Board splits vote to end full time substitutes

In a 5 -1 vote, Luverne School Board members decided not have two full-time substitute teachers on staff for the 2021-22 school year.
Cost savings is estimated at $100,000.
Board member Jeff Stratton cast the dissenting vote to the resolution to discontinue and reduce the educational positions.
Stratton said after the meeting he wanted to keep the positions for another year due to the uncertainly of the coronavirus.
He said after the meeting that the substitutes — one in the elementary and one in the middle-high school — primarily spent each day filling in for faculty absences this year, according to discussions at the April 8 board workshop.
In previous years substitute teachers have primarily been retired educators and, due to the senior citizens being more susceptible to the coronavirus, they have chosen not to work in the schools this year as a result.
As the pandemic continues, Stratton thought the full-time substitute teachers would be just as busy in the upcoming school year.
“If it was a benefit this year … it could be a benefit next year,” he said. “The benefit outweighed the costs.”
Board member Katie Baustian was not at the April 22 meeting.
 
Social studies position moves to full time
While cutting the two full-time substitute teacher positions, board members agreed to expand the part-time social studies position at the middle-high school. The vote was 5 to 1, with Stratton casting the sole “no” vote.
Stratton had asked if the district would advertise the full-time social studies position or would the current part-time teacher move into the expanded position.
Consensus among administrators was the current teacher would receive the expanded role due to positive performance evaluations.
The expansion to full time would offer more class electives at the middle-high school level, Principal Ryan Johnson said at the April 8 board workshop.
The extra cost is estimated at about $20,000.
When a resignation occurred in the social studies department at the end of the 2019-20 school year, board members chose to advertise for a part-time replacement.
Stratton, who joined the board in January, wanted to re-advertise the social studies position now  as a full-time position to encourage someone who didn’t apply previously but needs a full-time position to consider applying now because the status has changed.
“I think it is a benefit for another full-time teacher,” Stratton said. “I just wanted a bigger pool.”
 
In other personnel business, the board:
•accepted the resignation of Liza Winkler, elementary teacher, effective at the end of the 2020-21 school year.
•accepted the retirement of Doug Dooyema, sixth-grade science teacher, effective June 2.
•accepted the retirement of ECFE and Discovery Time teacher Debbie Mitchell, effective at the end of the 2020-21 school year.
•approved Ellen Wenninger as volunteer softball coach.