Newton Falls school board lays off 13

The layoffs will take effect July 1.
By SHERRI L. SHAULIS
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
NEWTON FALLS -- School officials were forced to lay off 13 employees in light of a projected deficit of $500,000 by the end of the next school year.
The layoffs, approved by the board of education Wednesday, affect eight elementary teachers, one special-education instructor, one music teacher and one nurse from the public schools.
A nurse and a mechanic from St. Mary/St. Joseph, a parochial school whose staff falls under the district's bargaining unit, were also affected, Superintendent Dave Wilson said.
"We are hopeful we can bring them back, though," Wilson said. "If we have an opening, if someone else leaves, or if funds become available, we will bring them back."
The layoffs take effect July 1.
The vote to reduce staffing came just days before a statewide Friday deadline for all public school districts to announce reductions in force. Wilson said those laid off were lowest in seniority in the district.
Extracurricular fees tabled
At the meeting, board members also tabled a matter involving activity fees for pupils. The proposal is for pupils to pay toward extracurricular activities throughout the school year.
A $75 fee for athletes and band members was to be considered before the board removed it from the agenda.
The board also discussed how to schedule kindergarten classes for the coming year. Currently, the state funds most suburban and rural school districts in Ohio to cover half-day kindergarten, Wilson said. In Newton Falls, board members and administrators are looking at possibly offering full-day kindergarten every other day in an effort to keep busing costs low.
slshaulis@vindy.com