendors (from 22 to 3)
Decreased purchasing of Professional Development Materials
Denial of many requests for new software or subscription services
Development of ACOM forms for ECA Treasurers (decreases double entry)
 A Sampling of Efficiencies and Streamlining Taken over the Last 3 Years

Did not allow overtime- used flex time during registration

Did not replace buses for 2010 and 2011
Did not replace teachers who retired
Did not replace unrepairable van
Direct contact with vendor representatives to negotiate purchasing prices
Director of Tech/Media has assumed professional responsibilities at CPHS media center
Discarded supplies accepted as donations for school use
Ditch the switch by taping over one light switch in every room
Do not have food/snacks at regular meetings
Each driver responsible for cosmetically preparing their bus for annual bus inspection
Electronic transfers for Health Savings Accounts / Wellness
Eliminated "welcome back" luncheon the first teacher work day
Eliminated bus stops
Eliminated holiday gifts for staff
Eliminated media center paraprofessional
Eliminated mini-fridges in classrooms
Eliminated one 4th grade position and the music teacher
Eliminated one full time guidance counselor position
Eliminated purchase of plastic treasure chests for students when they lose teeth
Eliminated purchase of plastic treasure chests for students when they lose teeth
Eliminated school-provided coffee
Eliminated staff breakfast at Christmas time
Eliminated use of candle warmers
Eliminated use of fans
Emailed teachers color coded schedule instead of printing them
Employee Access to benefits, tax info, leave data, contract information
Encouraging use of corporation print shop rather than outside vendor
Extensive and aggressive re-purposing policy to compensate for equipment needs
Extensive cuts to book budget at CPHS library
Extensive cuts to periodical budget at CPHS library
Fax PO's instead of postal mailing; average 25-30 per day
Found sponsors for faculty and retiree holiday luncheon
Full Day Kindergarten Programs have been reduced in the number of classes available
Fund raising for all athletic department expenses
General fund contribution
Give staff incentives with no monetary value
Give student incentives with no monetary value: extra recess, pajama day, etc.
Going green menu day to save energy
Gone to networked printing to save on ink and toner costs
Grade level sections have been reduced
Grade level sections reduced…large student numbers (near 30) in grades 4 and 5
Greater use of scanned and faxed documents to reduce postage costs
Had volunteers from the PU-Calumet education program tutor students before school
Hallway lighting reduce 1/3
Have 1 secretary stay home during 2 hour delays
Have 1 secretary stay home during teacher work days when possible
Heating range has been lowered
Implementation of a cooperative bidding on all purchases to save money.
Implementation of supply request forms for efficiency of purchasing & overstocking
 A Sampling of Efficiencies and Streamlining Taken over the Last 3 Years

Infrastructure, wireless upgrades, network replacement, and upgrades have been delayed
Initiated asphalt repair and maintenance program to extend the life of high-cost installations
Installed timers for ventilation fans
Intense recycling of file & expandable folders; paper clips; rubber bands etc
Intensive grant writing to bring on career counselor and build medical pathway
Intensive work with ACT to receive free products and services
Janitorial staff cut and/or hours cut
Job sharing receptionist job when she is gone
Joining US Communities to get deeper discounts on orders
Lights are turned off in all unoccupied rooms or reduced to a minimal number
Limit the use of outside contractors
Limited coaches to one professional leave per year
Limited use of Special Purpose Vehicle to one per coach/teacher rather than multiples
Loss of CPHS librarian
Loss of Elementary Network Administrator
Mandated Crisis material printed in high school print shop instead of outside vendor
Marketed program with Bulldog Bites to increase participation
Meal price increase
Meeting held with staff to identify jobs teachers can do to keep rooms clean
Menu changes due to cost of food items and cost of inventory
Modified annual equipment inventory due to staffing issues
Monitor and report air leakage due to poor door sweeps and seals
Monitor, inspect and make repairs on roofs
More efficient routes (shortest distance)
Negotiation of consumable math texts for lower price--needed due to extended adoption
New cellular equipment that reduced costs by over 33% while improving network coverage
New networked copiers and got a significant reduction in cost per copy
No longer print in color except for very special occasions
No longer supporting in-classroom printers
No more full day Kindergarten due to reduction in overall # of all day K sections
No use of subs for school secretarial staff or janitorial staff
Non-essential software upgrades have been delayed or eliminated
Online depository for corporation funds
Online Dual Credit Registration
Online grades eliminated the need to send paper progress reports home
Online grades eliminated the need to send paper progress reports home
Online Registration
Online substitute staffing
Online Summer School Scheduling
Online TBR payments - elimination of credit card payments at buildings
Ordered all supplies in bulk at competitive prices
Ordering "off-brand" markers and crayons to save cost
Our program numbers have grown by 30% and we have not added asst coaches
Paperless attendance letter sent via email
Paperless Emergency Response Guides & Plans
Paperless pay checks
Paperless report cards
Parent Access
Parent and student volunteers used to do exterior cleanup and mulching
 A Sampling of Efficiencies and Streamlining Taken over the Last 3 Years

