Horseheads School District Potentially Cutting 49 Jobs

[TTL News 308]

Quote

 

HORSEHEADS, N.Y. (WETM) – “Hearts and emotions are very much heightened and I understand that. These are our friends, these are our neighbors, these are our community members.”

On April 4, a large number of concerned parents, teachers and community members attended the Horseheads School District budget workshop.

The proposed budget would cut an estimated 49 positions and funding to some extracurricular activities. Many people spoke out against those cuts.

“The biggest concern about losing my position is what’s going to happen to the children of the Horseheads community,” said one teacher.

 

Read the rest here. 

[Chris 2,168]

Whats the superintendent's salary? Something I saw online listed it as $230k. The governor of the whole damned state is making about $250k. 

 

[Ann 264]

37 minutes ago, Chris said:

Whats the superintendent's salary? Something I saw online listed it as $230k. The governor of the whole damned state is making about $250k. 

 

Instead of laying off staff let’s look at salary reduction starting at the top and work your way down.  $230k is too much for any superintendent in this area.

[KarenK 383]

Just now, Ann said:

Instead of laying off staff let’s look at salary reduction starting at the top and work your way down.  $230k is too much for any superintendent in this area.

Problem is that it's all contractual.  They can't just reduce his pay until his contract is up. 

[MsKreed 1,185]

8 hours ago, Chris said:

Whats the superintendent's salary? Something I saw online listed it as $230k. The governor of the whole damned state is making about $250k. 

Yes....$230k in 2023 (according to https://www.seethroughny.net/payrolls).

And, according to a report linked HERE from NYSED, his 2023-24 salary is set at $244k plus $100k+ in benefits and “other”, which puts his compensation higher than other local counterparts.

Full disclosure: I live (and pay taxes) in another school district, and my kids left HHDS schools several years ago. So my interest is just as an outside observer.   

After listening to most of the presentation last night and some comments from members of the BOE and the public.....I hope that whoever has been drafting the budget proposals isn’t pulling off a masterful job of “wagging the dog”.  

The most emotionally charged “fears” are being highlighted (in proposals that stay under the 2% cap). 

So now (even if the public comments weren’t as fiery as some of the FB discussion), there’s a vocal segment of the public poised to demand that the cap be overridden, if they stay convinced that it’s the only way to save those 49 jobs.

 

Some points that came up that I’d like to see more discussion about.

1)      I think I heard that 11 of the 49 positions 'in jeopardy' are vacant and would be attrition. And a number of the other (38) seem to be newly created healthcare and support “pandemic” jobs (that were initially funded by emergency grants). While it’s unfortunate for anyone to lose their job.... if the job was created to address a short-term crisis, then it’s not rational to expect it to be perpetual. (Imagine if a family member had a medical situation and insurance covered a home aide for recuperation...and then the family was expected to keep that person on payroll indefinitely after the medical need had passed).

2)      The 100% bussing has always seemed unnecessary to me. It boggles my mind to be following a school bus through town and see them stopping to pick up kids a block or two from the school. Sure, door-to-door service is a nice bonus if/when there’s a stable budget to accommodate it, but not necessary by any stretch.  If, as was suggested last night, aligning with the narrower NYS bussing requirements would bring about a $1.5 million savings, it ought to be given strong consideration.

[Chris 2,168]

2 hours ago, MsKreed said:

The 100% bussing has always seemed unnecessary to me. It boggles my mind to be following a school bus through town and see them stopping to pick up kids a block or two from the school.

I was just saying the same thing.

Every day I see buses taking students from places like Ambrose Drive and Barrington Estates to Horseheads Middle School. For those that don’t realize how close those three locations are, let me offer Exhibit A: