Schools to re-hire 6 teachers
June 17, 2009
By Laura Geggel
Librarians will not be included in the recalls
Snoqualmie Valley schools Superintendent Joel Aune announced at the June 11 school board meeting that the district would hire back six teachers and place ads for what could amount to six more. Not everyone was happy with the choices.Not included in the recalls were the middle and high school librarians, two of whom are being laid off and two of whom have been reassigned as classroom teachers.
Mount Si High School Librarian Elaine Harger spoke during the school board’s public comment period, admonishing the district for depriving its middle and high school students of librarians. She argued the district should make across the board cuts instead of focusing cuts on one program, such as the libraries.
“SVSD wants to keep the library, but has decided that the librarian is expendable,” Harger said. “That is like keeping the dental clinic, but firing the dentists.”
Harger added that while more parents have been vocal about finding a sustainable middle school sports program — which the district is set to unveil at the June 25 school board meeting — it was important to remember how the library cuts would affect students.
“Finally, unlike the sports programs in our district, the libraries don’t have parent booster clubs to rally to our cause today,” Harger said. “Parents don’t come to research practice every day, they don’t come to cheer their children on to victory as they finish up their language arts or social studies or science research projects. This does not mean, however, that our library programs have no support among parents, students and the broader school community.”
School district spokeswoman Carolyn Malcolm said librarians were not being recalled because they do not teach core classroom subjects.
The school district had laid off nine teachers May 13. Since then, more teachers have resigned or retired, allowing the district to recall some of those that it had laid off.
Additionally, the state provided the district with more money than it had expected. Initially, district officials had anticipated a cut of $4.1 million from its general fund, but it has updated that number to about $3.35 million.
Projected class size also influenced the decision to hire new teachers.
At one of the elementary schools, first grade classes were increasing to between 25 to 27 pupils.The district prefers to keep first grade class sizes in the low twenties, Malcolm said. One kindergarten class would have had up to 40 students before the district determined it needed more teachers.
The district will post positions for 3.5 teachers at the elementary level and one high school math teacher. The middle schools will hire several part-time teachers.
The six additional teachers would cost the district about $480,000. Teachers are paid based on their level of education and seniority, among other things.
After explaining the recalls, Aune outlined progress made in other areas of the school district affected by the budget decrease.
District administrators are still revising the custodial department plans, which require that they cut 64 hours per day in custodial work.
“I think you’re going to be pleasantly surprised when you see where we’ve landed,” Aune said.
Federal stimulus money for The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act has allowed the district to reinstate 20 hours per day for instruction aides in the special education department. Even with the federal money, the district has to cut 10 hours per day of instructional time for special needs students at the elementary level.
Secretaries at the middle schools will likely see 12 hours of reduced time per day — including cuts of eight hours per day at Chief Kanim and four hours per day at Snoqualmie Middle School. These cuts are aligned with the student population at each school, Aune said, but have yet to be finalized.
Reach reporter Laura Geggel at 392-6434 .221 or lgeggel@snovalleystar.com. To comment on this story, visit www.snovalleystar.com.
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