Published: April 09, 2008 11:45 am            

Bennett proposes a sacrifice at Greater Clark County Schools

Teachers offered incentives to retire, potentially save 25 jobs for others

On Friday, about 35 teachers at Greater Clark County Schools received notices that they may lose their jobs because of a reduction in force, caused by cutting $2.5 million from next year’s budget.

At Tuesday night’s school board meeting, that number was brought down to 17 teachers and eight para-educators, or aides, who will be notified today.

That number may go down again, if all goes as planned.

Superintendent Tony Bennett compared the situation to a basketball game.

“We’re down by nine points with two minutes left in the game. We’re going to lose a lot, and for us, what we’re going to lose are great educators,” Bennett told the audience that filled every seat and most of the standing area along the walls. “But we could very possibly take this game to overtime and win it.”

Bennett then announced the totals that needs to be cut — $511,000 will be pared from administrative costs; $399,000 will be eliminated from operational costs; and $1,073,000 will be cut from instructional costs. Those cuts — along with $525,000 that was recently captured by increased revenue — add up to more than the $2.5 million needed.

When Bennett read the numbers the audience listened quietly, but when he reached the administrative cuts, the group gasped and groaned.

He then told them his plan to make the last minute plays to save jobs. That includes the Retirement Incentive Concept and the Retire, Rehire, Rewards Plan.

In Greater Clark, more than 120 teachers qualify for retirement. To encourage them to do so, the incentive plan — if approved by the school board — will offer them a chance to stay on the corporation’s health-insurance plan and receive a cash payout, totaling two years worth of single premium health-insurance costs.

The three R’s plan would allow those retirees to come back and work for GCCS as mentors, substitute teachers, supervisors and other roles after 30 days from the start of their retirement.

Both are still in the conceptual phase, since the money isn’t guaranteed. Mike Hodgson, chief financial officer for GCCS, said he believes the money is available through a fund that was set up years ago to pay for retirement incentives.

At that time, the state allowed the corporation to borrow money to fund the proposed buyouts. GCCS put it in bonds to accumulate interest until they used it. However, it was never used and since has earned a lot in interest, Bennett said.

Time is of the essence. Those wanting to take advantage of this will need to put in their retirement notices no later than June 1.

Glenda Kovert, teacher and president of the teacher’s union, hopes this is enough to give those debating on retiring that extra push. She believes what stops most from acting now is the fear of having to pay for health insurance on their own until Medicare and Social Security kick in.

For each teacher who takes advantage of the retirement incentive, one more teacher who was laid off will be brought back.

Since the layoffs are all based on seniority, those teachers facing cuts are all first- and second-year teachers.

“I feel like their mother and it’s hard to watch them go through this,” Kovert said with tears in her eyes. “It’s rough.”

The board voted 7-0 to give those teachers notices and also to allow Bennett to finalize the incentive concept and the 3 R’s plan.

None of this, including the layoffs, will be final until the board members vote on it in May. That’s when Bennett will present members and the public with the final plan for the incentives, which will include the total amount of money available to fund it.

Until then, it’s a waiting game.

“It’s been really emotional,” Kovert said. “It’s been a hard couple of weeks and it’s going to be another hard couple of weeks and sleepless nights.”

Bennett said although this is hard, he believes this is just what GCCS needed to make the community rally together to take the corporation to new heights.

“I believe what took place is the catalyst that will take Greater Clark forward,” he said.



Also at the meeting

• The board approved a $455,270 bid contract to Howell & Howell for painting at Jeffersonville High School. There were no bidders before and this time Howell & Howell was the only one. The bid is more than $55,000 more than what was budgeted for the project.

• The board approved the architectural services contract with Estopinal Group for the construction project at Charlestown High School.

• The board approved the construction management agreement with James L. Shireman for the construction project at New Washington Middle/High School.

• The board approved the construction management contract for Verkler for the construction project at JHS.

        

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