The Floyd County Board of Education unanimously approved the fiscal year 2013 budgeet at a called meeting on Thursday.

“It’s going to be a very tight budget but at least we survived one more year,” said David Johnson, vice chairman of the school board.

According to Superintendent Lynn Plunkett, they system “will continue to look for ways at saving money,” said Plunkett.

The budget projects a reduced work schedule by eight days and five fewer days for the instructional school year.

The tax rate will remain the same at 18.588 mills with a loss of approximately $650,000 in local property taxes, due largely to a shrinking tax digest.

The $95 million budget will be funded by $30 million in local taxes and $56 million in state funds with an estimated $8 million being carried over from this year.

The biggest single expense is instruction, which comes in at $60 million, $3 million less than the $63 million spent this year.

In other action:

The board approved Shelly Bell to be the new principal of Pepperell Elementary. Bell is moving from the position of assistant principal at McHenry Primary.

The search has officially begun for a new superintendent with the board’s approval of a outlined proposal by the Georgia School Boards Association. Plunkett announced earlier this year she will leave in December.

The proposal details responsibilities and duties of the association and the district to be followed through the search process.