(Published Wednesday, June 13, 2007 11:48:57 AM CST)
A d v e r t i s e m e n t
By Brian Reisinger Gazette staff
Appeals from teachers and parents spurred discussion among school board members Tuesday on how they might work to restore art, music and library positions in the district's elementary schools.
Several teachers and parents told the board that eliminating $1.7 million in positions will strain teachers and erode the quality of education.
Many special-area teachers who up until now taught primarily at one school will have to travel among two or three schools, they said.
"The results of this vote have been very devastating to our staff," said Vickie Neitzel, vocal music teacher at Lincoln Elementary School.
Steve Johnson, human services director for the district, presented a series of slides he said demonstrated why having such teachers travel to two or three schools was the best decision.
It may strain them more than they are used to, he said, but it is the most efficient solution, making their schedules more equal and minimizing disruption to school days.
The other two options-increasing staff or having buildings with multiple teachers-costs more money, and the latter makes scheduling difficult.
Some of the teachers and parents pointed to $2 million the district has saved because health insurance costs are lower than anticipated.
Board members said they would rather store that money for future health insurance needs than spend it to restore the programs. They were interested, however, in possibly using potential savings from the coming 2007-08 school year, since insurance costs for that academic year were likely based on the same inflated estimates.
On-the-spot estimates of that amount ranged between $200,000 and $2 million. Doug Bunton, director of business services for the district, said he would have to go over the math to provide the board with a reasonably accurate number.
The board will finalize its budget at its first meeting in July. Even then, Bunton said, it would be able to amend the budget to restore the positions.
Parents resurrect Mauermann ruling
Several people at Tuesday night's school board meeting called for a closed-session meeting to dispute the board's decision to allow John Mauermann to continue coaching the Janesville Bluebirds high school hockey team.
The board voted May 25 to give Mauermann his job back after the district's high school principals decided not to renew his contract. An investigation following complaints by one player's parents found Mauermann used "excessively profane and degrading language toward players."
Those who complained Tuesday-mostly parents of hockey players-said the board needed to hear all complaints in full. It was unclear whether the board would hold a meeting to do so.
