By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
District cuts three support positions
Placeholder Image
MONROE - The Monroe School Board officially cut three support staff positions and approved one voluntary layoff Monday.

The board approved "displacements" affecting Chris Sachs, study hall supervisor at Monroe High School; Esther Henry, interpreter at Monroe Middle School, and Laura Pautsch, an outdoor supervisor at Northside School.

Board member Les Bieneman questioned what the difference is between a "displacement" and a layoff or budget cut. Monroe School District Business Manager Ron Olson explained a displacement is a contractual word that means the position will no longer exist.

The board also approved the voluntary layoff of Joan Goepfert, an aide at Northside.

Olson said the board still has 1.5 custodial positions to work out as cuts.

"There may be some interest in voluntary layoffs," Olson said. "That (the custodial positions) may resolve itself."

Olson said the custodial cuts won't take effect until Sept. 1.

In other action the Monroe School Board on Monday:

- Approved purchasing a chiller for Abraham Lincoln Accelerated Learning Academy from Carrier Company for $38,321.

- Awarded the school district's banking services to Wisconsin Community Bank for the next three years after a recommendation by the finance committee.

- Accepted a $27,534 donation from the Swiss Colony Foundation to purchase computer hardware at the high school.

- Accepted a donation of $18,500 from the Monroe Middle School student council to purchase a mobile computer lab for the middle school.

- Approved the resignation of Laura Toerck, a speech and language pathologist at Northside School. The board also approved the resignations of Brad Winchester, an English teacher at Monroe High School, and Sara Bille, a kindergarten teacher at Parkside School.

- Approved hiring Sarah Bleicher, a German teacher at Monroe High School and Middle School.

- Approved hiring Dale Bailey as a speech and language teacher at Northside and Elizabeth Lamb as a speech and language teacher at Abraham Lincoln Accelerated Learning Academy. The board also approved hiring Megan Wand as a kindergarten teacher at Parkside and Michelle Carroll as a Spanish teacher at Monroe High School.

- Approved $6,288 in membership fees for the Wisconsin Association of School Boards for 2011-12.

- Approved the CESA No. 2 contract for 2011-12 for $18,735.

- The board approved a donation of more than $1,000 in time and materials from Josh Daughenbaugh of Josh D. Landscaping to prepare the middle school garden project and restore existing landscape on school grounds.

- Approved the donation of $550 from the Monroe Optimist Club to the middle school to defray travel expenses for the sixth-grade field trip to Milwaukee and $3,500 to defray travel expenses for the seventh-grade Outdoor Education experience at Camp Badger.