Cuts to school staffing are never easy. The School District 166 school board faced a number of difficult staffing decisions at the Thursday, April 23 meeting.
In the school board’s information packet were resolutions proposing the reduction of hours for the positions of several teachers. School districts are allowed to place teachers on “unrequested leave of absence,” without pay or fringe benefits, “because of discontinuance of position, lack of pupils, financial limitations or merger of classes caused by consolidation of districts.”
Because of budget concerns, resolutions were passed to place art teacher Mary MacDonald and band teacher Kerri Bilben on unrequested leave of absence. According to Superintendent Beth Schwarz, the unrequested leaves result in MacDonald employed at 84 percent and Bilben at 81 percent.
Schwarz said other reductions in teaching positions impact probationary or retiring teachers so no other resolution was needed.
The teachers placed on unrequested leave of absence have the option to request a hearing. At the May 21, 2015 school board meeting, the leave of absences become final depending on the outcome of any hearings held or changes to the budget. Schwarz stressed that staff reductions are only proposed at this time.
The board also reviewed a spreadsheet of programing with current electives for 9-12th grades highlighted and approached another difficult task—eliminating electives. Superintendent Schwarz commended Principal Adam Nelson for reviewing electives and figuring out the changes that have the least impact on students. The board accepted the administration’s recommendations to reduce a social studies position, eliminate the business position for K-5 keyboarding, reduce hours for art and Spanish and reduce a custodian’s hours by half.
The reduction in hours for custodial staffer Dean Farnum, who will be working 20 hours per week in the 2015-2016 school year, came at his request.
Unfortunately, Schwarz said the reductions include eliminating senior high choir. Schwarz stressed that this in no way reflects on the work of choir instructor Erika Ternes. “She’s done an excellent job. Anyone who’s heard the choir knows that,” said Schwarz.
She added that the school is not eliminating choir entirely, there will still be middle school choir. She said she hoped a way could be found to grow the program.
The board adopted her recommendations.
Maternity leave request granted, but no coaching
As requested, Superintendent Schwarz provided specific dates to the school board for the leave request from Teacher April Wahlstrom, who is expecting the birth of her first child in June and who has requested use of sick leave during the first quarter of the 2015-2016 school year.
The board had received a memorandum of understanding from the Cook County Education Association (CCEA) regarding a request for leave to care for a newborn child within a year of the birth of a child, which would allow a teacher to take the summer break and then use her accumulated sick leave to be with her newborn.
Board Member Terry Collins said he believed that the CCEA contract language was ambiguous enough to allow the request.
Although she said she didn’t like seeing the term “sick leave” being used for the time a mother spends with her newborn, Board Member Deb White said she supported granting the time off. She said she would like to see the request move forward as Wahlstrom is nearing time to deliver her baby.
Collins moved, seconded by Chair Jeanne Anderson to okay the request for use of 30 paid sick days and 18 unpaid days at the start of the next school year.
The motion passed with Board Member Sissy Lunde voting no because of concerns about the ambiguity of the contract. Board Member Chris Goettl was absent.
White replied, “It is not as concrete as it should be, and should be corrected in the next contract.”
The board then considered Wahlstrom’s request to begin coaching the cross country running team in the fall, while still on leave. There was less discussion of that question with only White in favor of allowing coaching while on leave. Chair Anderson abstained and Collins said, “A paid leave is a paid leave and should be respected as such.”
Special needs services growing?
Board Member White said after recently reading an article about students with special needs, she wanted to learn more. She noted that it seems as if the number of students needing special needs has increased in recent years.
“Where were these kids in elementary school?” White asked. “Do they hit middle school and then develop these problems?”
In her report on School Community Action Team (SCAT) activities, Board Member Lunde said there has been a lot of discussion of this, and youth mental health, in that committee. She added, “I think part of it is that we are getting better at recognizing these issues.”
White asked if the school board could have a special session to learn more about special needs and how they are being met at ISD 166.
In other business
. The board reviewed the school policy for medical leave and early retirement and approved a retirement agreement with Business Teacher Jane Gellner. The board accepted Gellner’s letter of resignation, effective December 15, 2015 with sincere appreciation for her 31 years of service.
Board Chair Anderson said, “She will be missed.”
. Superintendent Schwarz said she thought she would have the architectural drawings of the proposed new bus garage building for the April meeting, but they were not available, so she asked the board to postpone its decision until the May 7 board meeting.
. The school board set a levy planning meeting for May 13 at 5:30 – 7 p.m. at the Jane Mianowski Conference Center. Schwarz encouraged people who are interested to attend that meeting. She said, “This operating levy is critical to our district. It would be nice to see community members, teachers and students rally around our school.”
. White said she had a very “astounding and thoughtprovoking” meeting with the Local Indian Education Committee. She said there are a lot of great things happening in Grand Portage, such as a mentoring project for youths in 3rd grade through 17 years of age.
. Lunde said a number of great family events are coming up. Hot Potato discussions have resumed, which give parents the chance to talk to others about difficult issues facing parents. She said a Bike Rodeo will be held May 7.
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