Corvallis Waldorf School will be back before the Corvallis School Board on Monday to ask the district to consider its offer to lease Fairplay School.

Backers of Waldorf, a private pre-kindergarten through eighth-grade school, wanted to purchase Fairplay, but in February the school board decided not to sell the vacant school. Since buying the school is not an option at this time, Waldorf is seeking a long-term lease.

The board also will hear from principals of schools affected by last year's consolidation; review and likely approve calendars for the 2003-04 and 2004-05 school years; and consider offers from four administrators to forego salary increases next year.

Also, representatives of the district's classified workers union are expected to speak against a plan to "outsource" district custodial services next year to save money. The board is not expected to decide Monday whether to go with an outside company to provide such services.

However, a vote on the Fairplay lease offer is possible.

Waldorf spokesman Frank Hall said the lease would meet the district's need to find a tenant and maintain the building and Waldorf's need for a permanent site. Waldorf leases space at the Unitarian-Universalist Fellowship on Northwest Circle Boulevard and would like to lease Fairplay starting April 1.

For the district, having the school occupied before June would eliminate the possibility of a land-use challenge. If it remains vacant, the building could lose its non-conforming use exemption and the property could revert to being zoned for exclusive farm use.

"We feel really good about the spirit in which (district officials) are working with us," Hall said. "We seem to be able to address all their problems. We can preserve the land-use status, and we will be excellent tenants by keeping the building operating and using it."

The school board will meet in closed session at 5:30 p.m. to consider the Fairplay lease. After reversing a prior decision to sell Fairplay, the district lowered its monthly lease price to 7.5 cents per square foot, or $1,800 per month.

While such transactions can be considered in executive session, the board must vote on the matter during its public meeting.

Transition report

Principals from Adams, Garfield, Jefferson and Mountain View elementary schools and Westland Middle School will give a progress report on their schools, which grew in enrollment following the closure of three other schools last year.

The district does not anticipate any further costs associated with consolidation, as students and staff have settled in at their new schools. This means the district will save $400,000 more in operating costs next year.

In setting the stage for asking all employees to accept a salary freeze next year, four district administrators - Superintendent Jim Ford, facilities director Fred Wright, business director Kathy Rodeman and assistant superintendent Ron Corbell - have offered to pass up salary increases for next year. Ford, Rodeman and Wright have requested a one-year extension on their contracts. Corbell plans to retire in June 2004.

A district-wide salary freeze is on a list of budget options the board reviewed last month. Postponing "step-increases" for teachers, administrators and classified employees would save almost $700,000.

The district is looking to fill a potential $7.3 million budget gap, in anticipation of further cuts in state education funding. Other ideas for reducing the budget included hiring staff at the bottom of the pay scale, reducing maintenance projects, moving to a four-day school week, asking employees to pick up additional retirement contributions, and eliminating high school athletics and activities. Individual schools also could lose 20 percent of their budgets to save $4 million.

If you go

WHAT: Corvallis School Board meeting to hear an update from school principals on the consolidation process; discuss the superintendent and other managers' contracts; approve the 2003-04 and 2004-05 school calendars; and discuss a lease offer for Fairplay School during executive session.

WHEN: 7 p.m. Monday

WHERE: Westland Middle School cafeteria, 1435 S.W.35th St.

INFORMATION: 757-5841