By ANDY GOODELL
OSKALOOSA — They voiced their concerns at Tuesday’s Oskaloosa School Board meeting.
Two different parents of Oskaloosa Elementary School students expressed their frustrations over recent layoffs within the district.
Melissa Walker, a parent of a special-needs student, said her daughter had a “great” year in school this year because of a teacher’s assistant and teacher that were very accommodating to her needs. Walker said budget cuts had caused the assistant to be laid off.
Josh Spriggs, the parent of a son at Oskaloosa Elementary, also said a laid off teacher’s assistant helped his child out greatly over the past school year.
In an emotional plea, Walker asked the board if they could do anything to keep the teacher’s assistant on staff.
“I just hope you guys consider the fact that, although we have a master contract here in Oskaloosa, it doesn’t really see the progress that is being made in the school,” she said. “I just want you guys as a board to understand that, as a parent of a special-needs daughter, that these cuts are affecting a lot of us in this room.”
According to minutes from the May 12 Oskaloosa School Board meeting, “(Superintendent Carolyn) McGaughey distributed a plan to the Board offering recommendations to reduce expenditures to balance the 2009-2010 budget. The plan would reduce some staff but provide an increase in other personnel areas.”
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Herald City Editor Andy Goodell can be reached at news2@oskyherald.com
