Change In School Opening Plan Forces District Employee Furlough

More than 160 school district employees were furloughed as a result of the district’s change to an all-remote school opening next month.

The employees fell into four categories: 36 duty aides, 27 food service workers, 87 paraprofessionals, and 18 safety officers.

The Board of Education approved the furloughs without comment at its August 27 meeting.

“The furloughed support staff hold positions that are dependent upon our students’ return to in-person instruction,” schools Superintendent John Ravally said in an emailed statement. “We anticipate being able to recall those staff members to fill positions as needed.”

“Meanwhile, we will use this time of full remote instruction to fine tune our return to school plan, and continue preparing our facilities.,” he wrote.

The district had planned on starting the school year with a hybrid opening plan, which would have offered both in-person and remote learning.

But a combination of a large number of teachers letting the district know they would be seeking leaves and anticipated teacher absences on a daily basis led the district to change that to an all-remote opening, at least until around Thanksgiving.

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