Indian Prairie Dist. 204 rehires more than 70 teachers

Indian Prairie Unit District 204 has rehired the full-time equivalent of 70.5 teachers less than two months after releasing many of them.

"On March 22 the board released 145 certified staff members," Assistant Superintendent Nancy Valenta said Monday. "Tonight I am here to report that we have succeeded in rehiring 70.5. Not all of them are from the 145, but we are diligent in filling every portion and (full-time equivalent) we can while recognizing there are no new positions allocated."

Valenta said many of the rehires were made possible by staff turnover and attrition.

"We're hiring back as the need arises and the specification of the position calls for," Valenta said. "We're hiring back all internally. We post internally and look for staff that were released and are qualified."

Facing a $21.4 million deficit next year and an austerity plan that would cut even gym towels out of the budget, board members released 145 nontenured teachers in late March, the most the district has ever released.

Valenta said she intends to rehire more people in coming weeks as next year's staffing picture becomes more clear.

Union President Val Dranias was pleased with the move and said she hopes to hear about more rehires.

"We're thrilled with any teachers being brought back," she said. "As many as we can get back, we want them."

Indian Prairie covers portions of Naperville, Aurora, Bolingbrook and Plainfield.