Two dozen teaching jobs to be eliminated
By Kevin Kelley
Fairview Park
Published March 1, 2006

Two dozen teachers will face unemployment as a result of $2.6 million in budget cuts approved by the Fairview Park Board of Education at a Feb. 21 meeting held at Garnett Primary School.

Superintendent Brion Deitsch described the decisions to cut positions as “gut-wrenching.”

Podcast Fairview Park Superintendent Brion Deitsch discusses school budget cuts. MP3 • 2.7MB

The board directed to Deitsch cut $2.6 million — the projected deficit for the 2006-07 school year — at its January meeting as a means of streamlining and restructuring the district.

The cuts, which were approved unanimously by the five-member board, will be implemented regardless of whether voters approve a 5.9-mill operating levy in May.

The district’s teaching staff will be hardest hit by the cuts, with $1,479,000 being slashed from the payroll of auxiliary, specialty and classroom teachers. Between 22 and 25 of the district’s 111 certified teachers will lose their jobs, Deitsch siad.

Fairview High School and the adjoining Lewis F. Mayer Middle School will be placed on a common bell system beginning next year to allow the facilities to share staff, Deitsch said.

Six of the 16 persons on the district’s administrative staff will be terminated, reassigned, or have their hours reduced, Deitsch said, resulting in a savings of $347,000.

Eleven to 13 support staff employees will be terminated or reassigned, Deitsch said. The current number of support staff is 66. These cuts, along with canceling supply purchases, will result in a savings of $502,000.

The number of coaches, extracurricular advisors and staff support positions covered by supplemental contracts will be reduced from the current 183 to 104, a reduction of 79.

“The board is not acting at this time to eliminate any athletic, drama, or music opportunities for students, as they feel they are a part of the total educational experience,” Deitsch said. “If things do not improve financially, everything eventually will be on the table.”

The district also estimates it will save $100,000 by eliminating non-mandated overtime.

Deitsch said names would become associated with these eliminated positions in the coming weeks based on the “bumping procedure” in the collective bargaining agreement, state law, and further board actions. Employees also have until March 1 to declare their intention to retire before the coming school year, and the number of retirements could affect the number of layoffs.

The Fairview Park City Schools, like most public districts in Ohio, Deitsch said, must provide students a first-rate education within the confines of “a confusing, antiquated, four-times ruled illegal, inadequate and unfairly applied funding system.”

Deitsch commended the board for being proactive by making these deep cuts now rather than risk a state takeover of the district under which state officials make the decisions about what to cut.

“This board is committed to minimizing the tax burden on our community while maximizing the educational opportunities for our students,” Deitsch said.

The superintendent said this was not the first time the district would have to take a hard look at its budget.

“Tonight’s action is sweeping and very substantial – I’m very much aware of that,” Deitsch said. “But it is not a one-time fix or cure-all. Annually we must evaluate our revenues, staffing levels and services offered. We then must act in a responsible way to determine a course of action. It is the only way I know to avoid a recurrence of the massive action we are all forced to take tonight.”