Superintendent proposes 2025–26 staffing plan with reallocated grant and coaching roles; board to consider on consent

Dr. Laura White, superintendent, presented the district's 2025–26 staffing plan at the Jan. 21 Committee of the Whole, saying the plan builds on changes made last year—notably adding assistant principals at elementary schools—and focuses on aligning staff to strategic goals including student success and fiscal responsibility.

White summarized three continuing priorities: responsiveness to student and staff needs, improving instruction across tiers, and strengthening MTSS (multi-tiered system of supports). She highlighted last year’s additions of assistant principals at each elementary school and described positive feedback from teachers. Heather Brewer, a TLC teacher at Deer Path, told the committee that the building’s assistant principal "has been a very positive addition to Deer Path" and has improved responsiveness and staff support. Maureen Kick from Briargate offered similar anecdotal praise.

The district continues to develop an instructional coaching model that began last autumn. White said coaches spend most of their time planning with teachers and are supporting first‑year teachers and others who opt in; as capacity grows, coaching activities are expected to include co‑teaching, modeling and demonstration lessons. Coaches are district employees based in buildings and evaluated by coordinators Lynn Williams, Melissa Lukas and Lauren Kramer.

White proposed reallocating a previously budgeted director of grants and accountability role, citing waning ESSER reporting requirements and market pressures for grant-writing salaries. She said some duties taken on by that role have been absorbed by central office and herself as superintendent. The proposal also recommends an EL newcomer position to provide classroom‑embedded support for general‑education teachers serving English learners; White said the position would not be a new net cost but a reallocation.

On staffing counts, White said enrollment projections show continued lower kindergarten numbers post‑COVID with some rebound expected; the plan lists no net classroom changes at Oak Knoll, reductions and watches at Briargate, Deer Path and 3 Oaks, and no changes to Cary Junior High. She described specific reallocations at the junior high—closing a vacant special‑education resource position and reallocating an EL resource position to the newcomer role—and noted roughly $250,000 in savings from vacant positions and about $450,000 in retirement savings. White said the net reduction compared with the current year is approximately $740,000.

White emphasized the district will continue monitoring enrollment, particularly kindergarten figures, and aims to finalize hiring decisions by mid to late June to allow adequate time for recruitment. She said principals and administrative staff will track enrollments after March opening and into summer. The staffing plan was presented for discussion and will appear on the consent agenda for board action at the next meeting.