School district releases names of 24 employees losing jobs
The agenda for tonight’s Riverhead school board meetings lists the 39 positions that will be abolished next year due to 2011-12 budget cuts, something school administrators have declined to release in the past.
It also lists 24 employees who will lose their jobs as of June 30 under next year’s spending plan.
Riverhead School District Superintendent Nancy Carney has said that some open positions will not be filled next year, as employees chose to retire after this school year.
Abolishing those positions is needed to keep taxes down as Albany is cutting about $2.3 million in state aid to Riverhead in 2011-12, district officials have said.
The Riverhead school board adopted a $109.6 million spending plan for the 2011-12 school year in April. It’s a budget that district officials say carries the lowest year-to-year spending increase in recent years. The budget calls for a 1.26 increase from this school year, yet would raise the tax levy by just under 5 percent, or $4.6 million, due mostly to a $2.6 million reduction in state aid.
The four candidates vying for three open seats on the seven-member board — incumbents Ann Cotten-Degrasse and Greg Meyer and newcomers Patricia Spaienza-Brown and Kim Ligon — will have a chance to speak at tonight’s meeting, according to the agenda.
Members of the public will also have a chance to comment on the budget at the meeting, scheduled for 7 p.m. in the high school music room.
The public will vote on the budget and school board candidates May 17.
The list of those who will lose their jobs next year is as follows:
Teaching Assistants
Alissa Behr, Amanda Bendick and Laura Sauter.
Adminstrators
Assistant director for special education Paul Hewitt and director of science Suzanne Hulme.
Teachers
Art teacher Shannon McCafferty; elementary teachers Donna Elmore, Cara Koenig and Kelly Lester; guidance counselor Christine Morris; health teacher Rebecca Winkel; math teacher Frank Amitrano and reading teacher Maureen Hollett.
Teacher Aides
Denise Giles, Kerri Miller, Jerecua Nelson, Susan Schulz, Kathleen Timpone and neighborhood aide Hassan Olowu.
Security Guards
Willie Austin, Corey Bazemore, Timothy Crump, Marilyn Ross and Antonia Turner.
Click below to see a copy of tonight’s agenda
