NORTH BEND - Budget woes have become somewhat less woeful for North Bend school employees and students. The district plans to add back staff positions - including its school-to-work instructor - and will cut fewer school days than expected.

The changes came Monday when the school board took an educated leap of faith by increasing its budget by $360,000.

About $180,000 will be spent to bring back school days - a proposal subject to union negotiations. The board says it may need to cut only six days, not 10. The other $180,000 will be used to reduce layoffs. Superintendent BJ Hollensteiner said the add-backs could include school-to-work instructor Karleen Burgett as a part-time employee, as well as librarians and educational assistants. Those decisions will be made this week.

"We're going to keep working on it, working on the list," said board member Carol Salisbury. The budget would be adjusted again "if money comes in. We're hoping it will."

The new figures put the district's budget at slightly more than $29.2 million. Hollensteiner described the addition as conservative. It's based on the state's latest revenue forecast.

"We still have to remember, however, there's another estimate coming," Hollensteiner warned. "There's no sure money yet."

Teachers and community members crammed into a small meeting room at district headquarters to hear the news.

The prospect of cutting 10 school days had worried North Benders, including Les Willet, whose grandson will begin kindergarten next year.

The cuts also troubled Eloise Wagoner, a Hillcrest Elementary School teacher.

"I really think it affects the students and their learning," Wagoner said. "That's a half month for students."

Despite the good news, Hollensteiner and Business Manager Sherri Flora still say there could be less funding for the second year of the biennium. So they wanted to avoid expanding the budget by much more.

Flora also noted that the district is using $800,000 from a $1.7 million ending fund balance. That leaves less money for the following year.

The state's latest school budget forecast estimates $5.6 billion for the biennium. Last month the district's budget committee formed its budget under a $5.4 billion estimate.