District restores teacher positions

ADAMS CENTER — Two teaching positions in the South Jefferson Central School District that were eliminated earlier this year have been restored.

Superintendent Jamie A. Moesel said the district expects to receive $720,590 from new federal funding aimed at saving teaching positions. On Monday, the Board of Education unanimously approved using that money, in part, to restore two elementary school positions.

"The money that we are getting can be spent on restoring jobs, taking back layoffs and possibly create some new jobs," she said. "I'd like to recommend to the board that we reinstate one fifth-grade teacher and one third-grade teacher."

A third-grade teacher will be added to Mannsville Manor Elementary School, and a fifth-grade teacher will be added to Wilson Elementary School.

"This will help us reduce class size, and I think this is where we should start," Mrs. Moesel said.

In the 2010-11 budget, the board cut seven full-time and three part-time positions in an effort to cover a budget shortfall of $2.5 million. The positions included one aquatics instructor, two remedial positions at the middle school, one prekindergarten position, one special-education position and the two elementary teachers. Part-time positions cut included two kindergarten support staff and one home and careers teacher.

"I'm not saying this is the end of restoring positions, but this is really where we should start," Mrs. Moesel said. "We might be talking about more in the future."