Staff reductions possible for Mason City Community School District

MASON CITY — Lower enrollment means a potential reduction in the workforce of the Mason City Community School District. The Mason City School Board last week approved changes to the district’s licensed employee reduction in force plan as the district could end up cutting anywhere between five and 15 first-year teachers.

Human Resources Director Tom Drzycimski says the cuts would come at all grade levels.  “Based on the number of sections we’re going to have, K-6 for general ed, we need to reduce 13 positions. At the secondary level, 7-12 level, we need to reduce probably the equivalent of five positions.”

Drzycimski says reducing teachers in the 7-12 grade levels would be different because of the importance of endorsements that allow a teacher to teach the content area which they are assigned.  “Also at the 7-12 level, we’re looking at other general fund reductions to some other positions, non-teaching positions that they can reduce. Also, we have the virtual academy that we can move some teaching staff into or assign them virtual teaching classes during the school day, which allows us to use a different funding source rather than the general fund for that.”

Drzycimski says an initial notice has been given to all the 15 first-year teachers and he’s held individual meetings to explain the process and what they can potentially expect in the next few weeks.  “We’re monitoring over the next two weeks as contracts come in whether we’re going to need to actually make those reductions. As of right now, just with the retirements and resignations that I have in hand, and moving teachers to Title 1 math for next year, we would have to reduce five positions for next year.”

Drzycimski says the board will act on the potential reductions at their April 18th meeting.