MOUNT VERNON — The Mount Vernon Board of Education met in a special meeting on Monday to approve proposed staff reductions expected to save the district $1.5 million. A brief executive session took place to allow board members to discuss personnel prior to the reduction approval.
Full-time positions that were cut for the 2011-12 school year include: High school English teacher, Benjamin Baptist; elementary art teacher, Christina Biggerstaff; middle school physical education teacher, James Nussbaum; elementary music teacher, Suzanne Springer; intervention tutors, Whitney Riggleman and LeeAnn Tindall. Kathryn Menke’s middle school language art position was eliminated, however; Menke will be replacing a retiring reading teacher.
Teachers affected by the reduction in force will receive unemployment benefits. According to Short, the school’s portion of those benefits have been included in the total savings for the district.
In addition to teacher cuts, seven custodians, two aides, a library aide, a secretary, a St. Vincent de Paul School aide and the district attendance officer will have part-time hours eliminated. Six library aides will see their hours cut from six to five hours a day for 189 work days. Three library aides will see a reduction from seven to six hours per day for 10 less days per year down to 189 days. One custodian will see a reduction from three hours per day down to two.
District treasurer Barb Donohue explained the updated five-year financial forecast to board members. At the end of fiscal year 2011, Donohue expects the district to spend over $1.5 million more than it takes in. By the end of fiscal year 2015, Donohue predicts that number will increase to $4.1 million. The forecast also predicts the district will be able to operate with a positive cash flow until fiscal year 2013, at which time a negative balance of $260,383 is anticipated.
