The Penn Hills School District has had its share of contentious meetings in recent weeks. But none had the surprises of the one Tuesday evening, when the board furloughed 34 teachers and other staff and accepted the resignation of Superintendent Patricia Gennari without comment.
The superintendent and school board have been engaged since November in a process to bring the district budget in line with declining enrollment and revenues. At recent board meetings drawing as many as 500 attendees, school officials have fielded negative public reaction to its proposed cost-cutting measures.
On May 20, the board approved the temporary closing of two elementary schools, the consolidation of remaining elementary buildings and the elimination of the high school vocational education program.
William Penn and Shenandoah elementary schools will close at the end of the school year. Pupils will be assigned to Penn Hebron (grades 4 and 5) and Dible, Forbes and Washington (all kindergarten through grade 3).
Board President Erin Vecchio told the audience of about 100 Tuesday that the board expected to lay off about 20 teachers that evening -- an action necessitated by the closings -- but said she was flummoxed by the list of 34 teachers handed to board members immediately before the meeting.
It was unclear whether Dr. Gennari's abrupt resignation was related to the confusion.
Several attendees at Tuesday's meeting angrily criticized the board not only for the teacher layoffs, but for listing the names of specific teachers on the agenda.
District Solicitor Craig Alexander said the furloughed teachers had to be identified on the agenda in some way, but that their employee identification numbers could have been used.
Ryan Osorio, president of the Penn Hills Education Association, told the board it has violated its contract with the teachers union by not notifying teachers of their furloughs by April 1.
The union filed a grievance against the district May 21 on behalf of the teachers in the vo-tech program who were furloughed last month. The union added the names of newly furloughed teachers to its grievance yesterday.
Mr. Osorio confirmed that the teachers' contract provides a more flexible time frame -- 60 days -- for furloughs caused by "unforeseen circumstances." He maintained, however, that the recent furloughs do not fall into that category because "the district has known for years about its enrollment and finances."
Solicitor Craig Alexander said that district officials believe they followed the correct protocol in furloughing the teachers.
"The people we have in place say we are on strong legal ground to do the furloughs in the manner we've done them."
Three head teachers/data coaches and two principals also were laid off at Tuesday's meeting. One new position -- associate principal at Penn Hebron -- was established and filled.
The resignation of Dr. Gennari is effective June 30, when she will retire. Before becoming superintendent in 2004, she held various administrative posts in the district for 11 years.
Assistant Superintendent Joseph Carroll will become acting superintendent July 1.
Chris Polaski, president of the PTA at Forbes Elementary School, said Dr. Gennari has been under great pressure because of the district's repeated budget deficits and other troubles, which include a lack of written curriculum to guide teaching and large gaps in achievement.
"People are blaming her, so I'm going to assume she's feeling the brunt of the blame," Ms. Polaski said. "We've heard her say that, during her watch, the deficits occurred and the problems occurred ."
In a news release, Dr. Carroll said: "I speak for the district and administration when I say we will miss Dr. Gennari's experience, leadership and dedication. . . . We appreciate the work she has done to point this district in a new direction that will provide equity for all students."
In recent months, Dr. Gennari has publicly praised the board for its serious consideration of actions to bring the district's finances in line and to bring equity to education. The board brought in a management review team, Education Management Group LLC, to study district operations in November.
The superintendent and board appeared to be working in tandem on proposals based on the study group's findings. The changes that have emerged from the study have not been popular with the public, which has been vocal in its dissatisfaction.
Although Dr. Gennari has not been openly criticized in public meetings, Tuesday's announcement of her resignation was met with scattered applause.
When Tuesday's meeting devolved into shouting from the audience in regard to the teacher layoffs, board Vice President Deborah Faggioli responded strongly.
"I will not be shouted at," she said, as she stood to leave the room. "We take our responsibilities seriously and have spent countless hours [in deliberation]. Please understand this."
Director Barry Patterson said some furloughed teachers might be recalled after the district determines the number needed to staff the four reconfigured elementary schools. Teaching positions also might open during the summer because of staff attrition, he said.
The board is also facing public opposition to a 1.42-mill tax increase in its tentative 2008-09 budget. The $74.6 million budget is a $4.8 million increase over the current year's, and reflects $3.1 million in savings tied to the closed schools. The district has had operating deficits ranging from $735,000 to $5.3 million over the past three years.
School officials have said that the budget may look different when it comes down for a final vote June 28 and the board and administration "will continue to look for ways to reduce the millage impact."
A 1.42-mill tax increase would add about $114 to the tax bill of a home valued at $80,000. The current property tax rate is 23.39 mills.
A public hearing on temporary building closures will be at 7 p.m. next Thursday in the Linton Middle School auditorium. A public hearing on the proposed 2008-09 budget will be at 7 p.m. June 17.
The meetings June 17 and 28 (final budget) will be in the boardroom of the administrative center, 309 Collins Drive.
Correction/Clarification: (Published June 6, 2008) A public hearing on temporary building closures in the Penn Hills School District will be at 7 p.m. Thursday in the Linton Middle School auditorium. An incorrect venue was listed in this story as originally published June 4, 2008.
First Published: June 5, 2008, 9:45 a.m.
