As remote learning protocols remain in place for Flossmoor School District 161 students, the board of education is once again considering a temporary reduction-in-force that would address several positions dependent upon in-person learning.
Eric Melnyczenko, the district’s director of human relations, addressed the issue in a written report to the board, while Superintendent Dana Smith led most of the discussion during a special meeting held Monday, Nov. 30. That discussion focused on temporarily reducing staff by two in-house bus drivers and five custodians starting Jan. 15, if the district remains in a fully remote learning environment.
“We know if we are not in-person, unfortunately it does mean we have some staff that are surplus,” Smith said.
The board previously broached the subject in mid-September — though it addressed more possible positions, potentially impacting up to 20 employees, at that time — when Smith brought a similar discussion to the board. Then, the discussion focused on implementing a reduction in November if officials were certain they did not intend to return students to schools until January. But the board took no formal action on the matter in October.
A limited number of students who had particular needs were brought back into the buildings in late October, and administrators said they found ways to keep the employees who would have been affected busy at that time. But Smith noted after the meeting that even that limited in-person learning is no longer happening.
“As the COVID numbers surged again in our area, we decided to put all students back into fully remote learning,” he said. “Currently, only administrators and support staff are reporting, with flexed schedules where possible.”
Melnyczenko’s report notes that with no students in the buildings and few teachers at this point, there is “little to no work” for the seven positions addressed in the proposed reduction.
Smith added during the meeting, “We have reached a point where being remote at this point does leave us with some staff members where we are struggling to find additional work with them.”
While no recommendation was formally presented in Melnyczenko’s report on Nov. 30, Smith said the idea is to formally take action on a reduction-in-force resolution at the board’s regular meeting slated for Dec. 14. He said he will probably recommend the action at that time. That would provide individuals impacted by the change with 30 days of notice, as required by Illinois School Code.
The move would also be structured to provide the board with “off ramps,” according to Smith. The board is slated to meet again on Jan. 4. If the district determines a reopening date in January, the board could also undo the resolution and make sure the people who would have been impacted by the reduction instead remain employed.
Smith said he knows that uncertainty can be difficult for the employees impacted, but it is important for the board to consider this matter in conjunction with discussions it also had about the parameters of a return to in-person learning. Smith said taking possible action in December is important because of the holiday break, scheduling of meetings and unknowns about the return situation.
“It’s not something I take lightly,” he said. “We know tough decisions have to be made. This decision gives us a bunch of off ramps. … Ideally, we avoid this all together and look back at this conversation as us doing our due diligence.”
If the board decides to pass a reduction-in-force, it would create a monthly salary savings of $16,000 for District 161, according to Melnyczenko’s report.
In other business:
- The school board voted unanimously to approve a $26.82 million tax levy for 2020. Cook County is to abate $1.93 million from that total before taxpayers are billed, per an agreement the district entered into for a Property Tax Relief Grant from the state.
- The school board discussed possibly changing the last day of this school year from Tuesday, June 1, to Friday, May 28. Smith noted he does not “have high hopes for students coming back for one weekday after a three-day weekend.”
- Kelly Rosales, of Flossmoor Hills School, and Carmel Alterson, of Western Avenue School, were recognized as November’s #AboveAndBeyond winners.
- The following students were recognized for being selected to participate in Illinois Music Education Association Masterclasses: Sofia Ceiley LoGalbo, Noelle Dolan, Ben Houston, Stella Hoyt, Joseph Klauk, Ruby Mikulski, Kamryn Nelson, Mahal Reyes, Matilyn Terrell and Charles Wachtel.
- Parker Junior High’s Linda O’Dwyer was recognized for winning the Council for Economic Education’s John Morton Excellence in the Teaching of Economics Award, which honors exemplary teaching techniques that improve their students’ economic understanding.