District 50 Superintendent Makes Good on Promise

Even though it was February, the heat was on Superintendent Joy Swoboda.

The school board, contending with shortfalls in state funding, was going through the "no good choice" process of deciding which programs and teachers would be cut. Fingers inevitably pointed toward Swoboda and her management of the district.

In addition, the campaigning for the April election of new board members was in full swing and the target often was administration spending, which falls under Swoboda's large umbrella of responsibility.

While the board whittled away spending, the superintendent stepped forward and made an unexpected commitment to bring forward $100,000 in administrative savings for the 2011-12 school year. In June, she made good on that promise.

Below are the administrative reductions:

• Replacement of elementary west assistant principal position with elementary west special education supervisor/assistant principal position.
• Reduction of intermediate associate principal position.
• Reduction of accounting supervisor position.
• Replacement of payroll assistant position due to retirement.
• Total savings: $171,122.97

While the reductions and replacements will save the district money, there is a price paid for trimming administrative staff, which District 50 has done previously.

Swoboda and Board President Larry Gregorash both have expressed concern about overloading staff to the point where the quality of their work is affected.

"Over the last several years, the district has reduced its administrative staff by over 20 percent, impacting the team," said Swoboda.

"While the number of staff has decreased, the expectations and the workload within administration have not changed. The administration will continue to support the district, the staff and the students, however as superintendent, I'm concerned that further reductions to the administrative team will impact the district and thus will not be recommended."

Gregorash had commented at a board meeting during the budgeting process that "we need to consider any cuts to our administration very carefully. It will impact the quality of programs that people have come to expect from District 50."