School district looks at more RIFs

The Churchill County School District Board of Trustees are gearing up for the next set of cuts that must be made before a deadline in April.

Trustees discussed the cuts at their Thursday meeting.

Phyllys Dowd, director of Business Services, gave the board a recap from what the Budget Committee approved for recommendations. She said the committee approved all position reductions except for the athletic trainer, but the committee also approved drawing up letters to RIF (reduce in force) an additional 12 licensed positions to give the district cushion with the budget.

Superintendent Dr. Sandra Sheldon said the additional 12 positions would include two high-school teacher, one middle-school teacher, the district testing coordinator, one elementary counselor, six elementary teachers and one elementary technology position. She said those would save the district approximately $1 million.

Board President Ron Evans and Debbie Smotherman, president of the Fallon chapter of NCSEA, said they both have concerns with RIFing a warehouse worker position due to liability.

Dowd said at her previous school, the district had only one warehouse worker, and it worked out fine. She said options to scale back on how often the mail is delivered and purchasing from the district office will help with the workload.

Trustee Clay Hendrix said there have been two options that have stood out to him from the beginning, grade-level schools and four-day workweeks.

“These two options could save jobs just by reducing hours,” Hendrix said.

Teachers Kristina Moore and Tyson Sorensen said they have looked into the benefits of four-day workweeks and would like to see it implemented into the district.

Although, there was a lot of support for a four-day workweek, several attendees mentioned their concerns. The budget committee also denied to move the recommendation forward to the trustees because of negotiations with unions have not been undertaken.

“I think a four-day workweek would be great but I’m concerned about the special education students,” Smotherman said. “I’ve heard special ed teachers say they are worried about the three-day gap. They have told me that it takes about two days for the students to settle down and to have that consistency gone and have a three-day gap worries them.”

Transportation Director Steve Russell said he has previously mentioned his department would dissolve if the district went to a four-day week since employees’ benefits and pay would be reduced.

The trustees recommended that Sheldon continue the negotiation process for a four-day workweek.

The board then approved reducing the following positions recommended by the Budget Committee: Account technician, inventory and purchasing clerk, director of Federal Programs and the following high-school teachers: three math, one science, one P.E. one English, one special education, one counselor and the dean of students. Middle school cuts include two sixth-grade teachers and an eighth-grade teachers. District cuts or reductions include two bus drivers and director of Federal Programs. The board is also requesting the administration research and define an additional 12 licensed positions (in addition to the already recommended by the Budget Committee) for RIFs and bring that information back to the board.

Other items the trustees approved include the following:

No action was taken on the update regarding Early Retirement Incentive Program (Policy 4811) and review and possible approval of applications for early retirement.

Approved two modular go to Mineral County School District and three go to Rock of Ages.

Approved E.H. Hursh to be the broker to move forward with self-insurance.

Approved moving water rights to the CCHS FFA for the Rio Vista property.

Approved budget adjustments per NRS 354.598005.

Accepted resignation for Steve Nunn’s formal resignation as school board trustee.

Approved the revised timeline to fill the vacancy on the school board.

Approved change order in the amount of $43,796.47 to Ferguson Construction’s contract for the West End Facility Renovation Project for additional work required to replace water supply lines.