Major staffing cuts could shake Greater Victoria schools next year as the school district wrestles with a “staggering” deficit of $7 million to $9 million.

“It could be the largest deficit the board has ever faced,” said board of education chair Tom Ferris.

“The largest I recall was $8.8 million, seven or eight years ago,” school district secretary-treasurer George Ambeault said.

How did the board of the day make up the difference? “We laid off staff. When 90 per cent of your budget is staff you don’t really have anywhere else to go,” said Ambeault.

The same could be true for the coming year, but staffing cuts for teachers, librarians and support staff could bring the school system to a breaking point, a Greater Victoria Teachers’ Association representative said.

“We are at the brink and there’s really no room in the system for anything further without losing programs, without having a serious impact on teaching quality,” said Tara Ehrcke.

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She added local schools are suffering a “death by a thousand cuts” and this latest deficit announcement is “devastating” to schools, teachers and students.

At its first public meeting of the 2009-10 school year Monday night, the district found $2.2 million in its capital reserve that will go toward operating costs next year. Also, the board discussed asking the province to release $3.85 million in restricted capital funds, saved from coming in under cost on construction projects, such as Margaret Jenkins elementary school’s seismic upgrade. Ambeault said any spending of that money would have to be approved by the Ministry of Education.

Combined, those two could take a more than $6 million bite out of the projected deficit, as long as the province plays along.

The school district operates on annual budget of $169 million. It’s illegal for school districts to carry a budget deficit.

ecardone@vicnews.com