NORWICH – Superintendent Gerard O’Sullivan announced Wednesday night that he would be forgoing a raise next year as one of many measures to cut costs as the district struggles to develop the budget for the 2010-2011 academic year.

“(I am) recommending freezing my salary,” O’Sullivan said, as he discussed the additional $950,000 struck from the draft budget since the district’s board of education saw the document last Wednesday. To date, he has proposed some $2 million in cuts to district spending as Norwich struggles to create a budget which both safeguards the district’s core academic program and minimizes the impact of state aid cuts on the district’s taxpayers.

Included in the suggested cuts are 15 teaching positions, a number of extra-curricular stipends and two sports programs, as well as a host of other reductions.

The announcement, which was made with little fanfare, met with a smattering of applause from the standing-room-only crowd at last night’s school board meeting.