Niles to lay off 9 teachers, 2 custodians

There’s a state mandate to eliminate the $1.5 million deficit by the start of the 2008-09 school year.

By JORDAN COHEN

VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT

NILES — Niles City Schools plan to lay off nine teachers and two custodians in its financial recovery plan to eliminate a projected $1.5 million deficit the next school year.

The district will submit the plan to the Ohio Department of Education for approval.

“Yes, we are affecting individual livelihoods, but it’s the least restrictive plan” to cut the deficit, said Rocco Adduci, superintendent.

Actually, 16 total positions will be cut because the board of education also will not replace five more teachers who are expected to retire.

Of the nine teaching positions to be eliminated under the reduction in force provision, four are classroom instructors, one is a special-education instructor and four are intervention teachers. Adduci said the schools are looking at a computerized intervention program instead of one led by teachers.

Seniority was a primary factor in the RIF decisions, according to the superintendent, who announced the plan during the board meeting Thursday at Bonham Elementary.

“Most of the teachers filling those positions were hired within the last year,” Adduci said.

According to figures contained in the report to the state, the teacher RIF layoffs will result in savings of nearly $262,000. The RIF savings from the custodians exceeds $114,000.

Adduci said he is cutting “across the board” because of the state mandate to eliminate the $1.5 million deficit by the start of the 2008-09 school year. He expects the state to approve the plan because it is spread throughout the district.

The superintendent said there are no plans to eliminate any administrator positions.

Among the other cuts contained in the fiscal reduction plan are:

U Elimination of the two-hour bus runs to the Trumbull Career and Technical Center.

U Elimination of six physical fitness supplementals including weightlifting.

U Savings on insurance premiums for RIF teachers.

Schools Treasurer Linda Molinaro said the district anticipates additional savings by reducing the use of copiers, postage and paper. She said the district may look at alternative natural gas providers, but believes the schools will continue to buy electricity and water from the city of Niles.

“Niles is really cheaper than anybody else,” Molinaro said.

Adduci held out hope that some of the RIF teachers could return if there are additional retirements or resignations.

“The more people retire, then we can discuss who we can bring back,” the superintendent said.

Despite the teaching reductions, he emphasized that the pupil-to-teacher ratio in the elementary schools will remain at 25 to 1. “We have held to that commitment,” Adduci said.

Molinaro said that eliminating the deficit will leave the district with barely a balance at the end of the next school year.

“We will have only a $1,000 balance by the end of the 2009 school year,” the treasurer said.