Supertintendent Gary Siebert has been warning the school board for a few months there would likely be a need for staff cuts in advance of troubling predictions for state funding next year. The board voted unanimously for each of his recommended cuts Thursday.
Those cuts include:
Part-time High School Assistant Principal Wendy Kmucha;
-- Teachers Bridget Baugher, Debbie Benson, Tara Prather, Elaine Bogard, Kelli Morris, Susan Russell and Angela Hathaway;
-- Part-time teachers Sara Lands, Mallory May, Lindsey Justice, Kim Huelsmann and Marlene Febuary;
-- Full-time aides Kay Cunningham, Cathy Hathaway and Barbara Boulds;
-- Bus driver Julie Unthank.
-- There is a goal of cutting $22,250 from athletics.
Siebert told of the difficulty the district will face if the staff are unable to rehired next year. He predicts some class sizes may increase from 22 to 25 or 30 pupils in the elementary schools.
Siebert said the cuts were strictly according to seniority. The most recently hired were the first fired. Some, like music teacher Ben Austin, were actually less senior than some of those cut, but there are no other staff qualified to teach music.
Siebert said he is worried there will be no money for the pre-school at risk program. The two teachers in the program have tenure and more seniority than other classroom teachers and so will likely be placed in other teaching positions, "bumping" two less senior teachers.
All school districts are suffering from delayed payments from the state. Eldorado is currently owed $365,985. Siebert said that amount is indicated on the sign in front of the school and it will be left up through the week. Next year will likely be worse financially. This year the state paid regular state aid payments with federal stimulus money and none of that money is predicted to be available next year.
