Minooka High School makes personnel cuts

MINOOKA – A standing-room only crowd of students, parents, teachers and other staff gathered Thursday at Minooka Community High School’s School Board meeting to voice displeasure with several agenda items that called for personnel reductions in the district.

Following an open session where several pleaded their cases, then an hour-long closed session, the School Board made sweeping personnel cuts involving teachers, a librarian and support staff, along with reductions in hours of several district positions in an attempt to reduce a fiscal year $3 million deficit.

Reductions in force, or RIFs, were given to art teacher Christine Listello, music teacher Tyler White and librarian Lisa Wright – all full-time employees.

Part-time social studies teacher Candace Baker and part-time French teacher Bill Swiderski also were dismissed, and their positions not renewed next year. Support staff not renewed for next year were full-time print room clerk Melanie Safarck, part-time dean receptionists Mary Patt Clancy and Paulette Aldis, and part-time technology aide Cindy Vong.

Probationary special education teacher Jeff Gilmour also was dismissed, and his position will not be renewed. Positions will not be renewed for two teachers retiring in drivers’ education and English, and for one retiring counselor.

Superintendent Jim Blanche said after the meeting there were nine teachers affected by the reductions in force out of the district’s nine departments.

“This is painful,” Blanche said. “Nobody wants to do it, but our budget issues are well-documented.”

Blanche said the cause of the budget deficit is a drastic decrease in revenue over the past few years resulting from declines in property tax and state dollars.

Board President Mike Brozovich said that over the last four years, the district has lost $10 million in tax-based revenue due to the declining economy. The decision to reduce personnel, he said, was made after all other cost-saving avenues were exhausted.

Blanche said he received news Thursday the district will lose an additional 2.25 percent in state revenue next year.

Most of the students attending the meeting knew cuts were being made, but the two they had heard of prior to the meeting were the art and music teachers, Listello and White. The students, along with parents and teachers, took turns speaking at the podium.

Senior Isabel Ortega was there with her friend, senior Haley Donisch, both in orange T-shirts from the school’s art department.

“I’ve always been involved in the arts program,” Ortega said before the meeting. “I’m here to speak, and hopefully, they will change their minds.”

When it was her turn to speak, she made a passionate plea.

“What I’m asking you today is to find another solution in solving this budget deficit,” she said.

Donisch said the staff being cut were especially well-loved. Speaking at the meeting, she was critical of the board for not letting students and the public know details of the cuts they were considering.

“We would have been happy to fundraise,” she said, “if we would have known in advance.”

Student Jackie Russell, enrolled in honors classes and the band, said that as someone involved in music and academics, he believed music was the more important skill when heading to college.

He said cutting the music department by a quarter and the art department by half was not in the best interest of students.

“Music to me is just as important as math,” he said.

Both of the district’s art teachers spoke at the meeting. Dana Becker will be the only art teacher left at the campuses next year.

“The arts teach critical thinking, skills of observation, analysis, interpretation and assessment – skills that go far beyond artwork,” she said. “These skills ... provide students with a mindset and/or foundation to be productive, successful members of our society.”

Several other staff members had the number of days they will work next year reduced with the board’s decisions Thursday.

Three counselors – Ray Liberatore, Stan Tischer and Bobbi White – had their annual work days reduced by 10; librarian Carolyn Kinsella’s work days were reduced by five; and work days were reduced by seven for Deans Renee Ebel and Bernard Ruettiger.

Athletic Director Bob Tyrell will work 50 fewer days next year; and instructional leaders Bert Kooi, Donna Engel, Shawn Capodice, Trent Bontrager and Glenda Smith will work five fewer days.

Other staff hour reductions include Mike Denson and secretaries/receptionists Jeri Brockett, Anne Seidel, Kathy Krakowski, Marci Jordan, Jenn Quinn and Julie Feeney.