25 Wyandotte Teachers Receive Pink Slips

In a split vote, the Wyandotte voted Tuesday night to lay off 25 teachers in the next school year.

The vote was 4-3, with board members Michael Swiecki, Patrick Sutka, Chris Calvin and Kathy Bedikian supporting the layoffs. Those opposed were Robert Kirby, Jerry Kupser and Dana Browning.

School superintendent Patricia Cole said the layoffs stem from a budgetary issue proposed by Gov. Rick Snyder.

“Due to our projected difficult financial picture for the next school year as proposed by the governor’s budget, we have no choice but to recommend the layoffs,” Cole said. “We hope that we will get positive budget clarification prior to the end of the school year and be able to recall some of the teachers.”

Teachers received the layoff notices on Friday. According to Michigan tenure laws, the school district must give at least 60 days notice to teachers prior to a layoff, Cole said.

Kirby, board treasurer, said there is still time left, which is why he voted against it.

“I am not supporting this measure for several reasons, including the time line,” Kirby said. “We do not have a lot more time, but there is time.”

Kirby said he didn’t believe there was a district policy requiring 60 days notice, but Cole impressed that tenure laws and local contracts indicate 60 days is necessary due to liability issues.

Kirby said such cuts could be “disastrous” for the school district and rather than bringing “piecemeal cuts” before the board, he would prefer to see a budget plan that would meet the requirements for districtwide spending reductions should the governor’s plan be implemented at the state level.

“I have served on the board for 10 years now and in this case, we do not have a comprehensive budget reduction plan before us,” Kirby said.

“I agree with Kirby,” board secretary Kupser said. “This proposal does not give us the entire picture.”

Trustee Browning suggested the board needed to schedule special meetings to determine the impact of any layoffs on class size and discuss a plan for budget reductions.

In addition to the layoffs, word had gotten out around the community about impending cuts in high school programs, including auto shop, newspaper/yearbook, band, choir, sports and more. A large crowd came to the board meeting in an effort to save what they consider vital programs for the students.

“The information you were given has not been decided yet,” Cole said to the crowd. “We have not made any definite determinations regarding those programs at this time."

Despite the board's assurance that no final decisions had been reached, several students and parents came to the podium to speak on half of the classes and programs.

Roosevelt senior Ray Harth came to speak on behalf of auto shop.

“Auto shop generates more than $25,000 in revenue,” Harth said. “Not only does the class provide important skills for the future jobs, the students in class learn common sense life skills.”

Harth presented the board with a petition signed by 216 members of the community who hope to save auto shop.

William Payne and his wife Wendy also spoke on behalf of auto shop.

“If it weren’t for auto shop, my son would not be two points away from the dean’s list at Ohio Tech now," William said.

Prior to taking auto shop, William said, his son wasn’t very interested in grades. That all changed last year when he took the class.

Don Schultz, the director of services for Southgate Lincoln Mercury, also spoke.

“We have hired several of the auto shop graduates from Wyandotte throughout the years,” Schultz said. “This program is very important to the entire area.”

Schultz said he had heard about the possibility of auto shop closing after this year and felt compelled to come before the board to support the students.

David Gutenschwager, the district's business manager, spoke to the audience in an effort to clarify the budget situation as it currently stands. He and several other speakers impressed upon the audience the importance for people to contact their elected state officials in Lansing. Several speakers urged residents to write the governor, state senator and state representative regarding the governor’s proposed budget.

Gutenschwager said Michigan’s K-12 school budget was not only solvent, but had a fund balance prior to the governor’s budget proposal.

“Basically, the K-12 budget has more than $600 million in excess revenues,” Gutenshwager said. “Snyder's proposal would transfer that money out of K-12 and give it to community colleges and universities.”

Additional cuts would result in a loss of more than $400 in per-pupil funding. Wyandotte could lose as much as $3 million under the proposal. If that worst-case scenario proves true, officials said, even more drastic cuts would be necessary.

“This is our Wisconsin,” board President Swiecki said. “The best we can do is that of informing the public they need to contact the governor’s office and our representatives in Lansing. You have more power than we do.”

Swiecki and the board formally adopted a resolution opposing the school funding transfer to higher education. Some of the board members pointed out that the board’s voice is often viewed as “self serving” at the state level. The board agreed to post the contact information on the school district website so residents can call, write or email officials in Lansing, hoping to get students and parents involved.

In other district news, Cindy Houdek was appointed the new director of special education and child accounting. Carla Harting, who previously held the position, was promoted to school superintendent and will take over when Cole retires in June.

Houdek, who has been working in Wyandotte's special education department since 1986, said she was ready to rise to the challenge.

“I am very excited about this new position,” she said. “I do recognize we are facing many challenges, but I am working as part of an excellent team of dedicated professionals.”

In another appointment, the board approved the recommendation of the district's interview team to promote Bernie Bowers to supervisor of operations at a cost of $80,000 per year. Bowers will replace Ed Campbell, who also is retiring in June.