More cuts have been proposed in the Rochester City School District as the superintendent and board work to meet the state halfway to fill a remaining $26 million budget gap.

Superintendent Terry Dade presented an adapted budget proposal to the board Tuesday night.

It calls for a close to 6 percent staff cut in the district, including more than 100 more teaching and support positions than his original budget proposal.

Dade is also calling for the closure of Schools Numbers 43 and 20, both pre-K through sixth-grade facilities, and bringing a middle school back to School Number 3.

The proposal also calls for a reduction of school resource officers, but an increase in school safety officers.

Prior to the meeting, people from the community expressed their concerns with the proposed budget during a public hearing.

“Navigating this budget is no doubt like making a decision between bad and worst, you have to make the best of a bad situation and I encourage you to do it in a way that supports our most vulnerable students,” said parent Jessica Gustafson.

Community members in the virtual hearing expressed concerns about Dade's proposals ranging from possible school closures to eliminating school resource officers and social workers.

“We should hopefully look at keeping all social worker positions… Social workers are critical to the survival of our children in the district, they provide so many needed services like counseling,” said Serena, a parent.

Sarah Martyn, an RCSD social worker, added, “When I cry about thinking about these cuts, yes it’s my job, I love my job, but it’s not for my job, it’s for these kids. I honestly cannot even wrap my brain around cutting one position in social work, let alone the deep cuts that have been proposed.”

Deep cuts could impact hundreds of employees in the district in order for the board to approve a balanced budget and close the $26 million gap.

The board of education is set to approve a final budget for the 2021 school year on May 7.