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17 in RSD central office will lose jobs

Section: Community

Darran Simon

Recovery School District officials notified 17 central office employees that they will lose their jobs Jan. 18 under a cost-cutting plan to save about $1 million.

The layoffs include low-level jobs such as two electricians and an electrician helper, as well as higher paying positions such as two athletics coordinators. The terminated central office employees can interview for already budgeted certified positions open in schools, although they are not guaranteed a job, officials said Monday.

District Superintendent Paul Vallas said principals will have the final say on hiring for vacancies such as para educators and math and reading coaches. Vallas said there are no openings for similar positions for nine of the 17 terminated employees, although some have teaching certificates and could qualify for jobs at schools.

Employees were notified Friday and Monday , officials said. District officials hope to place employees in school positions, if their qualifications match, by the start of the second semester on Jan. 22.

The 17 layoffs are part of the 26 positions the district will eliminate this school year. Nine positions -- including four resignations and three layoffs -- had been eliminated before last week, officials said. More positions could be eliminated this year as the state-run district evaluates its staff needs, officials said.

The layoffs are part of a downsizing effort to spend no more than 6 percent of the district's central office budget for this fiscal year on employee salaries and benefits. Central office salaries and benefits, with the elimination of the 26 positions, account for 4.8 percent of the $248 million budget , officials said.

Officials hope to keep the central office salaries and benefits at the same mark or less in next year's budget.

The layoffs will save about $1 million for the state district where month-to-month cash flow has been tight, according to officials. The layoffs reduce the number of central staff employees to 145, down from 171 in the beginning of the 2007-2008 school year. Officials did not provide on Monday the number of positions Vallas inherited when he took over the job from former Superintendent Robin Jarvis this summer.

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