Wahkiakum schools looking at layoffs

Wahkiakum School District may reduce its teaching force by two positions, Superintendent Bob Garret told the board of directors Tuesday.

Enrollment is declining, and two teachers may receive reduction in force (RIF) notices that their contracts won't be renewed; the notices must be issued before a May 18 contractual deadline, Garrett said.

State funding for basic education is based on enrollment. The district started the school year with an average of 403.4 full time equivalent (FTE) students. It reached a high of 415.2 in November and has been declining since then; it was 407.1 for April.

Garrett has had to do this in previous years.

"I typically do this, and we bring them back if we can," he said. For that to happen, fall enrollment must be higher than predicted.

Garrett said the district is expecting a small kindergarten class which would fit in one section. If it is larger than expected, it would be split into two sections, as has happened before.

Wendt Elementary School Principal Theresa Libby said the sixth grade, now averaging 32 FTEs, could go through middle school as one section, but if it increases, it could be split into two.

In other business at the board's monthly meeting, Wahkiakum High School Principal Stephanie Leitz said she gained some insight while serving on a committee to observe Kelso High School teachers as part of Kelso's accreditation application process.

Leitz said the experience will be valuable for her as Wahkiakum schools go through an accreditation process themselves.

"It's a lot of work," she said of the process. "There's a lot of pieces that go into it. There's a lot of frustrations."

Part of the frustration is reporting data: Reports schools prepare for the state Office of Public Instruction don't match accreditation reports, so staff have to develop new data.

Leitz said Wahkiakum's accreditation effort will focus on the high school. She plans to send a survey to students, parents, and staff before the end of this school year.