The Billings School District 2 Board of Trustees will look at next year’s budget and attempt to set in stone next year’s school calendar during its regular meeting Monday.

Last month, trustees voted unanimously to begin the process of bringing three mill levies before voters next spring in an attempt to balance the district’s $100 million budget.

During Monday’s meeting, trustees will look at the 2010-11 budget and discuss what possibilities they would face should the levies fail, said Malcolm Goodrich, board chairman.

“We’re desperate this fiscal year,” Goodrich said. “Next fiscal year we’re going to be even more desperate.”

Last year, trustees cut $800,000 from the elementary district budget, which included cuts to middle school wrestling and softball programs.

Trustee Joyce Weber said the district was able to hold on to those programs this year through one-time federal money the schools received. But she said they’ll likely be at risk for cuts again next year.

The cuts the board may be facing would be “much larger than those sorts of things,” Goodrich said.

The three levies – worth roughly $4 million together – would fund operational costs at the elementary schools and buy new technology for the elementary and high schools in the district.

Without that money, the district faces steep cuts to programs and staff members, Goodrich said.

He added that he’s not trying to scare people, he simply wants the public to know what the district is facing with the hope parents and residents will get involved.

“If we have to cut, we’ll cut,” he said.

Trustees will also look at setting up the calendar for the next school year. At issue is whether to set a weeklong spring break during the last of week of March or break it up with a five-day weekend at the end of February and another five-day weekend near the end of April in 2011.

“That’s the biggest thing people have commented on,” Weber said.

The board meets at 5:30 p.m. Monday in the board room at the Lincoln Center, 415 N. 30th St.