Norwin board ponders cutting 9 teaching positions, not filling 5 positions

Some Norwin School Board members ripped a budget proposal Monday that would cut nine teaching positions, scrap plans to fill five proposed ones and eliminate two administrative jobs in the 2023-24 school year to help balance the 2023-24 budget without raising property taxes.

“We’re hurting the reason we are up here,” Director Patrick Lynn said of the proposed cuts, which he said would hurt the students.

Two of the three budget options the administration presented Monday would save $2.1 million by eliminating the teaching positions, moving existing staff to fill openings created by retirement and resignation, and not cutting two administrative jobs. The cuts in teaching positions and the administrative staff could be avoided if the district raises taxes, but Ryan Kirsch, business affairs director, did not specify by how much in the budget presentation.

Darlene Ciocca, board president, said the budget does not call for teacher layoffs.

All of the three options Kirsch outlined included tapping into the fund balance to cover the projected deficit of about $4 million. The district has about $85.9 million in expenses and $81.3 million in revenue.

The district could save another $2 million by reducing and eliminating the need for textbooks and instructional software as well as making cuts to athletic supplies.

Rather than maintaining the tax rate at 85.8 mills in Westmoreland County and 12.81 mills for 18 properties in White Oak and South Versailles in Allegheny County, Lynn said, the district should raise taxes by 3.5 mills. The revenue from 1.2 mills of the school tax levied in Westmoreland County is allocated to the Norwin Public Library, as approved by a voter referendum.

“The community should be appalled,” Director Bill Essay said of the proposed budgets. Elective subjects would be eliminated for students, a full-day kindergarten class in each of the four elementary schools would be cut and the job of the principal of the Norwin Online Academy would be eliminated when officials are trying to keep students taking online courses through the district.

Director Shawna Ilagan pointed out there would not be any teacher layoffs in the upcoming school year because of the budget deficit.

To furlough teachers because of economic conditions, Superintendent Jeff Taylor said the district would have been required to notify those teachers by April 30, which was 60 days before the June 30 deadline to pass a budget.

Ciocca said the board’s budget committee had asked the administration to propose ways to reduce a deficit that was pegged at $8 million as recently as last month, and they proposed eliminating family and consumer science and social studies as electives and the music options for students in grades 5 to 12.

Although a K-12 special education and high school/middle school gifted teaching positions would be eliminated, Ciocca emphasized the district would meet its state-required special education obligations for both programs.

“We realize we had to do something,” Ciocca said of dealing with the proposed deficit.

Ryan Lynn, president of the Norwin Education Association, which represents the teachers, noted that teachers were not involved in the budget deliberations.

Lynn, who did not attend the meeting, said when contacted that if the school board members “choose to cut programs, condense classes, increase class size or eliminate opportunities, then those directors need to be held accountable by the Norwin community.”

The Norwin Online Academy principal whose job may be eliminated is a member of the teachers union, Lynn said.

Ryan Lynn is Director Patrick Lynn’s brother.

The administration’s harshest critics, Directors Robert Wayman and Alex Detschelt, were absent from the meeting.

Several students urged the board not to eliminate the job of the middle school music teacher.

Alexander Fry, a senior who wants to study music in college, said it was discouraging and depressing to hear the board is considering eliminating the middle school music position and delaying the purchase of replacement band instruments.

Sienna DeJesus, a ninth grader, said music is important to her and others, who may not be suited for athletics. DeJesus said she began chorus in middle school and a strong music teacher was important.

The board will hold another discussion of the budget at its May 8 meeting. The board is not expected to approve a final budget until June 5.