38 position to be eliminated, district says

Hot Springs schools to cut 19 certified, 19 classified jobs effective July 1

HOT SPRINGS — The Hot Springs School District has notified employees that 38 positions will be cut before the start of the 2016-17 school year.

The cuts will be split evenly among certified and classified personnel. The 19 certified positions cut represent about 5.7 percent of the district’s 334 certified employees.

The 19 classified cuts represent 8.4 percent of the 226 classified positions.

“We did this as early as possible in the year to allow our affected staff members up to seven months to find employment in other districts,” Superintendent Mike Hernandez said. “Some of these affected employees may be retained in other vacated positions in the future due to retirements or resignations.”

Hernandez said the cuts were necessary for Hot Springs “to get our finances in order.”

The superintendent met with district employees in the final days of September to explain the financial reasons for the cuts. The district employed 560 certified and classified personnel at the time.

Hernandez told employees the district’s funding balance has dropped each of the past three years. He said the state’s decreased cost-ofliving adjustment also will affect the district’s budget.

The superintendent also said Hot Springs has no resources in its building fund, and the district could end up in facilities distress in the future without addressing its aging buildings.

A campaign failed earlier in the year to raise the district’s millage from 37.7 mills to 39.7 mills for the construction of a multipurpose building at the high school and districtwide technology upgrades. The district is only eligible for 0.5 percent partnership funding from the state for any new building projects, Hernandez said.

District officials met with school principals Thursday to prepare to notify those whose positions were cut. Hernandez said some of the positions did not require reduction in force notifications because they were being vacated through retirements or resignations. All employees who received reduction in force notices got them in person Friday.

“It’s hard. There isn’t anybody that I would like to see gone from our district,” Hernandez said.

All affected employees will be able to serve out their contracts through June 30. Hernandez said no severance packages are included in the cuts.

The district said in a statement that it will not release further information until board action is taken due to the matter representing a personnel issue. The next meeting of the School Board is Jan. 19.

“We have a great staff and a great program at Hot Springs School District,” Hernandez said.

“We will continue to provide our patrons with excellent educational opportunities as we move forward from this.”

The board approved the process for the cuts during a special meeting Dec. 2. Certified employees learned Dec. 3 where they stood in rankings used to determine the cuts.

Rankings were developed in accordance with terms, conditions and requirements in the district’s personnel policies.

Classified staff are ranked based on years of experience in the district.

Rankings for certified personnel are determined based on factors such as years of experience, years of experience in the district and degrees obtained.

Classified employees were given 25 calendar days to appeal the decisions, while certified employees were given 30 days.

The Jan. 19 board meeting will be the first opportunity for the School Board to finalize the decisions.