Dist. 300 brass answer restructuring questions

Administrators in Community Unit District 300 answered questions from school board members and addressed students’ and parents’ concerns about the proposed schedule restructuring at the middle and high school levels.

Members of the newly appointed teaching and learning leadership team met with the district’s education committee Monday to discuss timetables for the changes and to clarify a few misconceptions.

School board member David Alessio, chairman of the committee, said Monday’s meeting was an opportunity for the administrators to answer questions board members submitted before it presents options to the board April 11.

“We want to make sure they bring the right material to the board,” Alessio said.

Ben Churchill, associate superintendent for teaching and learning at the high school level, said while administrators would prefer a longer time frame, the district needs to find a way to save about $5 million before the new school year begins if concessions from the teachers union are not met.

“The original charge has always been to meet the district’s financial responsibilities and provide a quality education,” Churchill said.

In addition, Churchill said, the 363 layoffs the board approved last month gave the district options for reorganizing. The board’s decision to reduce 363 staff, teacher and administrative positions caused alarm among parents and students who feared the reductions would lead to larger classes, fewer elective options and lower graduation requirements.

“There will be callbacks in any of the scenarios,” Churchill said. “The board reserved the right to reorganize in any number of ways. In the end the board will decide which system to use and how many teachers are needed.”

While the administrators said they would be prepared to present options to the board at the April 11 board meeting and implement changes before the 2011-2012 school year begins, they also presented a second timeline to implement the changes for the 2012-13 school year.

“If the fiscal gap could be addressed through concessions, then we could look at Column B,” said Kara Vicente, associate superintendent for teaching and learning at the middle schools. “It would give us more time to research and collect stakeholder input. But there is an unknown factor.”

Tom Hay, assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction, said changes to the high school schedule would not result in elective courses being cut.

“Courses will not come out of the course catalog,” Hay said. “Students will drive the sections.”

The district is trying to overcome an $8.3 million budget deficit. Last month, school board members voted 4-3 to lay off 363 teachers. While more than half the teachers are expected to be recalled, the reduction in force will not be needed if the teachers union agrees to $5.2 million in wage and benefit concessions.