FeedsSchool district cuts staff
At least 22 teachers in the Van Buren Public School District will be laid-off.
Board of Education members approved the cuts on Monday by a 5 to 2 vote at a special meeting/work study session. Board Treasurer Ralph Nodwell and Board Trustee Bob Binert cast votes against the cuts as a protest.
“I didn’t agree with how the meeting was posted and how the bylaws work; it should be two separate meetings,” Binert said. “If there was a need to take action, the meeting should be scheduled separately to have a vote by the board and that’s not what we did. It wasn’t done properly and you can’t arbitrarily decide what, how and when you’re going to follow bylaws.”
Dr. Linda Olson, director of personnel for the district, reported about 420 students less than last year so far, which prompted officials to approve staff cuts and a freeze on hiring.
“Cuts are made by seniority and subject area,” said Paul Henning, spokesperson for the district.
Eliminations will include: six teachers from the elementary schools with one teacher from Edgemont, one teacher from Rawsonville, one gifted and talented teacher from Tyler and three special education teachers. Two teachers from North and South middle schools, along with two special education teachers and four English Language Arts teachers will be cut from the middle schools. At the high school, one art teacher, one English teacher, one math teacher and two social studies teachers will be cut, while two positions will be absorbed and not filled. Names of staff members eliminated will come later this week, officials said.
The majority of the students lost were from Belleville High School, followed by the two middle schools and then all six of the elementary schools. Olson said the cause seems to be people leaving the state due to unemployment.
Binert said he believes the economy in the area has finally caught up with the school district.
“People have held onto their homes with or without jobs as long as they could,” he said. “I’m hearing different scenarios, like it’s because of the scares and such that have caused the drop in students, but I feel, yes, they may be part of it, but it has more to do with people moving out of state.
“When the numbers come out from surrounding school districts we’re going to see the same thing,” he added.
However, Binert said he did feel the cuts were “a little premature.”
“I know we have to make cuts based on the numbers, but I’m not sure we needed to do so instantaneously,” he said.
Board members also said more cuts will be necessary to help with the $4 million deficit.
“There was only about $1 million in cuts made so far, so we’re about $2.7 million away from being out of the hole still,” said Henning.
Official student count day is Sept. 24.
