Naperville 203 notifies teachers of honorable dismissals

Facing a $12.4 million projected budget deficit in the coming school year, Naperville Unit District 203 this week notified teachers of pending staff reductions.

The school board is expected to vote on the honorable dismissal of 38 educators at Monday’s meeting. The district notified those teachers of their pending dismissal this week.

Cuts take effect at the close of this school year.

Earlier this month, board members learned the district would be eliminating the equivalent of 97 full-time positions, or FTEs, made up of 90 certified staff and seven administrative positions. After a review, however, the district changed the number of certified staff positions to 81, said Lisa Xagas, assistant superintendent for strategy and engagement.

Although the majority of the cuts can be attained through retirements or resignations, 38 educators will be honorably dismissed to help close the budget gap.

“The Administration and Union Leadership worked diligently to minimize the impact on as many people as possible,” Superintendent Dan Bridges said in a statement about the notices sent to 38 educators. “We know these decisions affect people whose contributions matter deeply to this community, and we recognize this is a hard moment for many of our staff and families.”

Teachers who are being honorably dismissed were selected through a process that reviewed staffing categories, evaluations and seniority.

Naperville Unit Education Association President Ross Berkley said the union was “disheartened” that a reduction in force was needed, but that the union worked with district officials to minimize the number of educators receiving honorable dismissal notices.

NUEA Vice President Kyle Adams said this is the first time in his 18 years with the district that there has been a reduction in force.

A board memo outlines the specifics of all the personnel cuts. According to the memo, the district will lose a total of 20 FTEs at the elementary level including 17 classroom teachers and three specialists, 15.8 at the middle school level including 12.8 classroom positions and three learning support coaches; and 43.2 at the high school level including 31.6 classroom section positions and 11.6 specialists including counselors, student advocacy specialists, student success interventionists, learning support coaches and learning commons teachers. Two district-wide certified staff positions are also being recommended to be cut.

On the administrative level, the board will consider eliminating seven positions, including an assistant superintendent, a director of professional learning, two directors of outreach and student belonging, one student services director, one elementary assistant school principal and another position that has yet to be announced.

School board members will vote Monday on all of the cuts.

The personnel cuts will likely result in some shifts throughout the district as building staffing levels are adjusted to meet enrollment needs. Changes in staffing positions will rely on the same criteria — teacher category, evaluation and seniority — used to determine cuts. The board set a goal for average class sizes of 25 to 30 students, officials said.

District officials said the changes will not result in the elimination of any programs.

“We have made every effort to minimize the impact to students,” Xagas said.