At the Knoxville school board meeting last night Superintendent Steve Wilder proposed a possible reduction in force.
The first position to be reduced would be a 2nd grade elementary teacher although the board will follow standard RIF procedure and current 2nd grade teachers may not necessarily be who gets RIFed.
Knoxville currently has sixty seven students who are divided among four sections of seventeen students each.
With an incoming first grade class of only forty seven students, Wilder believes dividing them into three sections would be appropriate.
The second position to possibly be reduced will come from the Knoxville High School, where Wilder believes it is possible to make changes in the master schedule in course offerings to reduce an additional position.
“I also want to be clear that I understand the negative impact on the two teachers whose positions would be reduced. My recommendation does not come lightly,” Wilder says. “While I believe there’s a positive impact for the district overall there is a negative impact for the staff involved and I get that.”
The Knoxville school board did approve to submit a letter of intent to reduce certified staff with the KEA.
Submitting that letter meets the board’s obligation should they approve a reduction in force, and it could be rescinded if the board chooses not to approve the reduction.
The board is planning for a vote in March.
