Rochester, N.Y. — (WHAM) - Support staff members in the Rochester City School District rallied Friday, calling on the district to hold off on potential cuts.

Amid reports the state would be cutting school aid by 20 percent, the district recently announced budget reductions across its departments and schools.

The Board of Education Non-Teaching Employees Union recently sent district leaders a plan which they say could save millions of dollars. Under that plan, overtime would be frozen, substitute costs would be reduced, and more than 100 vacancies left open during the 10-week shutdown would remain empty.

One of the major components of the plan would re-purpose support staff amid remote learning. Members of the union are calling for the district to use elementary schools over recreation centers for group remote learning and access to meals. Additionally, the plan calls for support staff to provide meal deliveries to homes and check-ins with students.

“The love and support that they provide to these kids that don’t get a lot of love and support elsewhere,” said BENTE President Dan DiClemente, “and the food is just a tremendous thing that these people do. They’ll take money out of their own pockets, if it means helping a child.”

School safety officer Ricky Hepburn, Sr., says he was disappointed to hear about potential cuts. He says he hopes the district will be open to a conversation about the workers’ proposals.

He says he wants leaders to know he and other workers are not trying to start an argument with district leaders.

“We’re doing it to support you, because we love what we do,” he said. “It’s not so much the paycheck. It’s the commitment to see these young people, when they come in, to excel academically and then graduate and then go onto college.”

DiClemente is calling on the district to hold off on any cuts until Congress is back in session.