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In final step to closure, Austintown school board approves contract non-renewals
By Susan Tebben
AUSTINTOWN
As final bids are coming in for materials for inside the new schools, the Austintown Board of Education approved the nonrenewal of contracts for seven teachers and numerous classified staff at buildings that will be closed at the end of this school year.
The board approved a reduction in force for teachers at Lloyd, Watson and Lynn Kirk elementaries and Frank Ohl middle school, along with numerous retirements, yearly contract nonrenewals for hourly workers and substitute-teaching positions.
But the seven teachers who were taken out of the system by a reduction-in-force could be brought back if the need arises.
“We don’t know [2013-14] enrollment yet,” said Superintendent Vincent Colaluca. “It all depends on that, if we have enough kids from the open enrollment, we’ll likely hire them back.”
Since Colaluca has been in the school district, he said there has never been a year when reduction-in-force staff has not been called back.
As for the ongoing construction of the new schools, including the consolidated elementary schools that will replace the current elementaries, the board approved a resolution for the “technology and fixtures, furniture and equipment construction document phase submission” for the new buildings. The document starts the process, pending approval by the Ohio School Facilities Commission, to proceed with receiving and opening bids for materials.
“The bids have been coming back lower than we expected,” Colaluca noted.
A grand opening is scheduled for Oct. 6.
The previous Austintown Middle School, at 5800 Mahoning Ave., has been sold to LRC Development Co., LLC. The building and property was sold for $2.5 million, and will be demolished, according to district officials. The property is near commercial development.