Schools making cuts

[orange-n-brown 365]

This I feel is going to happen more and more here is an article from today's Athens Messenger where Federal Hocking School district is making big cuts!
Fed Hock school district cuts 15 positions

MATT GALLAGHER
Messenger staff writer

STEWART - The Federal Hocking Local School Board cut 15 positions, including teachers, aides, bus drivers and custodians, at its meeting Tuesday night.

The move is expected to save the school district approximately $594,319 by 2012, and should get the district out of debt and on its way out of fiscal emergency.

The school district had been asked to cut $500,000 in expenses by its fiscal commission after it decided not to switch to triple-tier busing as its original fiscal plan had stated.

The board amended its fiscal plan to include the 15 cut positions. The changes to the plan include:

• Eliminating a middle school physical education position, and switching a high school physical education and intervention specialist position to a shared physical education position between the middle and high schools;

• Eliminating a high school intervention specialist position;

• Eliminating a middle school health position;

• Eliminating a high school assistant principal position;

• Eliminating a sixth-grade position;

• Switching a fourth-grade position at Amesville Elementary to a third-grade position;

• Adding a fifth-grade position at Coolville Elementary;

• Eliminating one bus mechanic position;

• Eliminating one custodian position;

• Eliminating one aide at the high school, two aides at Amesville Elementary, two aides at Coolville Elementary; and,

• Eliminating two bus drivers.

The board met in executive session for more than three hours Tuesday night, and the majority of the crowd stuck around to see the outcome. When board members finally returned to regular session, the board's decision did not differ greatly from Supt. Jim Patsey's recommendations. The board decided against eliminating the recommended high school English and social studies position and adding a high school English teaching position.

"This has been a very hard decision," said Bill Elasky, board president. "We repeatedly found reasons why we should not cut any of these positions, but we are in financial crisis. People are understandably upset, but there is no way around it. The bottom line is something has to happen.

"Everything will be done to ensure that the kids are safe," Elasky said. "We will have the best programs we can have."

Patsey pointed out that if the board did not take action to cut the positions and instigate the savings, the fiscal commission would have.

"The reality is, it had to be done," Patsey said. "We wish we didn't have to, but the board doesn't really have a choice."

The board also voted to freeze administrative salaries, and determined that the costs of background checks will no longer be paid by the district but rather by the employee, except for commercially-licensed drivers who are covered under union agreement.

Kim McVey, a parent, protested against the cutting of aide positions because of safety issues for children with disabilities.

"Cutting the aides creates a big safety concern," McVey said. "When there is an emergency, it's the aides who get on their personal cell phones, calling the parents to update them. You need these people there in the case of an emergency."

Board member John Young stated that those concerns will be looked after.

"We are not going to sacrifice the safety of these kids," Young said. "We will take the necessary steps to ensure their safety."

Les Washburn, a bus driver, spoke against cutting bus mechanics, considering the age of many of the buses. "You have old buses that need attention," Washburn said. "I don't feel we can get rid of a mechanic. You need to look at the overall picture before you just go cutting employees."

mgallagher@athensmessenger.com
http://www.athensmessenger.com/main.asp ... M=36338.61

[Mouth's Better Half]

This is so sad. I hate to see any school make cuts like these. Do you have someone that attends there?

[eagles73Taylor]

What it might not tell you is the teaching grade positions are sometimes retirees that they will not hire anyone for. That leads to larger class sizes. I doubt any teacher was let go, might be wrong, but they were probably given either early retirement or asked to move to another position.

[orange-n-brown 365]

This is so sad. I hate to see any school make cuts like these. Do you have someone that attends there?

No but any time a school makes those cuts it makes me sad

[sball32]

I go there, and it's definitely sad to see how our school has fallen apart financially. I know of one teacher who is retiring this year for sure. Our enrollment is also declining, as it has been in the past years. I would estimate now that we have around 330-350, those numbers might be a little off but that's what I estimate. We lose money from the state (and probably 20 kids each year) from Juniors and Seniors opting to go to Tri-County Career Center. Federal Hocking is a great school educationally, the teachers really care about the kids, and I would never want to go anywhere else. Although we may be a poor school right now, that doesn't mean we don't receive a good education here. It's unfortunate they (school board) didn't monitor the spending and finances closer than they did, but now they (most who are currently on the school board are not the same ones who didn't monitor the finances) have to deal with this, but I really think there is going to be light at the end of the tunnel within 2-5 years.

[Mouth's Better Half]

St. Joseph High School in Ironton ,and the grade school for that matter are financially poor but the students get a great education there. I just hate to see intervention teachers and staff axed, or any of the staff. I am sure you get a fine education there.

[sball32]

Yeah, I do. Lol i wasn't trying to say that to someone who said we don't, I was just trying to say that even though we may have no money, we get a good education. After these cuts, we are paper-thin when it comes to staff. There is no room for any more cuts at all.

[mustang_lvr]

I thought I heard on the Columbus news that Canal Winchester wouldn't have any busing.

[Steely Dan]

Anybody that knows me in the school district (which I've made no secret about who I am), knows that I am totally behind the kids, and what we need to do to get them ready for "adulthood".

I have been very uncomfortable with the prior regime, and their decisions. The new regime has been handed a "big old stinky mess", but are plowing ahead, despite this anchor around their necks. I have so much more faith in where the district is heading with the new board, and only feel that it will get better, as other members are moved on...........

Yes, it doesn't feel great right now, but we are moving forward.

[orange-n-brown 365]

steely is this its gonna get worse before it gets better thing? I do hope this is the worst your district sees and things are going to be on the upswing soon! The times I have been in your district for biddy league we were treated good and know some fine people from the district.. Hope the future is bright