Dist. 301 grade centers pushed back 1 year

Central Unit District 301 approved a plan to convert its middle schools into grade-level centers Monday night, but the change will take effect one year later than planned.

The board also tabled $500,000 in reductions — including eight teacher layoffs — because of a last-minute agreement that freezes teacher salaries next school year.

Under the reorganization plan, sixth- and seventh-grade students in District 301 will go to Prairie Knolls Middle School for the 2012-13 school year, while eighth graders will attend Central Middle School.

The move was sparked by declining enrollment at Central Middle School and rising numbers at Prairie Knolls, trends that eventually could threaten the quality of programs at Central, District 301 officials said.

“The primary reason is the discrepancy between the programs over time,” District 301 Superintendent Todd Stirn said.

District administration will have to re-evaluate what reductions the district might need to make for next year in light of the agreement with teachers, ratified by union members less than three hours before Monday’s board meeting.

“We will have to revise what our budget reduction plan will look like,” Assistant Superintendent Greg Rabenhorst said.

As part of the deal with teachers, though, the district will not cut eight teaching positions next year as previously planned. The cuts had included six middle school and two elementary school positions — mostly stemming from the middle school reorganization.

The delayed reorganization no doubt will come as a relief to some parents who expressed concern that their children would not have as many opportunities at the reconfigured middle schools.

Hundreds of parents, students and teachers aired their concerns during two heated meetings held earlier this month at the two middle schools.

Teacher’s union President Marsha Zierk said Monday the district had been trying to implement a major change without enough lead time.

“I don’t like the way it was done,” Zierk said. “Our students need time to adjust. That’s why we agreed to a freeze.”

The board also voted not to renew 23 nontenured teachers on Monday. Similar to many school districts, District 301 typically releases its nontenured teachers at the end of the school year so it has flexibility to adjust staffing levels based on student enrollment and funding, officials said.

“I expect that most of these positions would be refilled,” Stirn said.

As part of the district’s cost-saving measures, the salaries of all nonunion staff, including administration, will also be frozen next year.