Janesville School Board trims more jobs
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Karen Schulte
JANESVILLE — The Janesville School Board approved job cuts, fee increases and other spending cuts Tuesday as it neared its goal of balancing next year’s budget.
The board voted 9-0 to eliminate 37.5 counselors, learning-support teachers, librarians, reading specialists and other teachers-union members categorized as support staff, saving about $2 million.
That and other decisions Tuesday got the board close to its goal of climbing out of a projected $13.4 million budget hole.
Superintendent Karen Schulte said after the meeting that the board’s decisions have brought the budget “pretty close” to being balanced.
About 80 support-staff members had received layoff notices, but now many of them will be able to compete for about 42 jobs that remain.
Some of those jobs, however, will be given new duties and responsibilities under a plan presented Tuesday.
Kim Ehrhardt, director of instruction, presented a “framework” for how the administration would restructure the jobs of a number of counselors, librarians and learning-support teachers.
Some librarians and high school counselors will continue to be employed in those jobs, Ehrhardt said. Others will be hired into newly created positions that use their skills in new ways, often requiring them to work in more than one school.
The plan calls for 14 of the 17 learning-support teachers to be brought back. Some will fill new positions called academic learning coaches.
Either 10 or 15 of the 19 librarians will be brought back. Some will fill new positions and be called “innovation specialists,” helping with new teaching techniques and computer technology.
Either 18 or 22 of the counselors will be brought back. Some will become “student services specialists” and deal with students’ socio-emotional needs.
Board members expressed frustration that the administration couldn’t supply precise numbers, show how each school would be affected or explain more precisely how duties would be handled.
New board member Scott Feldt called the information “woefully lacking.”
Feldt, Lori Stottler and DuWayne Severson all said they needed more information to make a decision.
In the end, they relented and left the details to the administration.
The board also approved a proposal to name Mike Kuehne, a retired principal, to oversee both Kennedy and Harrison elementary schools as interim principal in the coming year.
One “building coordinator” would assist Kuehne at each school. Those coordinators would not work in classrooms, but they would help with staff training, attendance, discipline and instructional strategies, according to a memo by Steve Sperry, human resources director.
Schulte said she is considering creating three more building-coordinator positions but did not say how they would be used. Five elementary principals are retiring or resigning at the end of this school year.
Kuehne retired as principal of Craig High School in 2010. He has served as principal at the elementary and middle school levels as well as high school.
Kuehne will be paid $56,000 a year, but he won’t get benefits because he’s retired. The move will save about $140,000, according to Sperry’s memo.
Sperry said the arrangement will be monitored throughout next year to see how well it works.
Severson said the board should consider doing the same with more elementary schools.
OTHER BUSINESS
In other business Tuesday, the Janesville School Board voted:
-- To cut three maintenance positions, saving $150,000. Kevin Murray opposed this and other position cuts, trying to get the board to dip into its reserves to save them, but he got little support.
-- To cut 15 clerks, secretaries and/or aides. The vote was 6-2, with Murray and Stottler voting against the cut. Greg Ardrey, whose wife is among those who could be affected, abstained.
-- To raise registration fees by $10 at the elementary and middle schools and $11 at the high schools. The result would be fees of $30 at the elementary schools, $35 at the middle schools and $40 at the high schools. The move could raise about $90,000. Karl Dommerhausen voted “no.”
-- To reject a proposal to charge an $18 fee for workbooks.
-- To reject a proposal to charge employees for their electrical usage when they bring refrigerators, space heaters and other appliances from home.
-- To cut one full-time-equivalent nursing position, saving $56,000.
-- To cut three police officers that are stationed at the middle schools, saving $125,000.
-- To postpone action on a proposal to cut $650,000 from the maintenance budget. This was less than the $1 million cut proposed earlier, but the board voted to refer the matter to the buildings-and-grounds committee before deciding at its May 24 meeting.
May 13, 2011 at 2:07 p.m.
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probably could cut more money by handing the food services over to McDonald's. I hear their dollar value meal menu is fantastic and healthy too.
May 13, 2011 at 1:44 p.m.
