WEST SENECA, N.Y. (WIVB) — The West Seneca school district has a budget for the coming year, but it’s being balanced through job cuts. Nearly 30 teachers and staff will be out of a job, and close to 48 total positions are being eliminated.
The adopted budget comes just four days after the latest student walkout at East and West high schools.
On Tuesday students and teachers got up and left the board room after the vote. Voicing their displeasure for what’s now become a reality that 19 teachers will be losing their jobs.
“When push comes to shove, they know what’s important. They know what they value to their education in how we’re a big part of that. So that was that was really heartening to see,” said West Seneca Teachers Association Vice President Christopher Gally.
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Craig Ersing, the treasurer of the West Seneca Teachers Association says 19 teachers were notified this last week that their positions were no longer needed.
At Tuesdays board meeting interim superintendent Jeffrey Rabey laid out where those cuts would take place the majority, 11 of the 19, would be in various subjects at the high school level with eight being removed in the elementary schools.
One teacher said some of those let go also helped with after school activities, creating yet another hole.
“The person that used to maybe be a faculty manager or maybe after school supervision or even after school extra helper now that’s being pulled away in a different direction. So the less you have less afterschool programs you have to offer or opportunities to the students. Again, it’s that it’s that support that you’re giving directly back to the community,” added East Middle School teacher Paul Glieco.
Superintendent Rabey, along with the board members once again refused to speak with media on Tuesday.
According to the district the financial crisis stems from the loss of $4.8 million in federal pandemic aid and increased cost of operations and materials
This reality is forcing the district to use over six million dollars in reserve funds, raise taxes to the tax cap and make these cuts.
West Seneca teachers’ focus is now on creating what they call a transparent relationship with Lisa Krueger, a former teacher herself, who will become West Senecas permanent superintendent on July first.
“I talked to her about how I was very much looking forward to building that kind of collegial relationship, and the better part was that she shook my hand and said, me too,” concluded Galley.
West Seneca neighbors will vote on the school budget on May 21.
If that budget is not approved Rabey says the district will move to a contingency budget which will result in an additional $1.3 million being cut with possibly more layoffs.
Dillon Morello is a reporter from Pittsburgh who has been part of the News 4 team since September of 2023. See more of his work here and follow him on Twitter.