The Langley School District has begun to chop at the top.

Grant Lenarduzzi was an assistant superintendent until his departure in October.

But his leaving is only partly the result of the district’s deficit elimination plan.

In an interview following Tuesday’s public board of education meeting, school superintendent Cheryle Beaumont said that Lenarduzzi was also working on his PhD at Simon Fraser University.

He had been with the district for less than three years. According to the Statement of Financial Information (SOFI) schedule for 2008, Lenarduzzi made $131,726, which includes some benefits.

The deficit elimination plan is the district’s course of action to find $8.2 million that was overspent because of errors made in the finance department over two school years.

After the extent of the errors was revealed in September, senior management met with partner groups, including all unions representing employees, to devise ways to make up the shortfall.

Beaumont predicted that cuts would impact all employee levels, with the goal of minimizing the impact on students.

A number of custodial and maintenance positions were the first to go, and the district promised more cuts.

On Tuesday, Beaumont told The Times that more “significant changes” will occur.

Between now and June, some managers and other employees who retire will not be replaced, and further restructuring will lead to more job losses.

Lenarduzzi’s departure shrinks senior management to four: Beaumont, secretary-treasurer Wayne Braun, and assistant superintendents Charlie Etchell and Jennifer Canas.

The deficit restructuring plan, which requires the approval of the Ministry of Education, will spare no level of management, as Beaumont said that cuts in middle management, and among principals and vice-principals, will also occur.

The district has pledged to save $3.3 million in each of the next three years as it recovers the $8.2 million, and is committed to saving $1.6m in administrative and head office cuts.