Beecher City School Board Approves Personnel Reductions

Beecher City school board members Monday acted on reductions in personnel and on workload for other employees in an effort to save money.

The Board voted to eliminate the jobs of grade school teachers Jolene Stewart, Fiona Abbott and Hannah Imig.  Also approved was the reduction from fulltime to halftime the positions of Drivers Ed Instructor and Student Information Systems Operator Tom Wendling, Spanish Instructor James Walker, and Art Instructor Norma Napier-Swisher.

Beecher City Superintendent Scott Cameron said sixth graders will be instructed at the junior-senior high school rather than the grade school next year.  A current teacher will take over Title I instruction next year and other teachers at the grade school will take over Grades K thru 5.  Cameron said there will be no split of grade levels necessary, as class sizes will range from 26 to 15 pupils.  He also said Napier-Swisher will now teach Grades 6 through 12 in her half-day, rather than K-12 as she does now in her full day.  Grade school teachers are certified to teach Art and will take over instruction in their classrooms.

The Board also voted to dismiss grade school teacher aides Sherry Wright and Vanessa Doedtman.

Cameron expects the personnel moves to save the District $280,000 next fiscal year.

The Board hired Britt Wendling as Social Worker for two days a week next year, rather than contracting for her services through EIASE once a week, and Cameron said the move should save the District $15,000.

The Board also accepted high school teacher Rita Speagle's letter of retirement, and rehired junior/senior high school principal Phil Lark and grade school principal Rose Milleville for next school year.

Board member Carolyn Clark was called in to work and could not attend.