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Tpaine~~sounds to me like your bitter because your kid is a trouble maker and was arrested and/or ticketed by one of the school officers. Schools are not safe as they once were 20+ years ago. To accuse the officers of misconduct is unexcusable. If there was actual misconduct it should have been reported to the police chief not aired out on here. I know these officers and I find it very hard to believe they are hitting on "mothers".
May 13, 2011 at 1:39 p.m.
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Taxandspend you think suspension is the solution? Suspension is part of the problem. The study done in New Haven, CT proved it. Do you really think kids care if they get kicked out of school? What do you think they do if they're kicked out of school and unsupervised? That gives them plenty of time to get involved in crime. We need to keep the kids in school not "release them" from it.
May 13, 2011 at 1:35 p.m.
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Yes, he will receive his retirement in addition to his salary! My aunt retired from one school district years ago, took her retirement and then went to another district where she received a salary. I agree its WRONG, especially since it was a taxpayer funded retirement.
May 13, 2011 at 1:31 p.m.
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I'm seeing posts on Facebook from students at Franklin Middle School about using iPads in Health. I'd like to know how many iPads were purchased for Janesville Schools, the cost, and WHY they were purchased when we have a budget crisis!
May 13, 2011 at 11:32 a.m.
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It's tough when the troll keeps changing screen names. Gotta stay on your toes.
May 13, 2011 at 9:15 a.m.
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After reading all of the blogs, I'm pretty much convinced that taxandspend is really Scott Walker. tpaine09 has got to be his Chief of Staff.
May 13, 2011 at 8:12 a.m.
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Great...now I hope this rubs off to the districts that really needs to trim.
May 12, 2011 at 10:51 p.m.
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Darn it! I fed the troll! Didn't catch that taxandspend was the Cass/Jodymac/Local81/etc until after I took the bait! Do not continue to feed the troll and maybe, eventually it will go away.
May 12, 2011 at 10:32 p.m.
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sluggo
"Isn't that slander?"
#1} No, because it is true I can name the officer's name and prove it w/ a witness...
#2) Correct..I never said I WAS perfect; or a teacher..for that matter.
May 12, 2011 at 9:27 p.m.
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taxandspend,Jodymac,Cass whoever else you are? How many times do have to bring this issue up!
May 12, 2011 at 9:15 p.m.
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tpaine not tj duh sorry lol ironic that I was correcting your use of homophones and I screw up your name
May 12, 2011 at 9:14 p.m.
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tj - 1. Isn't that slander?
2. principles don't make phone calls, principal do
May 12, 2011 at 7 p.m.
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luvujvl
"Does anyone have information about the roles of police officers inside the middle schools?"
Yea, pretty much they loiter the day away,hitting on children's mothers, in between harassing the kids, and get to make the BIG bust every so often when a couple of kids get into a fight; ya know they get a 400$ disorderly ticket, probation the courts etc.
Plain & simple it's a money$$ maker..makin money$$$ off the backs of KIDS!!!
YA SEE I AM OLD, and when you got into minor trouble,back in the day, the principle called the parent, that is when your troubles really began....You did not have some scumbag Bureaucrats trying to make THEIR livings off the backs of children...it is not right!
May 12, 2011 at 6:55 p.m.
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No you didn't read that in the gazette. That's what your alter-egos have said on the posts and you're still trying to make people think it's true cass/jodymac/local81/whoever you will be next.
May 12, 2011 at 2:40 p.m.
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The quality of education in Janesville is taking a HUGE nosedive because of Scott Walker. You do not cut 834 million dollars from public education and expect a quality education. At the same time Walker is willing to give tax breaks over 200 million dollars to corporations and the wealthy. Walker also wants to expand the school voucher program to be open to all students which will cost lots more. Sign the petition to RECALL Walker at unitedwisconsin.com
May 12, 2011 at 2:20 p.m.
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taxandspend- where did you get your 86 from? i'm pretty sure more than 86 union members from the janesville school district donated to the "save the schools" fund. when the exact details are released and the total contributing amount is announced, then you can talk. Nobody wants to see another person lose their job. To make such a statement is cold hearted and flat out cruel.
May 12, 2011 at 2:11 p.m.
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Hey tax, something tells me that you're an idiot, and perhaps there is no union conspiracy.
May 12, 2011 at 12:29 p.m.
