Support staff make their case
as school layoffs loom

It’s been less than a month since the year's first school board meeting hinted at hard times ahead for Grosse Pointe Public Schools employees. But the human resources staff will fight for their positions within the Grosse Pointe School district.

Brendan Walsh, treasurer of the school board, gave a budget presentation showing all aspects of the district’s funding, shortly after several secretaries and other human resources staff spoke publicly about their concern for their jobs. He made it clear that layoffs are inevitable at this point, but the staff is holding strong.

“We are realists and understand the district budget restraints,” said Tudi Harwood, secretary to Principal Allan Diver at Grosse Pointe South High School. “But we felt the need to explain how the ‘business’ of education cannot be easily compared to the ‘business’ in private industry.”

Those who work in the district who did not make it to the school board meeting are, of course, keeping up with the most recent developments and agree that their positions are critical to the school system.

“I’d like to think that I keep Defer running like a smooth running machine,” said Patricia Divirgil, secretary at Defer Elementary School.

Harwood described Walsh’s presentation as “well-prepared and detailed.” Admittedly, it was defeating to see so many human resources staff members stand up and speak, and then see the presentation that spells out their doom. But it’s as if the staff, whether in attendance or not, have high spirits and refuse to lose without the board knowing what they represent within the school district.

“The secretaries [at the meeting] spoke from the heart and represented us well,” said Pat Bartos, secretary at Mason Elementary School. “The secretaries in our district represent some of the most dedicated, hardworking and caring individuals that any school community could ask for. Many of us are residents of Grosse Pointe and have children in the district, and we understand what it means to have the best a school district can offer for our students.

“Hopefully, those in attendance were listening to the message.” 

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