Those are the major cuts so far in a 2007-08 budget approved by the school committee last night.

Superintendent Richard Silverman said “none of the cuts should be made.”

“We are entering into a phase of budget reduction that have very serious consequences for our children and for all of the town of Randolph,” he said. “We’re not going to be offering our children the minimum education they require.”

Elementary classes will average 29 students, and many will have more than 30, he said. At the middle and high schools, the school day may be effectively reduced by 50 minutes due to lack of teachers and the fact that large study halls present a safety risk.

Much of the high school athletic program has been spared, as have student activities and clubs at the middle and high schools. Freshman teams will be eliminated and some varsity sports will be cut.

But the school committee still needs to find an additional $517,045 in cuts to bring its budget to the $29.17 million being recommended to town meeting. If town meeting agrees, it will be the fourth year the school budget has gone without an increase.

As part of the package, the school committee approved an elementary school redistricting plan that means half the students in those grades will be attending a different school in the fall.

Kindergarten classes will be moved from the Devine to the four elementary schools.

Silverman said school administrators will get right to work on elementary school assignments. This will give parents the opportunity to request transfers between schools, he said.

“As soon as we can, we will send letters to every parent telling them which school their child will be assigned to.”

The cuts, which have been discussed since January, came in the wake of voters’ rejection of a $4.16 million Proposition 2½ override at the March 27 town election.

While the budget remains the same, the cuts are needed to cover negotiated pay raises, higher special education costs and other expenses.

Much of the discussion at the meeting was on possible tradeoffs.

Accepted by the school committee were proposals by member Marybeth Nearen which would spare much of the athletics and student activity programs and restore two school nurse positions, so each school building would continue to have a full-time nurse.

Nearen suggested that committee wipe out the remaining budget for the purchase of new textbooks and classroom materials, a savings of $180,000, and eliminate a proposed alternative program.

Silverman said he couldn’t support either of the proposed cuts. He said the textbook budget would go toward math and phonics textbooks which would aid in improving MCAS scores. He said school officials have heard for years from residents about the need for an alternative program to remove disruptive students from regular classes and still meet their educational needs.

Nearen felt eliminating athletics and extracurricular programs would mean “more crime and more students not having anything to do in town.”

She also said the absence of these programs would hurt next year’s graduating class when they apply for college acceptances.

At the start of the meeting, Athletic Director Robert Wargo presented the captains of the school’s spring sports teams and those who were honored for winter sports. He said 419 students are involved in the school’s athletic program.

“Please provide them an opportunity to continue to be involved in athletics,” Wargo said.

Parents also called on the committee not to eliminate athletics.

Committee member Tamara Pitts noted that the alternative program would apply only 25 to 35 students, while far more are involved in athletics. She also felt there could be other ways to meet the goals of the alternative program.

The schools also are charging user fees for school sports and activities. When the schools imposed the charge four years ago, participation in athletic programs dropped.

Silverman will offer recommendations on the remaining cuts at the next school committee meeting on May 3.

Fred Hanson may be reached at fhanson@ledger.com.