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12 Jersey Shore teachers furloughed, $500K saved, district says

JERSEY SHORE — Twelve full-time teaching positions were furloughed during the Jersey Shore Area School Board meeting on Monday.

In a vote of 6-3 to furlough positions, the following positions were furloughed:

• five elementary teachers.

• one music teacher.

• one technical education teacher.

• one business education teacher.

• two health, family and consumer science teachers.

• one Spanish teacher.

Voting yes were members Craig Allen, Harry Brungard, Dr. John Pecchia, Michelle Stemler, Karen Stover and Merrill Sweitzer. Voting no were members Christopher Fravel, Mary Thomas and Kelley Wasson.

In another 5-4 vote to furlough positions, the following positions were cut:

• half social studies teacher.

• half English teacher.

Voting yes were Allen, Brungard, Pecchia, Stemler and Sweitzer. Voting no were Fravel, Stover, Thomas and Wasson.

The other positions the board had on the agenda, one physical education teacher and one math teacher, were not voted on and not furloughed.

Ben Enders, business manager, said the positions would save the district over $500,000.

He said the district’s deficit was $845,289 before the changes were made to the teaching positions.

“You have a number in front of you that does not settle the deficit, so I guess that’s the conversation we have to have at this point,” Wasson said.

Twelve people spoke during public comment with the majority against teacher furloughs.

“I’m beyond tired of hearing board members say things along the lines of, ‘I’m okay with a combination of a tax increase and furloughing teachers because I don’t know what else to do,’ “ said Brandon Ranck, a graduate of last year’s class. ” … I don’t know what else we can do is simply sickening. You’ve all been elected in positions you’ve been put in. It is your job to know how this entire system works. It is your job to find other things we can do and to communicate with the administration to find things.”

Colin Best, of the borough, added that too many cuts to the programs and teachers would be dangerous for the district.

“I brought my daughter to this school district because … we were a top-notch school, but if we cut every program, we’re nothing,” he said.

The next school board meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. May 29 at the administration office, 175 A and P Drive.

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