The School Committee on Wednesday approved more than $951,800 in cuts to the School Department's proposed budget in an effort to close the approximately $1.6 million gap between what administrators say is needed and what the town can provide. But there are no plans to cut any further -- at least, not before Town Meeting.

The rest of the money -- nearly $700,000 -- would have to come out of classrooms, and School Committee members said they'd rather go to Town Meeting with an unbalanced budget, and see if voters will support giving more money to the schools, than cut the budget by that much.

"We'll be going [onto] Town Meeting floor saying we need another [$700,000] in our budget, and that's what we'll fight for," newly re-elected School Committee member Rhonda Veugen said during a "workshop" meeting held to address the budget.

The $951,800 in cuts was proposed by Superintendent Dr. Barry Rabinovitch. The money comes from: A plan to reorganize the district's top administration, saving approximately $96,000; funding accounts at last year's levels, for a savings of $118,000; replacing retiring teachers and therapists with lower-salaried hires, saving more than $322,000; a savings of $18,000 due to contract negotiations, and not earmarking funds for textbooks and technology, which totaled nearly $398,000.

The Selectmen, at the request of Town Administrator Derek Sullivan, added an article to the upcoming spring Town Meeting warrant that will ask voters to approve the borrowing of funds for textbooks and technology.

After hearing how the additional $700,000 in cuts would impact both elementary schools, Wareham Middle, and Wareham High, School Committee members said they wanted Town Meeting to decide what to do.

"I can't support any cuts. ... There comes a time when we have to put our foot down," said School Committee member Ken Fontes, who also voted in opposition of Rabinovitch's plan. "I'll fight for all the money we can get, if anything," alluding that the schools may have to cut that $700,000 anyway, if Town Meeting doesn't OK more funds.

The elementary and middle school principals were charged with cutting $150,000 each, while the high school principal was asked to cut $250,000. Their proposals included cutting "interventionists" who help struggling students, eliminating student activities, and laying off art and music teachers.

Wareham High School Principal Scott Palladino reported that he'd have to get rid of two "major" high school sports, and might even have to schedule study halls so big that they'd have to be held in the cafeteria, rather than in a classroom.

Minot Forest Elementary Principal Joan Seamans presented first, and expressed a sentiment that was echoed by each principal who followed.

"These are services that are going to directly affect our children. ... Our MCAS show that we need to give these students as much support as we can," she said. "I'm not in favor of these cuts."

School Committee member Cliff Sylvia was frustrated.

"This is a blueprint for the dismantling of Wareham Public Schools," he said. "I've said it before and I'll say it again. We cannot fix a revenue problem on the expense side of the ledger. It cannot continually be done."

But Sylvia said he sensed an "air of collaboration and an honest attempt to collegially deal" with the budget issue, which he hasn't felt in previous years.

School Committee members said they hoped that Town Meeting voters would appreciate the efforts made by the School Department, and continually stressed the importance of keeping dollars in the classrooms.

"We owe it to our staff to give them the resources so they can be successful," said School Committee Chair Geoff Swett. "It's really hard to hold people accountable for student achievement when you take away basics."