CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The number of Kanawha County School workers who will actually lose their jobs from last school to this school year has been drastically reduced.
Natural attrition including resignations and retirements has opened up jobs for those originally on the RIF (Reduction In Force) list. The list was long this year because the county school system continues to lose student enrollment.
The Kanawha County Board of Education learned at its Monday evening meeting that 37 teachers on the original RIF list is now down to just six teachers. For school service pesonnel, 125 workers originally on RIF is now to 26.
KCS Human Services Executive Director Ronald Pauley also told the BOE there are currently no teachers on the transfer list. There were originally 114 professional transfers. He said there were originally 82 school service personnel employees on the transfer list and that has also be whittled down to zero.
Kanawha County School Superintendent Paula Potter said Pauley’s office has been working hard to place as many people as possible.
Pauley said a lot of resignations come after the school year is over and into the summer months.He said he was concerned about being able to place everyone with a job because the RIF and transfer lists were long this year.
“I was very fearful because we had more cuts this year than in the past,” Pauley said. “I’m glad we can put people back.”
School Board member Mike Arbogast saod it was tough to have those personnel hearings a couple of months ago.
“None of us wanted to go through that and hopefully there’s going to be some things change at the Capitol and you’re not going to be faced with these issues year in and year out,” Arbogast said.
Potter said there will be more positions filled in the coming weeks.
“We still have people retiring, they don’t take early retirement, so there’s still a possibility of people being hired back,” she said. “We have some positions through special education that are currently being advertised so there are some opportunities for employees.”
The new school year begins in Kanawha County on Aug. 19.