Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
NORTH MANCHESTER - Seven school teachers will be without jobs in the fall and single health plan costs will rise.
Manchester Community Schools will lose $164,000 in state tuition support and reductions or elimination of some state grants, according to a written statement read to the board Tuesday by acting superintendent Kim Thurston.
The school board cut seven teachers' jobs -Êfive teachers from Manchester Elementary and two from Laketon Elementary.
Manchester Community Schools is suffering because of a declining student population, a lack of area commercial and residential growth, health insurance coverage increases and "a budget crisis at the state level," said Thurston.
"If we use the 25-to-1 student-to-teacher ratio that we desire for our upper elementary classes, and divide the 191-student decline by the 25-student class size, that translates to 7.64 teachers that could have been reduced with the student population," said Thurston.
In 1994-95, MCS had 1,840 students, but the number dropped to 1,649 students in the 2001-02 school year. The number of teachers remained at 106, said Thurston.
Manchester Elementary teachers cut were: Jennifer Mishler, sixth grade; Amy Andrews, fourth grade; Anne Clark, third grade; Rebecca Cook, first grade; and Mark Heiden, third grade. The Laketon Elementary teachers cut were: Amber Gardner, sixth grade, and Josalyn Roth, third- and fourth-grade Gemini program teacher.
None of the teachers would comment.
"If we do not bring our budget practices in line with our resources, we will very likely become a state-controlled school district within 18 months following June 30, 2002," said Thurston.
The cuts struck elementary school teachers because the student numbers at the secondary level "do not show a need to reduce staff," said Thurston.
But, he said, the problem will "very likely" move into the junior and senior high schools in several years.
Thurston said the board's actions were "not a one-time action to cure our present condition."
"We will need to revisit our student population each spring to determine if we have sufficient student numbers to support our teaching staff, or if more reductions must be made for the ensuing fall," he said.
Board members unanimously approved the staffing cuts, but former board president Kent Trickle moved to table the health insurance cuts because "they (the teachers) haven't been told yet," he said.
"They should have been told before it was brought to the board," said Trickle, calling it a "common courtesy."
His motion was defeated 2 to 4.
Board member Thom Frantz moved for the health care increase approval, citing the board's "Catch-22," saying the teachers would read about it in the newspapers. It passed 5 to 1, with Trickle dissenting.
"The more we communicate, the better off we'll be as a team," said Matt Webb, a Manchester Elementary teacher, to the school board. "They do deserve to be told in advance."
"My negligence was not intended to offend," said Thurston to the young teachers in the front row.
Speicher suggested sending a memo to teachers this morning.
"It's these decisions that make me wonder why I run for school board," said Frantz.
The school board members present were: president Sally Krouse, vice president Virginia Gunter, secretary Brad Perrott, Thom Frantz, Todd Speicher, Kent Trickle and acting superintendent Kim Thurston. Board member Larry Miller and school corporation attorney Al Schlitt were absent.
