By DEB WUETHRICH

With most of the seats taken, some by Tecumseh Public School staff whose jobs were on the line, the mood at the Tecumseh School Board meeting Monday night was somber as Board President Debbie Johnson-Berges read a series of resolutions detailing positions that would not be renewed for the coming school year. As she read each “Resolution of Layoff and Termination of Service” for various staffing areas, Johnson-Berges noted each was “based on declining enrollment.” The action included positions for professional teaching staff; maintenance and grounds support staff; instructional assistants; computer technicians; secretarial, and a reduction in hours for several library assistants.

“These are not things we want to do, these are things we have to do because of our economic position and the fact that with the decline in enrollment, we don’t have sufficient students to support the staff,” said Johnson-Berges.

Toward the end of the meeting when board members were asked if they had any comments, Gary Urban spoke.

“When I took this position a couple years ago, I thought this was something I wanted to do, but I’m frustrated,” Urban said. “It feels like the last couple of years, all it seems like we’re doing is dealing with financial issues more than education. It’s to the point where I just don’t know if I’m making a difference, so I’m going to resign my position, effective immediately.” Urban hesitated then said, it was just frustrating and the state situation wasn’t going to get any better, referring to the regular updates provided by Tecumseh Business and Finance Director Bill Wright, who keeps the board informed as he monitors the financial situation. “We’ll be going back at this next year and there are going to be twice as many layoffs,” Urban said. He added that he knew his action would come as a shock and apologized for that. “But I look out there and see the young teachers we have to let go and I just don’t know what to do. It’s just frustrating.” Obviously overcome with emotion, Urban then rose and left the room.

“It’s been difficult for all of us and something we looked at long and hard,” said Johnson-Berges. “Those who are interested in school financing should realize we are subject to what the state gives us. Please write your congressmen and representatives. We’re very limited by how much we can do and the fact we have to have a balanced budget by July 1 every year when we don’t know how many students we’ll have and how many dollars.”
Board Secretary Karen Januszek said she hoped that perhaps some of the positions could be restored next fall if the enrollment numbers improved.

“This isn’t just happening in Tecumseh, it’s all over the state,” Januszek said, adding that around 80 percent of the schools in Michigan are facing declining enrollment, which means a decline in the need for teachers and other staff. “This is not a happy time for anyone and it’s very sad that this has to happen but we don’t have any other choice.”
Some members of the audience felt the board president moved a little too quickly through two public comment periods before and after the meeting when some of those present were hesitant to be the first to speak. When tenured special education teacher Jennifer Etherton-Govro, who has taught in the district for 18 years, attempted to comment, Johnson-Berges informed her that the comment period had passed.

Etherton-Govro did speak to the Herald following the meeting, however, addressing a few points she said she had hoped to make during the meeting. Her husband, Dave, a TPS computer technician for 10 years, lost his position during the cuts. She said it might look as if she were speaking up with ulterior motives because of that.

“But I have been here long enough to know how technology affects what we do in the classroom,” she said, adding that when it doesn’t work and teachers have planned their lesson around it, “all your good planning goes by the wayside.”

“And to me,” she said, “that affects children.” Etherton-Govro also brought up the fact that the board had approved the seeking of outsourcing for technology given the position cuts. She said she understood that there would still be people fixing computers, however, last year the district outsourced lawn care and snow removal due to custodial cuts. She pointed out that when questioned recently on a $100,000 expenditure at a board meeting, Wright had acknowledged that the cost reflected an increase in costs for lawn care and snow removal incurred by the district.

“It’s already been proven that something outsourced will cost them more,” she said. “I would like to know why they don’t think this is going to happen with technology, too.” She said she also has concerns about turnaround time when tech assistance is needed if it’s outsourced, especially with the fact that even the order for new textbooks reported to the board Monday night included technology components such as CDs and DVDs.

While Etherton-Govro’s position survived the recent cuts, she said two of the four special education teachers at the elementary schools were eliminated which she said means the two remaining teachers would likely be moving around or some students might have to be bused to a site where they could receive that help.

“I’m just concerned that the lowest functioning kids with the most educational issues might have to face that, and it carries over to social issues,” she said, pointing out that some of the students who have made progress have done so after building trust with specific routines and educators, students who find changes difficult.

Etherton-Govro also noted that two of the teachers, Joe and Carrie Northrup, are newlyweds with a baby. “They’re not tenured and they both lost their jobs,” she said “I don’t know what they’re going to do.”

Tecumseh resident Jim Anderson also attended the meeting with his wife, Emily, and said he came to listen and may have made a comment had the opportunity been there.
“We’ve attended a number of board meetings over the last few months and I think my main concern is no one seems to be interested in the kids these days, just their own little parts,” Anderson said. He said he finds it difficult to hear in the board room, even when the speakers are using microphones, and a better sound system might help the board better communicate with its constituents and help audience members to express their concerns.