FREMONT - In an attempt to stave off proposed spending cuts, voters at Saturday's school deliberative session added more than $300,000 back into the proposed $10.9 million school budget.

The move to increase the budget to just over $11.2 million came after the school board and administration cut nearly $430,000 from the spending requests proposed in this budget. The budget committee sliced another $154,000 from the budget proposal.

The cuts threatened eight staff positions, busing, substitute pay, website design, laptop purchases, supplies and science room improvements, among other things.

Voters at the deliberative session approved the school board's request to add the $154,000 back into the budget, then OK'd adding an additional $171,000 at the urging of parents. They also changed figures in a proposed contract for school support staff to correct a math problem.

The contract seeks an additional $62,980 to cover the district's share of health insurance premiums. The funding aims to avoid a penalty under the Affordable Care Act if the district didn't make health insurance available to the support staff employees.

Other articles were moved to the school warrant unchanged and will be decided at the polls on March 12.

jschreiber@newstote.com