Posen Schools make difficult cuts

In a preemptive act Posen School Board members chose to make a staff cut effective for the next school year, when they voted unanimously to lay off Wayne Karsten, a seventh grade teacher. Karsten teaches seventh grade science, English, math, and physical education as well as elementary physical education.

It was a long and saddened discussion that preceded the vote for the layoff. Superintendent Dennis Stratton introduced the issue, saying, ?The finance committee met March 13 to review recommendations that had been put together for necessary cuts and tightening of the belt financially. ?All areas of the operation were looked at and we spent a lot of time looking at the recommendations and brainstorming,? Stratton added.

Items included athletics scheduling, driver education, hot lunches, athletic positions, administration costs, summer custodial help, purchase freezes, pay freezes, field trips, retirement, employment, staff, and staff needs.

?AFTER LOOKING at all that, and Cliff Kelly looked at where we could make changes that would affect the students minimally,? Stratton said. ?I think we have one staff member at the high school that we could lay off, that would have a minimum effect on the school. I think it?s something we really need to do.? The thought was there would still be a good student-to-staff ratio of not more than 25 students per class. ?So, really, what we?re looking at right now would be to develop a financial tightening of the belt,? Stratton said. ?We?re also looking at custodial help, increasing the lunch count…but what I recommend right now, until I know what is really happening financially…I think we can start by making this change.

?Then as time goes on, before we get to the end of the year when we make a budget for next year…then I?ll make another recommendation,? Stratton said. Stratton emphasized that anytime staff cuts were being considered, it was a last resort effort. ?Estimating right now that we start out with a $510,000 fund equity ? but we have to tap into that for about $250,000 before the end of the year,? Stratton said, ?so, while we?re tightening the belt to be able to make it through next year…I?m concerned about the following year.?

STRATTON TOLD the board that if steps were taken now in terms of personnel, it may avoid worse situations later on. ?I?ve chosen the path to… not wait until it is too late,? he added. ?I think we can continue to move in the direction that makes us fiscally responsible and minimize the affect on the students.? Stratton said he had already talked to Karsten about the situation and notified the Posen Education Association. Principal Cliff Kelly told the board, ?There are teachers who have less tenure than he (Karsten) does, but I still feel that the fine arts and the music and art should be kept, so we at least have that in our curriculum…we have nothing else.

?If we lay off Wayne, we?ll still have all the other classes we have this year,? Kelly added. School board president Ken Pawelek said, ?So, we?re laying Wayne off and he?s not really low seniority? But we have to go by what classes he?s teaching and what we don?t have to have?? as he reflected the thinking process heard by the board.

?Otherwise we?d gouge the curriculum,? Kelly answered. The unanimous vote was taken to approve laying off Karsten beginning with next school year.

IN OTHER business: ?Randy Idalski of the Posen Chamber of Commerce was present, looking like Santa Claus in March, as he presented the board with a check for $3,000, which was more than the amount of the entire profits made from the Zapusty Dinner Dance.

?We decided to make it an even $3,000,? said Idalski, ?to be used to pay the remainder of the bill on the industrial arts plasma welder and chop saw purchases, and the balance to go to the elementary computer lab for software purchases.?

Idalski didn?t lay his finger aside his nose as he exited, but he left a grateful school board with a room full of smiles, after shaking hands with Stratton and Pawelek.

?Michigan Mer

it Awards of $2,500 were earned by four graduating seniors: Christie Klein, Charles Kroll, Julie Lewandowski, and Alison Smolinski, based on their performance on the MEAP tests.

?The terms of board members Ken Wozniak and Kim Roznowski will expire this year, and the board approved a resolution to direct Stratton to make the necessary postings and to recommend the election inspectors to serve at the election June 9.

?A technology policy was approved that will protect the district in case technology is inappropriately used. It is a standard policy made up from many area districts and modified for Posen?s use.

The next Posen School Board meeting has been changed to April 22, a Tuesday, at 7 p.m.

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