Howard County schools Superintendent Sydney L. Cousin plans to unveil a $664.781 million operating budget for the 2011 fiscal year - an increase of $8 million over the previous year's - during Thursday's school board meeting, despite a troubled economic climate. "We're all in this together," Cousin said. "We want to be fiscally responsible, and we are." Cousin attributes the 1.2 percent increase to $9.6 million in additional health insurance costs, anticipated changes in the cost of bus contracts and route changes, and $3.6 million in technology user charges. The school system has attempted to combat the increases by cutting nine central office service positions and trimming overtime of custodians and maintenance workers by $121,800. The school system has also deferred purchasing new vehicles for the second consecutive year and put off cosmetic maintenance to a number of schools, according to Cousin. "Overall the philosophy is to have the least impact on the classroom," Cousin said.

- John-John Williams IV