Six teachers in the Weyauwega-Fremont School District will receive preliminary layoff notices this month for the next school year.
The school board learned about the projected staff reduction for the 2011-12 school year when it met Monday, Jan. 24.
“The Committee of the Whole started the conversation. The administrative team met over the past two weeks to make recommendations,” District Administrator Scott Bleck told the board.
Four elementary and two special education teachers will receive layoff notices. In addition, two paraprofessionals are expected to receive layoff notices.
The recommendations are based on student needs and to also meet a projected revenue shortfall of close to $900,000 for the 2011-12 school year.
“It is a projection, and we know that the number will not hold true in our final budget development. To safeguard the district, we have to consider all potential budget shortfalls,” Bleck said of the current estimated revenue shortfall.
A year ago, the W-F School District anticipated a $730,000 shortfall and layoffs of 6.5 certified staff and about seven support staff positions.
The school district ended up with a budget surplus, and last summer, had to hire an additional 2.5 teachers at Weyauwega Elementary School in order for the school to remain in the Student Achievement Guarantee in Education (SAGE) program.
At the Jan. 24 meeting of the school board, Bleck said there are issues that still need to be addressed at the state and local levels.
One of those issues is whether the state will continue to recognize SAGE as a program.
He told the board that each year, the district has been fortunate in that there have been staff retirements and people moving to teach at other school districts.
The preliminary layoff notices must go out to the teachers by Feb. 28, Bleck said, with the second notice having to go out by March 15.
“This doesn’t mean we can’t call them back. It gives them the opportunity to find employment in different areas if they need to,” he said.
Bleck said that because it is a sensitive subject, the administrative leaders have already had conversations with those who will receive the preliminary notices.