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NORTH MANCHESTER - The decisions were not easy, but they had to be made.
Three teaching contracts were reduced and five altered for reduction in actions Tuesday night at the Manchester Community School Board meeting.
But the decision to cut one teacher's position was not without discussion and dissent.
Last Wednesday, the board participated in a teacher-contract hearing for Gwen Mize, agriculture teacher at Manchester High School. Tuesday, the board decided to reduce Mize's position from nine sections to six sections.
"I understand that we need to reduce the ag sections, and I do support the RIFs to that extent," said Manchester School Board member Kent Terrill. "But I don't like the way this whole thing came to pass. I think that there is a better way, and in the future I hope it gets handled better. I am voting 'no' tonight - in protest of the situation."
"This is a student population issue," said board member Thom Frantz. "Because of of the lack of interest and student enrollment, (the ag program) will reduce by three sections. There will be plenty of classes for students interested in ag classes."
"This is nothing personal against Mrs. Mize," said superintendent Diana Showalter. "We simply don't have the sections."
Megan Long and Michele Rose also saw reductions in their contracts due to the RIF process. Rose was reduced from full-time kindergarten teacher to half-time teacher at Manchester Elementary School. Long saw a three-section reduction in physical education, but added a dance section for a total reduction of two sections of teaching.
Bobbi Lautenzheiser, Sue Gnagy, Matt Webb, Brandon Baker and Jerry Bolinger did not see reductions in their teaching contracts, but they did see changes in the classes they will instruct.
Lautenzheiser will teach two sections of physical education at Manchester High School, Gnagy will add two sections of biology 1A, and Baker will teach two sections of psychology.
Webb will now teach seventh-grade social studies full time at Manchester Junior High School.
Bolinger will drop one section of lunch supervision and add another section of industrial technology, bringing the total number of industrial technology classes to nine.
In other business, the board:
• Accepted the resignation of board member and board secretary Brad Perrott, effective June 1.
• Approved summer positions for Bill McNeeley (physical education), Randy Myers (English remediation), Angilee Beery (summer school), Tom Brown (summer school) and Melissa Curless (summer school).
• Approved hiring McNeeley as seventh-grade girls basketball coach at MJHS and Chris Rickelman as assistant boys soccer coach at MHS.
• Approved the resignation of Carrie Zile as cheerleading coach at MJHS and BIll McNeeley as intramural coordinator for MJHS.
• Approved after-school tutor positions for Brown, Beery, Barb Ihnen, Carol Collett, Nancy Sare, and Vicki Smith from May 2005 through March 2006. The program is paid for by a community grant.
• Approved a change in teaching contract for Martha Bowman from social studies to English at MJHS.
• Approved overnight professional leave for Jolene Hensley (National Conference/School Nutrition, July 17-20), M.A. Hire (New School Nurse Orientation, July 18-20) and Linda Moery (National Conference on Differentiated Instruction, July 10-13).
• Approved an installment payment contract resolution for the Trane Project.
• Approved an amended extra-curricular pay schedule for 2005-2006.
• Approved a request for MJHS to join the newly formed Running River Conference for athletic and academic competitions.
Manchester school board members are Sally Krouse, president, Todd Speicher, Thom Frantz, Kent Terrill, Carlye McLaughlin and Brad Perrott. Superintendent is Diana Showalter. Brian Schilling was absent.
