Rockwood Cuts High School, Middle School Staff

In an effort to close a multimillion-dollar budget shortfall, is cutting several staff positions. 

In December, the Rockwood School District Board of Education . Cuts to staff at the middle and high school level were approved. Middle schools were asked to cut six staffing points; each point is equal to one full-time equivalent of a teacher, which is $60,000 along with benefits. High schools were asked to cut eight staffing points.

The decisions on which positions to cut were determined by each school. It was based on a variety of factors, including enrollment and school needs, Katie Reboulet, director of human resources, said in an email. 

At the middle school level, six literary coaches are being cut in the 2011-12 school year. 

At the four high schools, the following staff cuts were be made:

• 10 counselors
• 4 drivers’ education teachers
• 1 band teacher
• 1.8 foreign language teachers
• 1 science teacher
• 0.4 library media specialists

Several district support staff were also cut:

• 3 parking lot attendants 
• 5 study hall monitors
• 4.5 hall monitors
• 2 classroom assistants
• 6.5 secretaries

The cuts are estimated to save the district more than $840,000.

Partial staffing point cuts can reflect cuts based on enrollment or other factors. For example, foreign language staffing is based on student enrollment in that language. Cuts were made to meet student enrollment, Reboulet said. A class period is equal to 0.2 points, so nine sections of foreign language were cut.

Cuts made to library media specialists brought in line with Missouri School Improvement Program (MSIP) standards. Reboulet said the school only needed 1.6 librarians to meet those standards, but had two. MSIP reviews and accredits school districts in Missouri.

All cuts will take effect in the 2011-12 school year. Employees who were cut have been notified, Reboulet said.