Two layoffs and some last-minute retirements mean Southwest School Corp. could have six fewer teachers in its classrooms next year.
Facing a projected funding cut of “several hundred thousand dollars,” according to Superintendent Walter Hoke, the SWSC Board of Trustees voted Thursday to cut two positions at Sullivan High School. But the district was able to maintain five positions previously targeted for layoffs because of retirements by other teachers.
The two cut positions are a special education/remediation teacher at SHS and the high school dean. The eight teacher retirements approved Thursday mean SWSC will not cut two Sullivan Elementary School kindergarten teachers, a Carlisle Elementary kindergarten teacher, an SHS agriculture teacher and an SHS library aide as previously proposed.
The fate of one position that received a reduction in force, or RIF, notice — a fifth-grade teaching slot at Carlisle — will not be determined until the May school board meeting, Hoke said.
Four of the eight retirements approved Thursday were in positions targeted to be cut, and Hoke said SWSC currently plans not to replace those retirees unless the district’s financial circumstances unexpectedly improve.
Under a new teachers’ union contract approved just last week, all of the retirees will receive a $17,500 buyout bonus. The buyouts were intended as an incentive for retirements, with SWSC officials saying such a move will save the corporation money in the long run by replacing long-time teachers with lower-paid new ones.
Hoke, who also announced his retirement at the board meeting, said SWSC chose which positions to cut by looking at what areas would least affect students’ performance on subjects tested by the state government.
Sullivan resident Charles Schlotman also called on the board to replace retiring SES art teacher Sharon Hayward, saying art is too important a program to cut.
While Hoke said SWSC doesn’t expect to hire a new full-time art teacher at SES, he and board President Jack Hamilton said the elementary may be able to operate with a part-time art teacher.
“I think we can say there’s going to be art in the elementary. We just can’t say how much time there’ll be for art,” Hamilton said.
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