Norwich school board examines staffing
NORWICH – Staffing and personnel changes were the focus of discussion at a special meeting of the Norwich City School District’s board of education Wednesday night.
“The board wants to be prepared,” explained School Board President Heather Collier, who said she was asked to call the special session at the behest of more than one member of the board.
The single-item agenda included a presentation by Superintendent Gerard O’Sullivan which provided what Collier described as a “thorough overview” of the district’s current staffing and personnel changes made since mid-May.
“The board asked for three things: A complete list of all department chairs and extracurricular positions; a complete list of all cut positions and those which have been reinstated since we’ve gone through the budget process; and a complete list of transfers in staff made in the last few months,” O’Sullivan explained.
The superintendent reported that 21 positions – including 13 teachers and 8 support staff – were abolished as part of the district’s efforts to keep the tax levy increase at 3 percent, which required a budget reduction of $2.4 million. Since the budget was passed, 9 of those positions – 7 teachers and 2 support staff – have been reinstated, with and additional reinstatement to appear as a personnel recommendation at the board’s next meeting.
“If this was a normal budget year ... we wouldn’t be having any of these discussions,” he said.
According to Collier, the information the superintendent provided was both “useful and helpful to the board,” as they deal with uncertainty about state funding.
Following O’Sullivan’s presentation and the discussion which ensued, board member Sally Chirlin attempted to add another item to the agenda.
“She made a motion to discuss and take action on reversing the transfers that had taken place since the budget vote,” reported Collier. As the session was a special meeting, the motion required the unanimous approval of the board to move forward, which it failed to do.
According to the school board president, the members of the board who voted no weren’t against discussing the topic, but rather wanted to wait until they had more information about the financial and legal ramifications of such a decision.
Collier said discussions on the topic are likely at the board’s next scheduled meeting, to be held at 6:30 p.m. on Monday in the District Board Room.
“The board wants to be prepared,” explained School Board President Heather Collier, who said she was asked to call the special session at the behest of more than one member of the board.
The single-item agenda included a presentation by Superintendent Gerard O’Sullivan which provided what Collier described as a “thorough overview” of the district’s current staffing and personnel changes made since mid-May.
“The board asked for three things: A complete list of all department chairs and extracurricular positions; a complete list of all cut positions and those which have been reinstated since we’ve gone through the budget process; and a complete list of transfers in staff made in the last few months,” O’Sullivan explained.
The superintendent reported that 21 positions – including 13 teachers and 8 support staff – were abolished as part of the district’s efforts to keep the tax levy increase at 3 percent, which required a budget reduction of $2.4 million. Since the budget was passed, 9 of those positions – 7 teachers and 2 support staff – have been reinstated, with and additional reinstatement to appear as a personnel recommendation at the board’s next meeting.
“If this was a normal budget year ... we wouldn’t be having any of these discussions,” he said.
According to Collier, the information the superintendent provided was both “useful and helpful to the board,” as they deal with uncertainty about state funding.
Following O’Sullivan’s presentation and the discussion which ensued, board member Sally Chirlin attempted to add another item to the agenda.
“She made a motion to discuss and take action on reversing the transfers that had taken place since the budget vote,” reported Collier. As the session was a special meeting, the motion required the unanimous approval of the board to move forward, which it failed to do.
According to the school board president, the members of the board who voted no weren’t against discussing the topic, but rather wanted to wait until they had more information about the financial and legal ramifications of such a decision.
Collier said discussions on the topic are likely at the board’s next scheduled meeting, to be held at 6:30 p.m. on Monday in the District Board Room.
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