Board hears staffing shortages and a wave of upcoming retirements as budget pressure grows

District staff told the Three Village Board that staffing shortages and an expected wave of retirements are central features of next year’s budget conversation.

"As of November 19, we're up to 30" leaves of absence, a district staff presenter said, noting that eight of those are full‑year unpaid leaves requiring paid replacements. The presenter added that the district struggles most to recruit secondary and specialty teachers, citing examples such as home‑and‑careers and Spanish positions where only a handful of applicants appear.

Board members and staff flagged a longer‑term staffing risk: "As of today, out of the 530 full time teaching staff I believe we have, 370 of them are eligible to retire in the next 10 years," Doctor Scanlon said, urging planning for mentorship and succession. The district plans a February presentation with names (redacted for public presentation) and will begin staffing meetings with principals in December.

Staff recommended building budget codes to cover separation pay and to replenish reserves when possible, and emphasized that retirements could create one‑time savings if positions are not filled on a one‑for‑one basis. A board member asked for an itemized menu: the number of positions tied to each proposed program restoration and the likely student impact per option.

No binding staffing decisions were made at the workshop; the board asked staff to return with detailed, itemized cost estimates for proposed restorations, projected retirements and plans to recruit for hard‑to‑fill roles.

The board also discussed the need to maintain mentor and coaching programs that the district credits with past retention and performance gains.