Posen teacher shuffle expected to be put on hold

by Peter Jakey, Managing Editor

Many parents of Posen Elementary School students were breathing a sigh of relief when it was announced that the teacher shuffle, brought on by the decision to lay off of an elementary teacher, is not going to take place. First-grade teacher Julie McLennan, who has been working at Posen Consolidated School District for eight years, will continue her duties until the end of the school year, thus making it possible for sixth-grade teacher Steve Likens to remain in his position and eliminating a plan to combine the fifth- and sixth-graders for the final marking periods.

The change is unofficial until formally approved by the board of education Monday night, which is hours after the first school day of the new semester. Word trickled into classrooms Jan. 6 and notices went out in Friday folders a few days later. ACCORDING TO superintendent Dru Milliron, at McLennan?s suggestion, and with the consent of the union, her contract will be extended through the end of February and she?ll be paid substitute teacher pay until the end of the school year. ?(McLennan) can only be a sub for 59 days, before she gets contractual pay,? said Milliron.

Gov. Jennifer Granholm?s announcement that the cut of $127

from the per pupil foundation grant being pulled from the table, made it easier for ?the powers that be? to make an about-face in this one area of budget cuts made at the school board?s Dec. 14 meeting. ?With what we had found out last week (Granholm?s decision), along with Julie?s proposal, that all came full circle,? said board president Ken Wozniak. ?I?m hoping now the full board will reinstate her at Monday?s meeting on the 18th.? ON DEC. 14, the board laid off a teacher and a paraprofessional working with special education students, along with cutting the hours of the clerk/secretary and an assistant cook.

Additionally, junior high track was eliminated, among other tough cost saving measures. Wozniak said it is possible that some of the cuts made last month could be revisited. ?We?ll discuss more of that at the board meeting. There is talk about bringing someone else back, or on reduced hours.? Monday?s meeting is at 6:30 p.m. in the high school library.