04-21-2009, 06:49 AM
Schools cut 55 positions
Revenue shortfall hits administrative jobs, substitutes
April 21, 2009
By DAN MORAN <!-- e --><a href="mailto:dmoran@scn1.com">dmoran@scn1.com</a><!-- e -->
WAUKEGAN -- A $2.2 million shortfall in revenue has prompted Waukegan School District 60 to eliminate 55 non-teaching positions for the 2009-10 fiscal year.
"It is a heart-wrenching experience," Superintendent Donaldo Batiste said Monday. "We're looking at people in the face who are doing great jobs" and telling them they must be let go.
The Board of Education met in special session on Friday to approve a list of personnel cuts. That plan "was developed collaboratively by all district labor unions and the administration," according to a statement posted for the community at <!-- w --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.wps60.org/newsbeat60">www.wps60.org/newsbeat60</a><!-- w -->.
While no full-time teachers will be cut under the plan, 20 long-term substitute teachers and 10 paraprofessional positions will be eliminated, along with 12 administrative positions, 10 secretary positions and three vacant positions in the maintenance and custodian unions.
The statement added that there will also be reductions in salaries, a transfer of salaries from local to grant funds, and an elimination of the increase requested for middle-school coaching stipends.
According to Batiste, earlier plans had been to eliminate 55 teaching positions, but "we were able to do it without directly impacting classrooms."
"We've been dealing with this since the beginning of the year," he said. "The real crux of the matter is that (the shortfall) is based on our tax revenue."
The affected individuals will be informed over the next few weeks, with the cuts taking effect at the start of July and into the 2009-10 school year.
Revenue shortfall hits administrative jobs, substitutes
April 21, 2009
By DAN MORAN <!-- e --><a href="mailto:dmoran@scn1.com">dmoran@scn1.com</a><!-- e -->
WAUKEGAN -- A $2.2 million shortfall in revenue has prompted Waukegan School District 60 to eliminate 55 non-teaching positions for the 2009-10 fiscal year.
"It is a heart-wrenching experience," Superintendent Donaldo Batiste said Monday. "We're looking at people in the face who are doing great jobs" and telling them they must be let go.
The Board of Education met in special session on Friday to approve a list of personnel cuts. That plan "was developed collaboratively by all district labor unions and the administration," according to a statement posted for the community at <!-- w --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.wps60.org/newsbeat60">www.wps60.org/newsbeat60</a><!-- w -->.
While no full-time teachers will be cut under the plan, 20 long-term substitute teachers and 10 paraprofessional positions will be eliminated, along with 12 administrative positions, 10 secretary positions and three vacant positions in the maintenance and custodian unions.
The statement added that there will also be reductions in salaries, a transfer of salaries from local to grant funds, and an elimination of the increase requested for middle-school coaching stipends.
According to Batiste, earlier plans had been to eliminate 55 teaching positions, but "we were able to do it without directly impacting classrooms."
"We've been dealing with this since the beginning of the year," he said. "The real crux of the matter is that (the shortfall) is based on our tax revenue."
The affected individuals will be informed over the next few weeks, with the cuts taking effect at the start of July and into the 2009-10 school year.