Lee Pulaski, lpulaski@wolfrivermedia.com
The Shawano School District will issue final layoff notices to seven employees this week.
The district sent preliminary notices to several more staff members in March, but retirements, resignations and other financial decisions helped pare the number to seven. The School Board OK’d the final notices Monday.
The original layoff notices were issued when the district was estimating a deficit of almost $950,000 due to funding cuts and other elements in Gov. Scott Walker’s proposed state budget.
The district made a significant dent in the deficit by rebidding its health insurance coverage, saving about $600,000 next year, Superintendent Gary Cumberland said. The board voted in late March to switch from Auxiant to WEA Trust for the next three years.
“The company came in really low. They wanted our business really bad,” Cumberland said. “That was enough to give us a significant savings to change our initial plans.”
Cumberland noted that WEA Trust wanted to establish a foothold in the area and was willing to bid low for the first year in order to get the Shawano contract.
“We happened to be shopping at just the right time,” Cumberland said.
Six retirements and two resignations also helped. Some of those positions might not be refilled, according to Cumberland.
The district is required by state law to issue final notices to professional staff by May 15. However, the positions being phased out could be restored if state money is restored or student enrollment increases drastically.
There are already indications that state budget cuts might not be as deep as originally projected. Cumberland said, for example, the $150 districts receive per student in categorical aid could be restored, which would add almost $380,000 to the Shawano schools’ coffers.
“There’s still no official vote, but it’s 90 percent there, I guess,” Cumberland said.
Cumberland indicated that at least one of the seven employees getting a layoff notice is likely to retain his or her job.
“We’re happy that we were able to reduce the number (of layoffs),” he said. “If something opens up, as long as they’re certified (for the position), they can come back.”
The state budget is supposed to be finalized by July 1.