More than 125 staff positions, middle school and freshman sports, high school busing and field trips will be eliminated within the Worthington City School District if voters fail to approve the 3.9-mill, three-year incremental levy request on the November ballot.

Board members met last Wednesday to approve a $15 million list of reductions that will be made if the levy request fails.

"If we do not generate additional revenue from the levy request, we will need to make these budget reductions," said Superintendent Melissa Conrath. "We had to have a firm plan in place that would facilitate and aid the reduction process in case the levy fails."

That plan began with board members approving a long list of potential reductions, which also includes increasing athletic pay-to-participate fees to $250 per sport, with no family cap, effective in winter 2010.

Conrath said the finalized list was necessary for planning and communication purposes.

"The list is a way to communicate about the areas we will need to reduce if the levy fails," she said. "It's important for our constituents to be aware of those areas and it will aid in our planning if we have to make those cuts."

The incremental levy, if approved by voters, would begin at 3.9 mills in January and increase by 1.5 mills in both 2011 and 2012, ending at a continuing amount of 6.9 mills.

Treasurer Jeff McCuen said if the tax issue is approved, the first year would cost a homeowner an additional $119 in annual taxes per $100,000 in property value. That amount would increase by $46 in each of the second and third years.

McCuen said the levy request would generate $7.1 million for Worthington schools in the first year.

The certified staff positions to be eliminated include one curriculum leader, four deans or guidance counselors at the middle school, two high school deans, the high school activity directors, two athletic trainers, two district administrators, 11 library media specialists and 24 high school teachers, which will result in a reduced number of high school courses.

Five elementary guidance counselors also would be let go, as would four middle school teachers, which would eliminate middle school teaming.

Certified staff positions to be eliminated include 12 intervention assistance tutors and two science lab assistants, three high school library media assistants, six secretary positions and 12 bus drivers.

Some extracurricular activities at the middle schools and high schools also could be eliminated, effective in fall 2010, as could busing to elementary and middle school students living within two miles of their schools.

Building and department budgets would be cut by 5 percent and professional development days for teachers reduced by 50 percent, effective in November.

Conrath said the district also would have to initiate a process to reconfigure the elementary buildings, which could split the schools into K-3 and 4-6 buildings.

Voters turned down a 7.4-mill continuing operating levy request in May.

The complete list of reductions can be found at the district Web site, worthington.k12.oh.us.