More positions axed and hours cut in Yelm Schools. Program and service cuts coming in June
More cuts were made to the Yelm School District’s staff during a May 23 board meeting in an effort to make up for a budget deficit of $15 million left by voters’ defeat of a local property tax measure.
Yelm Superintendent Chris Woods said the plan to let go of 220 public school employees, including 120 teachers, combined with new cuts to administration and the district office gets the district halfway to making up the deficit.
There will be a budget forum at 6 p.m. Thursday, June 13, to discuss cuts to programs and services.
Woods said seven positions are being eliminated at the district office, including four coordinator positions and three coach positions. The assistance facilities director retired and the position will stay unfilled.
Three assistant principal positions were eliminated, two at the elementary level and one at the high school.
A student resource office position was cut, along with one social worker and seven other contracted staff positions. Two other positions Woods said were unspecified were cut, seven had hours reduced, and one position had days reduced.
Woods said the school board is scheduled to take action on the salaries of these positions on June 27.
The superintendent also announced a plan for some administrators to take furloughs, also known as unpaid leave. Woods and the assistant superintendent will take 10 days of furlough next school year. The director of human resources and the director of finance will both take eight days.
The following director positions are scheduled to take five days of furlough next year: Communications Career, Technical Education, Student Support, Assessment, Student Learning, Transportation, Facilities, Food Services and Technology.
Fourteen principals and assistant principals also will take five days, along with the financial manager and four program coordinators.
This story was originally published May 29, 2024 at 6:26 PM.
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