PCHS art program first to be eliminated
The Pinckneyville Community High School is tentatively eliminating art from the curriculum in the 2013-2014 school year, a decision driven not by the Board of Education or Supt. Keith Hagene, but instead by another $310,000 in promised state aid cuts next year.
"This is real simple," said Hagene Thursday. "It is the economics of drastically declining revenue sources at the state level."
Hagene said one of two art teachers--Mary Jane Field--has retired from the district. Art instructor Sandy Stevens remains. "We took all of the course requests for electives that would impact the least number of kids. We got art requests from 24," barely enough to fill one section, let alone seven.
He called it a painstaking decision that flies in the face of "the district mission to have a high quality program." He adds, "What this decision does is make a Reduction in Force. We still have the position, but it is not going to be filled."
Hagene explained that Illinois education law requires a 90-day notice if a district plans to RIF a staff member. "She (Stevens) is riffed until we can find the funds," he said.
That statement comes with only a faint hope that the funds can be found. "With the uncertainty in Springfield, we would be fooling ourselves if we think this will not impact us."
"We have already lost $560,000 in state aid," he said. The state has indicated it will pay only 18 percent of transportation costs in districts. "Our Catch 22 is that we have to go get those kids and get them into school or, guess what, we lose state aid."
Facebook discussions in and around Pinckneyville point to possible cuts in the agriculture program, but Hagene said any deeper cuts are reserved for executive sessions of the board. He could not comment.
He said he has four letters from staff members in hand indicating planned retirements, which will create a modest savings, but it doesn't approach the cuts in state aid. Most teachers are tenured with several years of experience. "Seventy-five percent of our staff has over 10 years of experience. We only have two non-tenured people in the building."
As all superintendents would attest to, experience in a district is a good thing. It just gets expensive, over time. Hagene said, "When I started we had 5+5 retirement (incentives) and we are seeing the same thing. On salaries, there's a tipping point. Education (salary) expenses will be up and then they will be down."
"Right now we are in a Perfect Storm," he said--higher costs and lower state aid. "It is nothing that any of us created."
"We will seek several avenues to find funding for art." He adds, "We are not take swipes at art."
Hagene said he hopes to move some elements of the art curriculum to other areas. For instance, some of the graphic arts can be moved to computer classes.
Like everyone else, he is frustrated, but said at the end of the day "the term 'business' is stuck on the end of it. It's just business.
While the budget numbers for the coming year at Pinckneyville Community High School do not look promising, there is some good financial news.
Hagene said the Capital Development Board will hold a construction bond sale on Tuesday. The district should receive the remaining CDB funds for the new school by the end of April.
The sale includes $450 million General Obligation Bonds, Series A and $350 million General Obligation Bonds, Taxable Series B. Fitch Ratings assigned an 'A' rating to the bonds.
At present, PCHS owes about $925,000 to contractors. The board had authorized Hagene to take our a short-term loan at one or both of the local banks to pay contractors. However, by the time the paperwork on the loan was completed, the state should have sent the remaining $1.3 million.
In other business, the board:
• took no action after hearing comments from supporters and detractors of Coach Bob Waggoner's coaching style. More than 90 community members were present at the meeting to offer opinions on basketball coaching, the art program and support for recent changes emphasizing academics.
• voted not to renew Social Studies teacher Sean Patrick's contract, granted tenure to Family and Consumer Science instructor Kim Lietz and Physical Education teacher Todd Thomas and renewed contracts with non-tenured school counselors Heather Wilkin and Katie Smith. The board also accepted the resignation of bus driver Jenise Silbe.
• hired Mark Bullock as a temporary Driver's Education instructor through the end of the school year or after 18 students have completed the course, whichever comes first.
• eliminated the position of a long-term substitute who has been co-teaching Math with Nancy Blechle who is battling cancer. The board agreed to hire an additional full-time math instructor.
• awarded the contract for re-finishing both gym floors to low-bidder Steve Tanner of Designs Unlimited. Total cost for both floors will be $4,680.
• adopted the 2013-2014 school calendar. Teachers will return for a two-day in-service on Aug. 15. The first day for students will be Aug. 19. The last day of school should be May 20.
• denied a Freedom of Information request for the audio minutes from closed session meetings in November and December of 2011.