Cary Dist. 26 puts 105 employees on notice

It will be a tighter squeeze when Cary students in grades four through seven return to their classrooms in the fall.

Because of staff dismissals approved on Monday, those students will face average class sizes of more than 30, according to Cary Elementary District 26. In front of a packed Cary junior high auditorium, the District 26 school board voted unanimously to eliminate 105 full- and part-time positions - including about 80 teachers.

The staff reductions are expected to save about $4.78 million in salaries and benefits. The layoffs, along with the closing of Maplewood School at the end of this school year, will help erase a deficit projected to grow to $6.6 million in 2011. District officials said the district will require further cuts in fiscal year 2012 and 2013 in order to eliminate the deficit.

Because of expected cuts in state funding in education, District 26 is cutting 7.4 more full-time-equivalent positions than the administration recommended last month. The reductions will lead average class sizes to rise to between 31 and 34 in the fourth grade, 32 in the fifth grade, 34 in sixth grade and seventh grade, according to the district's projections.

Parents and teachers questioned whether Cary schools could continue providing a quality education in light of the large class sizes and cuts to "specials" such as music and physical education. Referring to the district motto, Three Oaks School teacher Dana Cook said, "Excellence in education - I would hate to change that to 'Our children are not balanced, but our budget is.'"

But the district staff said Dist. 26 is on the state's financial watch list and must balance its budget to get off it.

"We have to do these very difficult things to show rapid progress pulling out of a deficit situation," interim Finance Director Martin McConahay said. "They're not going to stretch this farther."

As for class sizes, district officials said teachers will be shuffled across buildings depending on enrollment, but that it is unlikely high class sizes will be mitigated.

"We have looked at all the options," Superintendent Brian Coleman said. "There really isn't a great deal of room."

The board voted earlier this year to reduce physical education, band, chorus, supplies and custodial costs, as well as freeze salaries for support staff and administrators.

Coleman reiterated Monday that some of the staff will be called back and programs will be restored if District 26's financial outlook improves.

The board has asked the teachers union to reopen its contract and agree to salary and insurance concessions that the district says could save as many as 17 jobs.

The union has not yet responded to that offer and teachers on Monday accused the district of holding their jobs hostage to negotiations.

"I feel like a pawn on a giant chess board," said Kathy Lazzerini, a teacher who received a pink slip on Friday after more than 10 years in the district. "We are playing games with people's lives."

Cuts: Union hasn't responded about renegotiating contract

Cary Elementary District 26 layoffsCary Elementary District 26 school board laid off more than 100 staff, teachers and administrators on Monday. The following staff and teachers were on the list:Tenured teachersLaurie RobinettKatherine KrashocErica SchwartzJulie SchusterBecki MichelettiJustine SchwarzNancy StawarzCarolyn HaaseMary ForniAnnamarie HofmannKathryn KarasekJennifer MartinMelissa LukeshAngela SwansonKathleen LazzeriniBrent LueckPaula GarnerJordan AndersonLori WisnauskiShannon DaleyTara GrandvielElizabeth O'ConnorLon SchmidtMary PrestipinoDeborah FarleyLisa PoppJamison PearceRichard PaleseChristine LundDonna CoventryKevin CalousHarriet RasmussenAnna SavianoLori GracelyHenry TuberJudith ArvidsonPablo ArreolaJeanne MorganTammie SchneidermanPauline WalkerAdministratorsCathy SchaffTeresa ReicheFourth yearShayne BirkmeierJennifer BlancoDiedra DolejsJason GoldLisa HeydenMelissa LesserStephanie MartinTeri RaucciMelissa TamasonMichael GinczyckiLauren MackeyLynette O'RourkeGlyndon WalkerThird yearErin GibbonsCeleste KerrTerry NelsonAimee PalysElizabeth Pizano-EastonSarah SchollSecond yearPamela BlodgettTeri FisherKelly LowFennie Orpano-SchusterKristy SearlesStephanie SmithFirst yearJennifer CarterNancy DoubledayDebbie KaplanJeanne RiveraKevin RossKristina SnellPart timeSarah EdwardsRobyn GlassKathy LambertiRachel LenellSuzanne McKenzieErin MurphySarah SheaRose ShusisLauri SwensonSupport staffJuan AguirreRoman Arroyo-SanchezAna Maria AvilaMaria AvilezCarmen DePasillasGloria EglerJose GalvanRuben GarciaJavier Garcia-HerreraRogelio LazaroNoe Lazaro GarciaAdolfo Lazaro-ZamudioAna LeonTricie McCarthyMaria MirandaFrancisco MonroyNick MutzlFrancisco PastorAlicia Pacaz De ArreolaIsabel RodriguezEnrique SilvaMary ThomasAdolfo Vazquez Source: Cary Elementary District 26