In a quiet special meeting Monday night – a public hearing on the school's reduction in force – the Cherokee school board voted to approve the measure, which reduced the school's staff by four: a librarian, a band instructor, an elementary school teacher, and a fifth grade math/math and reading remediation specialist.

The teachers in these positions are Byron Connor, Kelsey Chace, Amy Eckhardt and Hailey Cudmore.

The move was hardly a surprise; Superintendent Bryce Schanbacher had been warning the board – as well as the staff and community – for months that the reduction would be needed.

Drast...