Pike County Schools to lose 7 teachers and close Otwell Elementary

pike-county-school-corporation

The Pike County School Board voted to RIF seven teachers, close Otwell Elementary and restructure the administrative staff at Pike Central Middle High School.  Those were all cost cutting measures recommended by Superintendent Suzanne Blake.

Blake explained that currently there is over $1.4 million in the general fund including a recent bank loan taken out to get the corporation through a financial crunch.  A crunch that has been blamed on overspending by a past administration and on property tax losses from state circuit breakers over the past several years.  She said that 1.9 million was needed by the end of the year to keep the corporation solvent. In an answer to questions from Board Member Chris McKinney, Blake said it was possible teachers could not be paid in October under the status quo.  She said “riffing”  the teachers would save about $375 thousand a year.    Blake went on to explain the laws and rules involved in “riffing” and went over the laws that have to be followed in order for the school corporation to be able to borrow money in the future when needed and to keep a decent credit rating.

McKinney was the lone vote against the RIF.  He questioned whether the cost savings were worth the job losses and if letting the teachers go was truly adhering to the vision the corporation is attempting to establish.

 

 

Under the RIF three elementary and 4 secondary teachers are being cut.

 

McKinney also voted against closing Otwell Elementary at the end of the 2015-2016 school year.  He said he believed it may be necessary but was not satisfied with the current information on the subject to vote yes.  Closing Otwell would save the corporation $700 thousand a year according to Blake.

 

 

At the end of the meeting, Board Member Chris Satterfield said the actions were not taken lightly….

 

 

Meanwhile Board President David Waltz said the votes were regrettable to say the least

 

 

 

In another cost cutting effort, the board voted unanimously to change the structure at Pike Central by having one building principal for grades 6 through 12. A cost savings of $110 thousand.