Waterford - The Board of Education voted 9-0 Thursday to formally issue layoff notices to 11 teachers as part of its decision to approve the proposed 2011-12 school budget.

The board also discussed imposing fees next year for students involved in sports and activities at the high school and middle school. No decision was made.

"We have no choice but to make these difficult decisions," said board President Donald Blevins.

According to Superintendent of Schools Jerome Belair, layoffs were instituted because of budget constraints, "not because of performance."

Belair said the laid-off teachers could be recalled if a positions open in the coming months.

The board voted last week to approve the layoffs, the central part of a $1.2 million cut to the proposed $42.9 million school budget.

When it began budget deliberations in January, the board sought wage freezes from the unions that represent school employees. Only the school administrators' union agreed to work next year without a raise.

Belair said he was obligated to stay within the Board of Finance guideline to keep the budget increase to less than 3 percent.

"We dealt with a 'Sophie's Choice' in this budget," Belair said. "There is a lot of sacrifice in the budget but we tried to keep kids in the center."

Several speakers during more than one hour of public comment protested the elimination of an elementary school art teacher and a reduction in music and physical education classes.

Emily Diana, a Waterford High student who will attend Yale to study art next year, implored the board to consider the intangible aspects that art classes bring to education.

Patty Backus, an elementary-level art teacher, lauded the art and music programs in the schools. "You should come into the classes and see the unabashed joy on the students' faces," she said.

The board discussed but did not vote on the "pay to participate" proposal for sports and activities at Waterford High and Clark Lane Middle schools that could raise $44,000, according to current participation numbers.

Board member Tim Egan said activity fees are not "ideal, but the lesser evil."

"This a solution to a particular problem, and it's a reasonable solution," Egan said.

Board member Kathleen McCarty said the school system should investigate soliciting some "discreet advertising" to raise revenue from the private sector for sports and activities.

s.chupaska@theday.com

LAYOFFS IN WATERFORD

The following are the teachers slated to be laid off as of June 30:

Barbara Comstock-King

Michelle Condon

Ellen Getty

Donna Gilberto

Stephanie Glenn

Aerilee Harper

Mary Hendrickson

Michael Manifold

Catherine McDonald

Michelle Pyka

Megan Sheehan