Westerman Sets Reply To AAEA

ScHefol Supt. W. Scott Westerman Jr. has promised to respond by April 30 to the grievance filed by the Ann Arbor Education Association (AAEA) over the issuance of dismissal notices to 256 probationary teachers. Supt. Westerman held a question-answer presentation at a closed hearing Thursday which gave the teachers an opportunity to speak and "to help me develop my response to the grievance," he said. Westerman told the group the entire probationary staff had received the termination notices and the group was composed of 144 elementary teachers, 58 junior high and 54 senior high school teachers, an informed source said. The letter, he said, told them that in compliance with the Michigan State Tenure Act and although their performance had been satisfactory, due to the school district's I unstable financial condition for next year their contracts would not be renewed pendtiag favorable outcome and approval of the millage resolution and budget needs. Because of the fact that administrators are subject to I a 24-hour dismissal notice f r o m the superintendent, Westerman a 1 s o told the teachers this was why . administrators w e r e not included in the dismissals, ï the source said. He said, however, that at such time as staff reductions must be made final, acrossthe-board reduction o f f administrators as well as teachers would be made. j Westerman was asked if other school districts had done the same thing and he said more than 80 Michigan districts had issued similar termination notices. I The decisión to send the . termination notices was made during spring break because I, the budget had been under - discussion for the last six weeks and because of an April 12 deadline under the J state Tenure Act, Westerman reportedly said. Some teachers said they J thought the 3-mill renewal in ■ February would continue the same program in the district , but Westerman explained that it did continue the same program but that several condi- tions developed after the 1 tion, the source said. Early tax base estimates were too I high and had to be reversed I from 10 per cent to IVz per I cent, Westerman is reported to have said. State aid reduction was made known after the millage election which I , reduced the rate of $176.80 per pupil to $158 per pupil. This was a reduction of $377,000 in anticipated state aid. Westerman is reported to have told the teachers that the tax base and state aid were thé main cornerstones on which the budget predictions were made. "The projected increase in income for next year went from $1,900,000 to $803,000; which is not enough to keep the entire staff," Westerman said. According to figures reported during the meeting, $900,000 is needed just to keep the current salary commitments to the AAEA contract. Westerman said the district will continue its recruiting program because he is confident the June millage and bonding proposals will be successful, but he added that there is a great distinction between recruiting and hiring. "Some of the probationary staff may be re-employed bef ore June 14," he sáid, "but there will be no additional hiring." Westerman said that he prepared a public statement following the board actionto send termination notices but because of the grievance filed by the AAEA he was not at liberty to issue public comments under the rules of the master contract. i In concluding his remarks to the probationary staff, the school superintendent said, "If you're not satisfied with this statement then y o u always have re-course through grievance procedures." i