Area school district cuts five certified positions due to budget cuts

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- Poplar Bluff School District has been forced to let five people go as it trims about 45 positions in an attempt to balance next year's budget.

The remainder of the staff affected by these cuts, designed to save R-I approximately $1.5 million, have been transferred to appropriate positions when other employees have voluntarily left the district, according to administrators.

The Poplar Bluff R-I Board of Education voted 6-1 in closed session Thursday against offering employment to the certified staff named in a nonrenewal list. Steve Sells voted for the motion. The list was not made public until Monday, to ensure all staff members were properly notified.

"This was all due to financial cutbacks," superintendent Chris Hon said. "For almost every opening, we tried to assign people we currently have on staff."

If appropriate positions could be found for these staff members, they would be rehired, Hon said.

"It is still early and we may have other positions open up," he said. "To get this close in making these types of cuts in March and not lose more jobs was difficult."

The positions held by the staff members who were not rehired represent about $250,000 in salaries and benefits, according to Hon.

Associate superintendent of personnel Dr. Amy Jackson and other administrators have worked hard to retain as many current employees as possible, Hon said.

Hon does not foresee many more cuts outside this action for the next budget year. If there are any, they would be through restrictions in budgets or reductions in classified staff positions, he explained.

The current reductions represent about 6 percent of the district's approximately 700 full and part-time positions.

The board in open session Thursday approved a measure eliminating 16 classified positions, 19.5 certified positions, 1.3 administrative positions and eight assistant coaching positions.

Sells voted against the measure, expressing concern about class sizes. He has said cuts should be made among assistant coaches, travel budgets and an assistant principal position at the high school.

Pertinent address:

Poplar Bluff, MO