At Least 60 Layoff Notices Ordered for Grossmont Union HS District Teachers

The Grossmont Union High School District’s budget woes took a human toll Thursday as more than 60 certificated employees—including all nine district librarians—were targeted to receive layoff notices.

Helix Charter High School, with its own charter board, is unaffected by these decisions, said district spokeswoman Catherine Martin, since that La Mesa school gets its money straight from the state. Grossmont High School, however, falls under these cuts.

Layoffs are part of a district budget-reduction plan to address a potential $19.8 million budget deficit next year, about 10 percent of the district’s budget this year. Public schools across California are facing severe state funding reductions unless temporary tax increases are extended.

The governing board, in separate votes Thursday at its meeting in El Cajon, approved issuing layoff warnings. Board members said they were reluctant to lay off anyone and were particularly upset by the district administration’s recommendation to target librarians.

“This is a program that I am not so willing to gut,” said trustee Priscilla Schreiber. “This is literally wiping out this program.”

The board voted 3-2 to issue layoff notices to nine librarians. Scheiber and trustee Richard Hoy voted against the resolution.

The  board voted 4-1 to issue layoff notices to the remaining 50-plus teachers and other certificated employees. Hoy cast the lone no vote.

It’s unclear how many teachers would get layoff notices—and specific teachers were not identified, or which schools would be hit the hardest.

Fran Zumwalt, president of the Grossmont Education Association, who spoke against layoffs, said 90 certificated employees, about 10 percent of district teachers, would receive warnings that they could lose their jobs after the end of the school year in June.

Steve Sonnich, associate administrator for personnel, said 70 employees would be affected. Sixty-one are probationary or temporary teachers. The nine librarians are permanent employees who would be reassigned, he said.

District officials said libraries would remain open if the layoffs go through but would be staffed by library technicians, who are classified or clerical workers.

Early Friday afternoon, Grossmont High Principal Theresa Kemper said, “Our librarian retired and we did not fill the position. Our library tech is keeping the library running with some part-time help.”

Trustees who voted to issue layoff notices said they did so for now because they can still be reversed.

School districts are required to notify teachers who may not return the following school year by March 15 but have until mid-May to make those decisions final.

Board President Rob Shield directed Superintendent Ralf Swenson and his administrative team to come up with a better plan to keep libraries staffed by certificated employees who are trained as teachers.

“I’m going to insist that a month from now that there be a revised resolution and that all efforts me made to work with librarians and GEA (Grossmont Education Association) and administration to keep librarians in libraries at some level so that we are not killing the program,” Shield said.

Librarians and supporters, dressed in red shirts, spoke out against layoffs and highlighted their contributions to student learning.

Carolyn Teschler, a librarian at Santana High School in Santee, said librarians are knowledgeable about various subjects and research technologies and work with thousands of students every week.

“This is horrible,” she said. “This isn’t just people. It’s a program. It affects every kid in our campuses.”