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Superintendent warns of staffing shortfalls and declining band participation; calendar change noted
Summary
The superintendent reported updated Election Day (June 10), outlined multiple teacher and specialist vacancies and difficulty recruiting candidates (some candidates reportedly seeking about $100,000), and said high-school band enrollment has fallen roughly 42% over a decade as the district considers policy changes.
The superintendent told the Verona Board of Education that Election Day has moved from June 3 to June 10 and the district plans to use that date as a give-back day for students if snow days remain.
During the superintendent’s report, officials described several current staffing shortages across the district: a special-education position and a health and physical education position at Lanning; an open business-teacher position that is being covered by a long-term substitute; a tenure-track school psychologist in final search rounds; a school social worker vacancy at HBW; and two elementary openings at FM Brown. The superintendent said some finalists offered for positions asked for salaries of "$100,000 or more," which has limited the pool of new teachers applying to the district.
The superintendent also described efforts to complete the civil rights data collection and noted an upcoming meeting with Chief Kiernan to finalize a new universal memorandum of agreement with law enforcement, a requirement for school districts in the state.
On the marching band, the superintendent said participation at the high school has declined substantially over about a 10-year period — citing a roughly 42% drop in enrollment — and the district is surveying families and examining whether the policy that requires concert-band students to also participate in marching band is affecting recruitment. No final decision has been made on any policy change; the superintendent said the district will inform the board and public before any change is adopted.
The meeting also included a student report from Ryan Gao highlighting winter concerts, athletic successes (including two basketball wins and several swim-team record-breakers) and Inclusive Schools Week plans.
The board approved routine consent and finance items later in the meeting and tabled athletics item C4 for correction of materials or order. The superintendent said hiring decisions may require the district business administrator to act if fewer meetings are scheduled in the future.
