BOE Layoffs Likely to be Offset by Attrition

Many of the 27 layoffs proposed by the Westfield Board of Education to compensate for a state aid cut are likely to offset through attrition.

Westfield Education Association President Kim Schumacher said that information received by her office from the BOE show that several retirements have been received already and are close to the jobs that Schools Superintendent Margaret Dolan said will be eliminated under cuts being discussed. Schumacher said other regular departures from the system will help absorb more of the teacher cuts.

"There will not be the number of people losing their jobs that were mentioned," Schumacher said.

Current proposed layoffs that can be absorbed through attrition include two of the three proposed librarian layoffs, one of the two intermediate school counselors, the basic skills teacher, one out of two fine arts teachers and three of six elementary school positions. Schumacher said she is hearing of more potential retirements coming that will help offset these cuts.

In addition to retirements, Schumacher said teachers currently on maternity leave need to inform the district soon if they are coming back and she is hearing of several who will not be returning. She said routine layoffs due to poor performance will also be occurring soon.

Dolan announced the proposed layoffs on Tuesday as part of the board's plan to plug a $4.22 million budget gap, caused by Gov. Chris Christie's decision to slash state education aid to the town by that amount. Dolan's plan also includes program cuts, including eliminating the intermediate school fall dramas, eighth grade sports and the purchasing of new library books.

In a media availability following the board meeting on Tuesday, Dolan indicated that she would look at positions that had retirements to help determine where layoffs would occur. BOE members during the meeting showed concern about laying off teachers in an economic climate where other districts were proposing large scale layoffs due to the Christie cuts. Westfield teachers were briefed on Dolan's proposals during a Wednesday afternoon meeting. Teachers in neighboring districts have been on edge based on the potential for large scale layoffs.

"The likelyhood of these people getting other jobs is nil," board member Richard Solomon said.

Schumacher and Dolan both cautioned that while less layoffs would occur, there would still be a class size impact with less teachers in the school. The exact class size impact is not currently known. Schumacher did praise Dolan and the BOE for not basing the job cuts in one part of the district.

"When I looked at the cuts it seemed to me that the board spent the time making sure the cuts were felt district wide," she said. "They tried to spread it out."