Michigan Center Schools not planning to lay off any full-time teachers but board does approve eliminating four positions

THE ISSUE: Michigan Center Public Schools is not planning to lay off any full-time teachers for the 2011-12 school year, but several paraprofessionals and a custodian are losing their jobs. The district will also no longer offer transportation to weekend events to help trim the budget.

WHAT HAPPENED MONDAY: The school board approved the reduction of three paraprofessional positions and one custodian position, while acknowledging another custodian could possibly be laid off before the beginning of the school year. Superintendent Scott Koziol said there could be additional minimal staffing reductions announced at the August board meeting. The board also approved eliminating district-funded transportation to athletic events and other activities on weekends. Koziol said district leadership believed the cuts would have less of an impact on parents and extracurricular programs than cutting transportation during the week or having “one-way drop-offs.”

THE VOTE: 6-0.

THE QUOTE: “None of these cuts are easy, but we feel we’ve been very responsible the last several years as a board and a district.” — Superintendent Scott Koziol

WHAT IT WILL COST: Koziol said the reductions would save the district roughly $700,000 and they were figured into the $10.8 million budget passed June 28.
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As published in the Jackson Citizen Patriot on July 12, 2011