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Hey taxandspend, Or should I say jodymac or cass or .... Why do you keep changing names?? Oh yeah, because you have very strange ideas. Everyone welcome Cass back!
May 12, 2011 at 10:50 a.m.
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taxandspend- many union workers have already stepped up and either pledged their raise amount for next year, gave a % of their salary, or gave a check. Obviously not everybody can give the same amount but at least they're trying.
May 12, 2011 at 9:43 a.m.
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Hey tax, the school board along with the administration has a job, to run the district, including balancing the budget. The teachers have a job as well, teach children. Recent evidence (increased test scores, increased grad rate) suggests that one of these is doing their job, despite the inability of the others to do theirs. The board knew coming into this year they would be about 7 million in the hole due to enrollment and stimulus money reductions. If you are upset, direct your anger towards the responsible party, instead of "pulling a Walker" and misdirect everyone's attention.
May 12, 2011 at 7:58 a.m.
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Taxandspend, after they are kicked out, they can loiter at your house. And since they won't be employable, they can rob you. Then you can pay multiple times the amount we spend educating them to keep them in prison! We are all in this city together, don't think it won't impact you if we let too many kids fall through the cracks!
May 12, 2011 at 7:55 a.m.
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taxandspend, when your kid pukes all over the classroom, they should call you to clean it up. Think all the tax money we could save!
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How much learning do you think is going on when there is vomit on the floor? How long is a reasonable amount of time for the kids to smell/look at it before a custodian is available to clean it? These custodians have a thankless job that does impact learning.
May 12, 2011 at 7:37 a.m.
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sunfire - you refer to "lots of horrible problems" - maybe I don't even want to know what they are - but that's my concern. Officers have been placed in middle schools for a reason...who will do their jobs if they are removed?
May 12, 2011 at 7:33 a.m.
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The "fat" should be trimmed at the top in the district office first cutting salaries of employees such as Superintendent and positions such as director of education, etc. It's absolutely backwards to cut from the bottom up, not to mention we haven't really heard much about the cuts at the district office...why is that?
May 12, 2011 at 7:19 a.m.
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Todays school are not like days gone by. There are lots of criminal activity going on all the time in the schools. Don't kid yourselves. I know from working in the school how necesssary police officers are. They are working nonstop with lots of horrible problems to make things run smoothly.
May 12, 2011 at 4:59 a.m.
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Jp53545: Did you read the article? Ardey abstained, meaning he did not vote!
May 11, 2011 at 11:09 p.m.
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Only government school hacks, oops I mean administrators (and their lackey board), could make something as simple as saving money this opaque. The one with the "framework" made me LOL. Then we have the board member voting no because it might affect his wife's income. A decent person would have recused themselves from that vote citing conflict of interest. This is ridiculous......
May 11, 2011 at 9:14 p.m.
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Wow....I am so glad my children do not go to Janesville Schools. I couldn't imagine trying to sell a house in that district. What do you say when a potential buyer asks about the school district??? I know, you say, "well they are never cleaned because they got rid of all of the janitors, kids can't check out anything from the library because librarians aren't important, if they need extra help...they won't get it because their are no aides and nobody answers the phone because we laid off all the secretaries".
May 11, 2011 at 8:47 p.m.
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I wonder the same thing about the officers. 3 officers at $125,000 is $41,666 each. Never had an officer stationed when I was going to school. Why do we need them there now? If there's a situation needing an officers assistance, why not call them like everybody else does?
May 11, 2011 at 8:20 p.m.
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Can someone provide information about the role of police officers at the middle schools? I'm guessing that student safety is an issue - why else would they be there?
May 11, 2011 at 7:54 p.m.
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Isnt th good doctor double dipping? I am sure he gets a pension and some sort of health care. This is a terrible practice that should be against the law, IMO.
May 11, 2011 at 7:45 p.m.
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Thanks to Dr. Kuehne for coming back.. that money's the equivalent of saving 2 to 3 teacher's jobs!
May 11, 2011 at 7:40 p.m.
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Mr. Feldt, take a moment to watch yourself and how you conduct yourself at a board meeting once. It's embarassing to listen to your condesending comments and tone. Maybe you could do some research before you make some of your ignorant comments, just my opinion.
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