School board member predicts
layoffs as part of fiscal reality
With state aid reduced, the next Grosse Pointe public schools budget will require layoffs, board member Brendan Walsh predicts.
Walsh outlined the situation at the school board meeting on Jan. 25, a session that also saw staff members reeling over recent queries about the importance of certain human resources positions.
“You can spend money on beautiful buildings and stunning technology, but unless you fund the proper number of heartbeats to conscientiously apply your directives, students will be left behind,” said Tudi Harwood, secretary to Principal Allan Diver at Grosse Pointe South High School.
Before Walsh made his presentation on action item 6G, which was the approval of budget development parameters/budget preparation, several secretaries and teachers stood among the crowd agreeing with Harwood that HR services are vital to keep the school system a well-oiled machine.
“Take the time to find out what we do,” said Sheryl Hogan, secretary at Parcells Middle School. “The secretarial staff assists students with the human touch.”
Susan Vogel, secretary to Assistant Superintendent Susan Allan, added that the human resources and secretarial staff “helps ensure student success.”
“When looking over our job descriptions, it might seem to you that there is an overlap of responsibility,” Harwood said. “That's because we all address incoming requests for information from multiple sources, but differ with time restraints, zones of expertise and the unpredictability of bell-to-bell school life.”
Using graphics to break down the budget in his presentation, Walsh said: “I don’t expect to be applauded for this. But we must maintain budget equilibrium by balancing revenues and expenses.”
Walsh explained the concepts of per-pupil ties to enrollment, which defines revenue from the state, and that declining enrollment and declining state foundation allowances reduce Grosse Pointe schools' largest revenue source.
“Rising direct compensation costs and health care costs outpace scaled reductions in students and staff,” Walsh said. “And human resource costs are increasing as part of the total budget.”
A balanced budget proposal is planned for the next school board meeting, set for Feb. 22. “I’m going to be blunt and say there will be staff layoffs,” Walsh said.
The board also elected officers for the work year. John Steininger and Joan Dindoffer were named president and vice president, respectively, with Walsh as treasurer and Judy Gafa as secretary.
In other business the board:
- Tabled approval of extended-day kindergarten rates.
- Approved a Science Living Systems Unit in grade 5, "Kids Discover Magazine."
- Learned that MEAP scores for every grade level in the district are above 90 percent, but due to an embargo, no other information can be released until the Feb. 22 board meeting.
