Adopting Dr. Jamelle S. Wilson’s first budget proposal for Hanover County Public Schools had been planned for the Hanover County School Board agenda last week, but the superintendent has decided more work is needed on the numbers.

Just two weeks earlier, on Jan. 10, Wilson, in her first year as the school district’s leader, proposed a budget of $191.16 million – with 102.2 jobs being eliminated. Job losses were not addressed at last Tuesday’s meeting.

The classroom would take the biggest hit, with 62.2 positions affected. Wilson said 16.1 vacant positions will not be filled and 14.9 full-time equivalent leadership, transportation and support staff positions, as well as nine secondary senior teacher and family life teaching positions, are being considered for elimination.

On Jan. 24, the School Board agreed with Wilson’s recommendation that four more weeks of workshops be scheduled before the budget is adopted. Workshops are planned for 7:30 p.m. on Jan. 31, Feb. 7, Feb. 16 and Feb. 21 at the Central Office at 200 Berkley St. in Ashland.

The next regular meeting will be held at 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 14.

Now, adoption is targeted for vote during the workshop on Feb. 21. It was announced that more workshops will be conducted if necessary. “The extra time will give the board more time to ask questions and our staff more time to answer them,” Wilson said.

After School Board chairman John F. Axselle III reminded members that they could vote to revise the schedule again, they unanimously agreed to the new schedule.

Dr. Michael Thornton, assistant superintendent of business and operations, presented a budget history for the school system. He referred to the budget of Fiscal Year 2009-2010 when a deficit of more than $19.1 million was faced. He said the total for the four years leading to — and including the current budget deficit of $13.9 million — is more than $60.1 million. He said the deficit for the four years was balanced by using $28.6 million in non-recurring revenue and $31.5 million in expenditure reductions.

Thornton also said 85 percent of the current proposed budget was personnel costs, with two-thirds being for the classroom.

Over the four-year period, 95 percent of cuts to balance the budgets were implemented in an effort to not increase classroom size.