With staffing cuts on the horizon at Rochester Memorial School, concerned parents filled the Town Hall on March 1 to discuss 2013 budget shortfalls with the Rochester School Committee whose members say the proposal is still $82,676 shy of meeting with service costs.

In January the school’s budget subcommittee had requested an additional $417,000 for the 2013 budget to meet with increased costs of utilities, more students attending vocational schools, contractual obligations with staff members and special education services.

While the subcommittee has been able to recoup most of the $417,000 due to contract renegotiations with service providers and staffing cuts including paraprofessionals and two teachers, there is still $82,676 left unaccounted.

Most of the parents who attended the March 1 meeting asked the same question: will the remaining shortfall reduce the teaching staff even further?

Rochester resident Steve Demmer, who has a child in the sixth grade at the elementary school, said the budget cuts are “a slippery slope.”

“You need to make sure the great service in the Rochester school system doesn’t get compromised,” Demmer said. “It can’t be the teachers. It just can’t be. The necessity to maintain teachers outweighs some of the fat [in the budget].”

Superintendent Doug White said both the School Committee and the budget subcommittee have been working with the town’s Board of Selectmen, Finance Committee members and Town Administrator Richard LaCamera to review all of the possibilities.

“What we do is look at what the least amount of impact will be on what is most important to us – our children,” White said. “We are looking under every rock.”

Since January, the school has seen savings in use of electricity. In October the school was paying $23,000 a month, which has since dropped to $8,600 per month. White said he hope to see more utilities savings as the year progresses.

The school is currently facing a deficit with their remaining 2012 budget. Katie Isernio, business administrator for the district, said there is a shortfall of $1,466.89.

“There are many challenges in the current year’s budget that we are faced with and continue to monitor,” Isernio said. “Everybody is being conscientious and conservative.”

The School Committee will hold a second public hearing for budget discussions in early April, during which time, the committee members said they hope parents will continue to voice their concerns.