Hammond to Close Three Schools, to Cut Jobs
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowThe School City of Hammond board has voted to close three schools and cut 130-150 positions. Our partners at The Times of Northwest Indiana report Columbia and Lafayette Elementary schools, and the Miller School will close after this school year.
Current students of the affected institutions will attend other schools in the district that are not yet at capacity.
The board also approved by a 4-1 vote a policy for staff reductions.
The publication reports the policy dictates that if 130 to 150 positions are terminated in the district, as Superintendent Scott Miller recommended last week, a teacher effectiveness rating as approved by state statute and Hammond’s teacher’s union will determine which individuals lose their jobs.
Cuts will go into effect immediately, in an effort to allow time for teachers to begin a new job search.
"We want to continue to have the programs for our students to have the best teachers and programs," Board President Deborah White told the publication. "But with our district having 20 buildings that are growing older with the day, we are going to make the best decision fiscally to keep the corporation from folding that other corporations have. If there was any other way to get any other funds, we would do it."
To read the full story from The Times of Northwest Indiana, click here.