Preliminary Staffing Reductions Approved by District 197 School Board

The District 197 School Board approved the non-renewal of 30 probationary teacher contracts and a preliminary list of unrequested leave of absences for tenured teachers at their meeting Monday night.

Of the probationary contracts not renewed (teachers with fewer than one or three years in the district depending on contract) 19 are full-time employees.

Six teachers were identified for partial unrequested leaves of absences totaling 1.55 full-time equivalent (FTE) positions.

Human Resources Director MaryAnn Thomas said that the action gives probationary staff an opportunity to apply for open positions within the district, and tenured staff time to appeal before both lists must be finalized by June 30.

Between now and final approval, changes to both lists could be made. Probationary teachers without contracts for next year could be recalled due to retirements or leave of absences, for example.

Impact to Music

The meeting followed a packed public comment period dominated by students and parents advocating to keep Aaron Kapaun in his position at the high school. Kapaun has been identified for a reduction of .12 to .7 time, and will be moved to Somerset and the elementary school introductory music program.

Reductions to band teachers Laurie Booth and Clayton Browne were greater, but both teachers will remain for the most part in their current programs.

One of two physical education teachers will get the brunt of the leave recommendation, and a media specialist will also take a small reduction.

Music teacher would take on the full-time vocal position at Sibley.

A Jigsaw Puzzle

Board members lamented the contractual and statutory obligations that greatly constrain the process.

“The rigidity of a seniority system in my opinion needs to change,” said board member Mark Spurr.  “It’s not allowing us to make good decisions for the kids, in my opinion. … I find it extremely frustrating and I think the public finds it extremely frustrating that this seems to be the way it has to be.”

Starting with the most senior teacher and working down, staff must be placed in an equivalent workload position within their licensure, meaning that if a senior teacher worked at .7 FTE this year, they must work at least .7 FTE next year somewhere within their license parameters. When those matches are exhausted, the less senior staff receive positions pieced together by the remaining positions to reach as close to their current workload as possible, again within their licensure, rather than their specialty.

In addition, under current law, specialist/support positions such as elementary school counselors currently being funded through grant money that will run out next year cannot be funded at a lower level in an effort to move those dollars elsewhere in the budget.

Board members expressed grave concerns about the potential impact to the music programs in the district, and questioned the viability of what will be offered after the reductions.

Haugen said that despite the changes, most music programs will remain intact. Total reductions of 1.183 FTE are identified for music staff total across the district.

Those reductions are to be made mostly by providing fewer hours of music instruction throughout the district, but particularly in the elementary level.

Responding to Outcry

To preserve Kapaun at the high school would require an extra $25,000 from the budget reserve, according to Thomas.

 “It seems to me in terms of bang for the buck it’s worth it,” Spurr said. He moved an amendment to direct administration to keep the teacher at the high school. “We’re elected to represent the public and I’ve been hearing a lot about this from the public. … and I think it’s worthwhile. I think it’s appropriate to be responsive. … I mean money is money, but at the very least we need to be finding $25,000 from some other spot if that’s what it’s going to take.”

The resolution did not pass.

…Or Meddling in Management?

“This whole board supports music—unanimously—that’s not a question, and we want an excellent music program in the district,” board member Cristina Gillette said. “But to focus on one teacher and to single one teacher out, I just don’t see how that’s fair and just. There are so many excellent teachers in our district, and there are excellent teachers that we are having to let go tonight, and choosing just one just isn’t right.”

Board member Dewayne Dill, who prefaced his comments by saying his own daughter wants to become a music teacher, also opposed the amendment. “When it comes down to it, this really isn’t our problem. This is a consequence of the very point that you made, Mark, at the very beginning—that this system, this doesn’t work very well, and it forces us and our community to accept the consequences of things that quite honestly just don’t make any sense. But I feel it’s not our responsibility to figure this out. As much as I very much dislike the consequence of the way the game is played, the rules are the rules.”

“We kind of asked for this,” board member Pat Barnum said. “We asked the administration to come up with new ideas of cost savings, and then we rejected what they came up with and chose to nibble around the edges. And when you nibble around the edges this is what you get.  … Having said that, I would challenge the administration to find a way to fix this.”

Not Over Yet

Superintendent Jay Haugen said after the meeting that administration will be working to make improvements to next year’s staffing until the last minute within the parameters they’ve been given by the board. He said administrators face “a wealth of talent” when making staffing decisions, particularly in the music departments.

Impacts of the budget can be discussed at the site level at this week. The first session scheduled for tonight, Tuesday May 3, is geared toward the secondary schools, and the second, scheduled for Wednesday, May 4, will address elementary schools.