Pink slips will be going out to hundreds of teachers, guidance counsellors, librarians, school secretaries and vice-principals after Toronto trustees approved almost $28 million in staff cuts.

After several motions were put forward and failed following about four hours of debate Wednesday night, trustees voted to approve the staff reductions.

Chair Chris Bolton said trustees are having difficulty because “what’s been happening has trustees very concerned, as is the community, about the cutting that’s been going on . . . people are realizing we are getting to the point where we are making really deep cuts.”

For the 2013-14 school year, the Toronto District School Board is facing a $55 million deficit. While it won’t finalize its budget until June, under collective agreements, any layoff notices need to go out by mid-April.

The staffing cuts are in part due to declining enrolment in high schools, as well as the board moving closer to the levels of staffing the province actually funds for.

However, not everyone who receives a pink slip will necessary lose their job. Last year, when 200 layoff notices went out to secondary teachers, all were brought back and, in fact, the board ended up hiring 50 additional teachers.

Staffing represents two-thirds of the board’s budget.

Some 248 secondary teaching positions will be lost, though elementary teachers will get a boost thanks to full-day kindergarten and an upswing in enrolment.

“Though staffing decisions are always difficult, this is an important step in putting the board on solid financial footing so that we can continue offering students the best school experiences,” Bolton also said.

Trustee Shelley Laskin noted there are very few places the board can cut.

“We don’t have any wiggle room in this budget,” added Trustee Gerri Gershon.

The loss of secondary teachers was recommended because of a drop in enrolment as well as moving closer to the student-teacher ratio the province provides funding for, which is 22 to one.

The board currently has a ratio of 21.4 to one, and under the cuts would move to 21.7 to one.

The board is experiencing a rise in enrolment in elementary schools, fuelled by full-day kindergarten as well as a mini-boom of the baby boomers’ grandchildren. It has yet to filter up to secondary schools.

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By this fall, half of all Toronto high schools will have fewer than 800 students, and 40 per cent fewer than 500.

Last year, trustees faced a $109 million deficit — a record — and cut 430 education assistants, 134 school secretaries, 17 vice-principals, 200 high school teachers , 10 caretaker and six hall safety monitors. Senior administration also took a cut.