West Des Moines School Staff Cuts Scaled Back After Public Outcry

Following four hours of West Des Moines parents, student and teachers decrying proposed cuts to language, music and reading programs in the school district, revised changes were approved Tuesday night.

District administrators presented revised curriculum and staffing cuts to the school board Tuesday night. The revisions backed off from eliminating five reading positions, a band position and more for the 2012-13 school year.

The revisions followed a Monday night meeting attended by about 300 people, many of whom voiced concern about the proposed changes and a process they said happened too quickly and without much transparency.

What do you think of the overall process the district went through on these staffing and program changes? What will be the lasting affect? Tell us below in comments.

Tuesday’s proposal no longer included cutting five reading teachers; phasing out Japanese; cutting a half-time teaching and learning services administrator; no half-time position reduction in art and no half-time position increase in language arts.

Liz Remus, 14, voiced her opposition to any of the changes during the Monday meeting. “I’m in band because I enjoy it. Cutting a director limits my options to do something with music later in my life. There wouldn’t be much lesson time,” she said.

Slight staff reductions were approved in family sciences and business courses, while small staffing increases were approved in social studies, science and Spanish.

French will still be cut at the junior high level, and two Chinese classes will be combined.

On the music side, the orchestra staffing will remain the same, the vocal staff will be trimmed by one-half a position and the band staff by one-half a position.

Michele Catellier, who attended Tuesday’s meeting with her daughter, Kathryn Catellier, said she felt the decisions on staffing were made too quickly, and not enough time was allowed to bring proposals to the community.

“I am pleased Japanese was not cut and that cuts in other programs were not as deep as initially planned,” she said.

Budget Shortfall to be Made Up Elsewhere

Prior to the meeting, Superintendent Peter Ansingh said the changes will not result in lay-offs. “It will be done by moving staff around,” he said. The changes are designed to make plans for classes that aren’t as well-utilized by students and meet student needs rather than trimming the budget.

A $570,000 expected shortfall in the 2012-13 budget that begins on July 1 will be made up in other areas, rather than in the deeper staff cuts originally proposed, Ansingh said Tuesday.

A number of expenses have added to the need to find some cost-saving measures. For example, the new contract gives teachers a needed raise, but the cost to the district is $85,000. Additionally, $200,000 in grant money to pay for some of the foreign language program is no longer available.

There also is the $187,000 cost to add a therapeutic classroom for special education students and to reinstate a behavior interventionist for grades 10-12. 

Katie Ringgenberg, 13, doesn’t agree with cutting the French class from the junior high level.  “I took French this year and I’m against cutting it,” she said. "They were also talking about cutting a band director and I’m involved in band, too."

Board member Jill Hansen supported the recommendations with the changes made because of public comments. Even though she still has some questions about vocal music proposals, “I think the proposal is worth a try.”

Jannine Scott, who has a daughter at Valley High School, said she was particularly pleased they were not cutting any reading teachers. “Reading is crucial to our students’ success,” she said.