Parent groups have provided instructional equipment through fund raising

Passing information to everyone concerned for sales/discounts/specials etc
Paying $42,000 per year for athletic trainer
Performed organizational audit to determine inventory of building
Printed picture on laser printer instead of having pictures professionally developed
Priority needs are not done such as new laminating machine and playground update
Priority Needs are put on hold such as the need for a security fence
PTO funded after school programming for teacher pay
Recruited volunteer coaches due to the shortfall of coaches in our Athletic Department
Recycling of scrap papers for use as note pad paper
Redid front office configuration using recycled supplies for counter, floor, cabinets, etc.
Reduced custodial staffing levels to levels that compare with League Schools
Reduced errors in the personnel agenda resulting in better use of clerical time
Reduced the number of professional days that require full day substitutes
Reduced vehicle inventory by 50%
Reduction in Athletic Security Supervision
Reduction in custodial staff
Reduction in secretarial staff
Reduction in Traffic Supervision
Reduction of training for Crisis Team members
Reexamined the student supply list for accuracy and efficiency
Regular meetings with local vendors to negotiate pricing and get the best deals
Removal of ice machine
Replaced aged work vans with heavy-duty trucks that double as snow removal vehicles
Replaced nearly all antiquated HVAC equipment and windows
Replaced nearly all deteriorated asphalt
Replacement cycle extended across the board for all equipment
Replacement of CPHS network administrator at significantly lower salary
Require log in to print or copy with the new copiers
Responsible for repair and maintenance of cardio and weight room out of athletic funds
Restructured positions to absorb work loads
Reviewing utility bills before paying and finding mistakes resulting in credits to us
Saved large amount for renewal of WAN and upgraded the service
Scanning and emailing copies instead of photocopying, saving paper
School District Opening School Meeting no longer uses outside motivational speakers
School Professional Development focuses on in-school programs to avoid travel expenses
School Professional Development uses the expertise of staff members
Seasonal electric decorations are no longer used
Share four physical education teachers in a cost cutting move to replace a retirement
Shared nurses to complete state required screenings
Shared nurses to complete state required screenings
Shift to 24 pays
Solicit donations from parents and community as often as possible
Solicited donations and reduced prices for monthly Student of the Month Breakfast
Solicited parent volunteers to help copy and other jobs throughout the school
Some class sizes have increased to over 30 students in a classroom
Spare part inventory reduced
Special Teachers are shared between buildings throughout the district
Specials teachers must be utilized in multiple buildings
 A Sampling of Efficiencies and Streamlining Taken over the Last 3 Years

Stop paying for expenses for coaches clinics

Stopped printing facility usage forms
Stopped the use of personal heaters, coffee warmers, desk lights
Streamlined new employee and technology access
Student shredding
Student/athlete volunteers to work all concession stands to save on payroll
Students sweep floor in cafeteria after each lunch hour
Students write on dry-erase boards and desks to save paper
Students write on dry-erase boards and desks to save paper
Substitute custodians are secured after approximately 2 full days of absence at a 1:2 ratio
Supply budget reduced
SWAT program reduced by 15 minutes weekly due to loss of special teachers' time
Teachers email parents instead of sending home notes
Teachers email parents instead of sending home notes
Technology equipment purchases have been delayed or eliminated except for emergencies
Textbooks are shared between buildings as needed to support new student enrollment
Tracking residencies and using residency watch lists that restricts online registration
Train the trainer approach used for prof development rather than sending entire grade level
Training on entering Service Center orders
Unpaid leave monitored
Unplug all electrical equipment on Friday for energy savings
Use email for memos or other written communication
Use of forms to calculate and communicate contract changes for FMLA and lane changes
Use of online professional development
Used reusable lanyards for visitor's and substitutes passes instead of disposable stickers
Using metal silverware instead of plastic
Utilized high-quality carpet tile to reduce indoor air quality issues
Vigourous defense of Unemployment claims
Waived High School Athletics reimbursement so funds can go for General Fund expense
We are now sending paperless newsletters via e-mail and alert now
Web page enhancements and upgrades have been delayed
Wendy's Workers to help with school chores
Went "green" two Fridays a month in the cafeteria -- no ovens, no electrical appliances
Yearly bid paper order - we encouraged dept heads to order to save $$ and several did