South Bend school board approves change to facilities management
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The South Bend Community School Corp. board of school trustees on Monday made another move toward bringing its facilities management services in-house.
Our partners at WSBT-TV report the board approved job descriptions for the various positions for which it will soon be hiring after ending its contract with Tennessee-based SSC Services for Education.
A WARN Notice filed with the Indiana Department of Workforce Development by SSC Services earlier this month indicated that just over 200 people would be laid off at the end of June as a result of the contract ending.
However, the district plans to give all of the affected workers the chance to be re-hired and work directly for South Bend Schools. The positions that will need to be filled include electricians, groundskeepers, and daily custodians, among others.
“As you know that there are approximately 200 positions, more than 200 positions right now who are currently being employed by SSC,” Ahnaf Tahmid, the district’s chief financial officer, told WSBT. “Going forward we will incorporate many of those positions including the leadership structure that we will have for our facilities management department.”
School officials estimate the transition will save $3 million and $5 million annually.
“Our goal is to redirect these savings to support our teachers and students by investing more in classrooms and the people who make learning possible,” Andrew Goetz, communications director for the district, told Inside INdiana Business last week.
The board also approved a contract for the district’s own maintenance vehicles.