Crestwood School Board considers teacher layoffs to reduce ‘substantial budget shortfall’

WRIGHT TWP. — Teacher layoffs are now a possibility after the Crestwood School Board voted 6-3 at Wednesday’s monthly meeting to adopt a resolution to potentially suspend as many as six employees for the upcoming 2024-2025 school year in order to reduce “a substantial budget shortfall.”

Vice President Barry Boone, along with board members Craig Champi and Lauren McCurdy, voted no.

In explaining why he voted no, Boone said that he knew the resolution was “just a safety precaution,” but that he felt the school had other options in addressing the shortfall.

The approved resolution does not mean employees will definitely be laid off. It merely gives the board the ability to suspend employees if they need to.

The board will look into other cost saving measures to avoid layoffs including: a reduction in medical insurance expenses through negotiations with health care providers; applied and applying for multiple grants, including grants for roofs, air conditioning, parking areas, food service equipment, safety/security, track repairs and mental health; reduction in transportation expenses; reduction in “comp time” and homebound instruction expenses; reduction in charter school expenses; and a reduction in co-curricular uniform costs.

According to resolution, the layoffs would reduce the current budget deficit of approximately $630,300, prior to suspensions.

With the suspensions, the board expects to reduce expenditures from $47,815,151 to $47,116,151 for a total savings of approximately $699,000.

The potential suspended staff would only include employees who provide instruction directly to students.

According to resolution, the board does not intend to suspend any professional employee who is not assigned to provide instruction directly to students and is not administrative staff.

The board’s final budget is expected to be submitted no later than June 30.

Several people in the audience spoke out against the potential layoffs, including Crestwood Education Association President Lori Rozinski, who suggests raising taxes to make up for the deficit.

“I’m just urging the school board to consider looking at that just because you can’t operate schools without teachers, and we lost good teachers last year who would not otherwise leave. I just don’t want that to happen again,” she said.

Also at the meeting, the board:

• Approved and ratified bills from the FNCB General Fund. Ratification of check numbers to include # 6494 – 6533 FNCB; ratifying March Wire Transfer in the amount of $ 3,635,223.17 approving the bills from the FNCB General Fund, check numbers to include # 6534 – 6654.

• Approved the agreement between CSD and Zelenkofske Axel Rod LLC for the term of one year for $22,300.00 for auditing services (year ending June 30, 2024).

• Approved the Clinical Education Experience Agreement with Misericordia University and the Crestwood School District as of February 6, 2024 (retroactive).

• Approved awarding the bid to The Nutrition Group for Food Service Management. (Pending final contract negotiations)

• Approved the updated April Drivers list for the 2023-2024 school year for the following companies: Rinehimer and Chiverella.

• Approved Michelle Young as a part-time custodian 4 to 8 p.m., Monday through Friday at $18.29/hr. after completing a 60 workday probationary period at a 10% rate reduction (per CBA).

• Approved resignation of Samantha Shoemaker as a Part- Time Custodian at the Secondary Campus as of April 15, 2024. (retroactive)

• Approved retirement of Donna Walck as an FT food service worker at Rice Elementary as of May 31, 2024.

• Approved several field trips for the 2023-2024 school year.

• Approval of the MOU between Luzerne County Head Start Program, Inc. and Crestwood School District from July 1, 2024 until June 30, 2025.

• Approved Mariana Herrera-Durange as head varsity girls soccer coach for the 2024-2025 School year. Posting #22 and 25 -2023-24, with a salary as per the CBA of $ 8,564.00.

• Approved resignation of Ryan Arcangeli as the spring weightlifting coach as of April 15, 2024.