Eastwood to lay off 7, cut hours of 7 others

Local schools making tough budget choices

4/19/2011

PEMBERVILLE — Seven Eastwood Local Schools employees will lose their jobs for the 2011-12 school year and another seven will have their hours reduced as part of the district’s previously approved plan to trim $650,000 from the annual budget.

Most of the 12 classified employees who are being laid off or whose hours are being reduced as of June 30 are associated with the mothballing of Webster Elementary next school year, which is estimated to save $600,000. They have jobs in areas including the cafeteria and office.

Two teachers, one who teaches elementary physical education and another who teaches middle and high school music, are among those whose hours will be reduced under a plan unanimously approved by the school board Monday night.

Three full-time teachers and one administrator are retiring this school year, and their positions will not be filled, Superintendent Brent Welker said.

“That … makes up a part of the savings we associate with Webster,” Mr. Welker said after the school board meeting.

Eastwood is among local school districts making cuts as revenues, especially from the state, continue to decline.

Rossford Exempted Village Schools is planning about $500,000 in reductions for next school year, Superintendent Susan Lang said at that district’s school board meeting Monday night.

Cuts will include reducing hours for some employees, a “very few” layoffs, and attrition, Ms. Lang said. Principals are talking this week with employees who will be affected, she said.

Tonight, the Woodmore Local Schools Board of Education is to discuss areas where additional cuts could be made if a 3.95-mill emergency levy on the May 3 ballot does not pass.

The levy would raise $600,000 a year and cost the owner of a $100,000 house about $120 a year.

Among proposals if the Woodmore levy does not pass are ending high school transportation, cutting all extracurricular activities, and eliminating four high school and three elementary teachers.

The school board is to meet at 6:30 p.m. in Woodmore High School Library, and district officials are to hold a final forum to answer questions about the levy at 7 p.m. May 2 in the high school cafeteria.

Eastwood’s Webster Elementary, meanwhile, will be maintained in case the district’s enrollment increases.

All district fifth graders will be transferred to the middle school starting next year, and other Webster students will attend either Luckey or Pemberville elementary.

The Webster Parent Teacher Organization has scheduled a celebration from 1 to 4 p.m. May 22 at the school building.

Contact Julie M. McKinnon at: jmckinnon@theblade.com or 419-724-6087.