HAMBURG, N.Y. — The cafeteria of Armor Elementary School was brimming with concerned students, parents and teachers Tuesday night as the school board and superintendent tried to explain why the district was laying off 17 teachers and aides.
The district released the list of those impacted positions:
- English - 2 teachers
- Business - 1 teacher
- Math - 2 teachers
- Science - 2 teachers
- Social Studies - 3 teachers
- LOTE Spanish - 1 teacher
- LOTE Latin - 1 teacher
- Health (elementary) - 1 teacher
- Teacher aide - 2 teacher aides
- Computer aide - 1 computer aide
- Maintenance - 1 maintenance mechanic
In a presentation it was also announced that the district will not be filling 7 retirement positions.
Also listed in the presentation is multiple part time positions listed as "not returning" for the 2024/2025 school year.
- Art - Teacher, Hamburg Middle School
- Clerical - 19hrs/week, District ]
- Clerical - 20hrs/week, Hamburg High School
A total of 27 positions are impacted.
"We feel awful," said Superintendent Mike Cornell. "The last thing we want to do in the world is lay off a single teacher."
Cornell has been superintendent for 10 years and is also the president of the Erie-Niagara School Superintendents Association.
While Cornell, and several board members were sympathetic to the concerns and emotions from the public Tuesday night, they were short on answers in the eyes of those looking for more clarity.
"I had no idea," said Hamburg Central PTSA president Jessica Reyna I attend most of the Board of Ed meetings, I have almost monthly district meetings, I go to building meetings for middle school and Charlotte Ave, did not have any idea this was coming.
The district announced the layoffs in the late afternoon on Friday, March 8, after the decision was made earlier in the week.
"Once we get to early March, and we get the state aid runs, and really kind of understand what type of aid we're gonna get from the state, then we really put pencil to paper and try to understand exactly what our revenues are."
2 On Your Side asked Cornell when the financial problems started.
"we have budgeting errors in 2021-2022 and 2022-2023," Cornell said.
Cornell did not explain what the budgeting errors were, and also said he couldn't talk about it due to a personnel matter.
Cornell also said he didn't know about the budgeting error.
"If I knew about it, we'd have done something about it," Cornell said.
Cornell wasn't able to explain why he didn't know about the budgeting issue, citing the personnel matter.
District officials cited several reasons for the financial issues in their budget presentation. Those reasons include the district being labeled "susceptible to fiscal risk" by the state comptroller, already cutting every non-staffing expense, decreasing enrollment, and COVID-19 relief funds running out.
The district says that it have used COVID funds for supporting yearly staffing expenses--something the federal government warned recipients about.
"We have to create a sense of balance between our revenues, or enrollment and our staffing," Cornell said. "This budget does that."
Those who were in attendance are hoping for a 4th quarter miracle to save the staff positions.
"I need our district to look at the big picture and understand that these cuts will have an impact not only next year, but for years to come," said Reyna. "Wherever we can keep a teacher or a support staff position that needs to happen."
Unfortunately, Cornell doesn't believe anything can be done to save those positions.
"At this point, it's very difficult to see away where that would happened."