Board questions staffing plan as Loretta Zumbro grows and DLI programming strains schedules

District staff presented a multi-phase staffing and enrollment methodology and a campus-by-campus staffing recommendation that sought to align teachers with projected grade rollups, but board members pressed on the practicality and equity of many 0.5 FTE lines.

"We applied board-approved class-size bands as the benchmark," Lane Man told the board, walking through a ten-phase staffing process that included enrollment projections, principal surveys, FTE verification with HR/payroll and campus-level grade-by-grade review. He said Loretta Zumbro warranted "special circumstances" because it is adding seventh grade and considering an eighth grade.

Board members repeatedly questioned whether multiple 0.5 FTE assignments would misrepresent actual classroom sizes — for example, in junior high where grouping by grade is common. "You can't divide children," one board member said, arguing that fractional FTEs can make averages look better than the eventual home-room lists will show.

Administrators demonstrated how shared and halftime teachers could be deployed across grade bands and said principals would retain staffing autonomy to assign FTE at each site. They also acknowledged trade-offs: halftimes and combo classes are not ideal and can result in higher individual class sizes if not managed.

Specific program concerns surfaced: - DLI (dual-language immersion): DLI staff said the proposed staffing would require reconfiguring instruction, rotating students or creating combo classes to preserve the half-day Spanish model, and that current arrangements were fragile if FTE is reduced. - MAG/CCA classes: Board members questioned whether small-enrollment specialty programs are getting disproportionate resources (full-time MAG teachers for small groups) and asked for a consistent district approach. - CHAMPS and AP allocations: Members sought an equitable standard for CHAMPS teachers and assistant principals, noting Title I and small-school contexts complicate strict formulas.

Administrators noted some schools showed sudden growth: Loretta Zumbro's K–6 enrollment rose from roughly 210 to 243 during the year, prompting conservative staffing to support future growth. The district recommended adding three certified FTE for Loretta tied to expanded grades and operational needs (nurse, secretary) while recognizing equity tensions with older, larger campuses.

Board direction and next steps: Members asked administration to return with refined models that convert .5 FTEs into realistic home-room simulations, clarify how special programs (DLI, MAG, CHAMPS) will be staffed equitably across schools, and provide the principal-level staffing plans the board can review before finalizing hires.