Parents and staff urge West York Area SD board to restore full-time aide positions

Dozens of teachers, aides, students and parents pressed the West York Area School District board on Monday to reverse a plan to convert about 20 full-time learning-support and English-language-learner aide positions into part-time roles that would eliminate health benefits.

Speakers said the positions are essential to classroom instruction, relationship-building and student safety, and warned that the change would drive experienced aides to higher-paying jobs outside the district. ‘‘How can we justify spending $18 million on a new stadium and turf fields when cutting full-time aid positions that directly support students in classrooms every day?’’ said Holly Holtzinger, who identified herself as representing the West York Area Education Association and Educational Support Professionals.

Why it matters: Board members must weigh an operational shortfall that administrators said requires preliminary budget adjustments against the district’s legal and academic obligations to students with disabilities and limited English proficiency. Multiple speakers said short-term savings could trigger long-term costs through staff turnover, use of temporary agencies and potential special-education disputes.

What speakers said: Teachers and aides gave examples of daily duties that would not fit a five-hour shift. Carrie Lewis, an ELL aide at the high school, said she supports five full class periods, co-leads extracurricular supports and runs the Bulldog Closet; cutting her hours ‘‘will curtail our ability to meet students’ needs,’’ she said. ESL specialist Bethany Rodriguez described a high-school caseload of roughly 50 ESL students and said the single aide assigned there provides coverage for multiple grade-level courses.

Students also addressed the board. ‘‘I would not be standing here speaking today if it weren’t for them,’’ said Janita Sbrana, a soon-to-be graduate, describing one-on-one help from an aide that kept her in school.

Board response and next steps: Board members thanked speakers and acknowledged the views raised. President Rice told the audience the board heard the concerns and said the directors would convene an executive session to discuss budget choices and whether any adjustments could be made: ‘‘We will have those conversations. I think it’s important that we get it right for the community and for the people that were heard.’’ Rice also said the proposed 4.6% tax increase under consideration is intended for operational costs and, he said, ‘‘doesn’t go back to the field.’’

What’s next: Directors agreed to discuss aide hours and the tax/budget items in an executive session and to revisit possible revisions to the draft budget before a June vote on the final budget. The board did not take a final vote on restoring hours during the meeting.