NORTH BEND -  Elementary school nurse Carrie Bohanan laments that only one nurse will oversee North Bend's schools next year.

She's one of many employees whose job is on the chopping block to help the district adapt to a $3 million reduction in funds. Bohanan fears students, along with her own daughter who suffers from asthma, will be put at risk.

"I'm scared for my daughter," Bohanan said. "Our children's safety should be a top issue along with education. If you're sick, you are not in school."

Through her work, she helps several children with diabetes, and about 40 with inhalers at the three elementary schools. Those duties shouldn't be left to school secretaries or other staff, she said.

Bohanan, along with the equivalent of 30 other teachers, administrators and classified staff members are expected to lose their positions.

 "These are the most devastating cuts I've ever been involved in," Superintendent BJ Hollensteiner told teachers, parents and other community members group Tuesday at North Bend High School, as they voiced their concerns and ideas.

Schools in the state got $6.24 billion for the 2007-09 biennium. State revenue forecasts peg it at $5.4 billion for the next biennium, forcing North Bend to cut $3 million.

"This is true only if the budget is built with no raises for employees, no incre½ases for fuel costs, no increases for supplies, no increases anywhere in the budget," she read in a prepared statement.

Some employees got notices Monday, including 17 full-and part-time instructors from the middle and high schools, along with secretaries, custodians, and the middle school principal.

Earlier on Tuesday, the District Leadership Team finalized the reduction and put-back list it will recommend to the budget committee May 13. The final budget must be adopted by June 30, according to state law.

Hollensteiner said the district would consider other ideas to avoid staff cuts, such as going to a four-day school week, a district-wide salary reduction or cutting 10 days, but they would have to be negotiated with labor unions.

"There's nothing off the table," Hollensteiner said.

Most cuts will come from the high school. It has the most programs. One thing that has slowed the reduction process is waiting for high schoolers to pick their schedules for next year to determine which classes are popular, Hollensteiner said. Principal Bill Lucero noted some cuts would lead to larger class sizes. The high school likely will drop its metal-working and construction courses.

"None of us want to see it go," Hollensteiner said.

Board President Karen Helland feared losing those courses could have an impact on students who would take the skills on to family-wage jobs, with local companies like American Bridge and Sause Bros.

"(I) have a huge problem with taking that totally away when it's an option for kids who are not traditionally college bound," she said.

Jim Rose, a North Bend accountant with two schoolchildren, said he's concerned about the timing of the meeting - held at 4 p.m., when many people work - and a lack of transparency.

"The North Bend process has been veiled in secrecy," Rose said.

He also took issue with a "Jumbo-tron" scoreboard being installed at the high school, which was funded through a donation.

"To me personally, that is a huge slap in the face of every one of the 31 employees," he said. "That project should be stopped immediately."

Helland said the scoreboard project began before the budget crisis, and has no impact.

Board member Carol Salisbury didn't take the criticism well. She reminded him that board members are volunteers with no hidden agenda. She said they weren't putting money in their pockets and planning cruises.

"We're trying to keep our school district afloat," she said, her voice rising.

Another audience member suggested consolidating school districts, perhaps countywide, to save money on administrative costs.

Helland and Salisbury said it's not a new idea, but the effort would have to come from the community.

"That has to happen from the ground up," Helland said.

Coos Bay Superintendent Bob De La Vergne and three of Coos Bay School Board members also attended the meeting. De La Vergne said he's open to collaborating with North Bend, but turf issues do get in the way.

"We are in a terrible situation ... but we have to work together," De La Vergne said.

Helland said that while the community hasn't been able to give input on cuts, there still is time to weigh in.

"The process isn't over," she said.