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Cuts, sharing may save Edgewood schools $1.5 million

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By Andy Sedlak, Staff Writer 10:31 PM Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Edgewood City Schools stands to save about $1.5 million through an increased partnership with the Butler County Educational Service Center, the elimination of more than 10 positions before next year, and its district realignment.

Edgewood is combatting the same financial difficulties plaguing many of Ohio’s public school systems, district leaders say.

“We’ll definitely be operating leaner and becoming more efficient,” said Patrick Cifuentes, director of personnel.

After the Edgewood board of education’s approval on Monday, Curriculum Director Denise Griffin, Supervisor of Transportation Shane Swartz and Director of Business Operations Jim Patrick will be hired by the Butler County ESC next year, but will still serve the district through a shared services agreement, said John Thomas, Edgewood’s director of community relations.

Also approved Monday was the resignation of high school German teacher Kara Coniff. David Oakly and Kathy Graff, a middle school music teacher and high school counselor, respectively, had their retirements approved.

Martha Lombard, director of special education, and Matt Wendeln, coordinator of the gifted and talented, were also part of Monday’s staff reorganization. Both will head back into the classroom, but will not bump other employees in the process, said Patrick Cifuentes, director of personnel.

Cifuentes said the district will be down more than 10 positions next year, and has already spoken to roughly seven, informing them their positions may be in question because of budget constraints.

Cuts may hinge on whether additional Edgewood employees come forward to retire. The district’s realignment may also affect further cuts, Cifuentes said.

In January, the school board approved the closure of the section of Bloomfield Elementary School that once served as Trenton High School. The district’s fifth-graders will be housed in the middle school next year. The move is said to carry an annual savings of about $125,000.

Cifuentes said that while the district’s reorganizing is still being ironed out, much was already done when Edgewood’s board of education approved the elimination of nearly 80 positions last May.

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