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Galesburg School Board Approves Much of Cost Cutting Plan

T.J. Carson
Galesburg School Board President Robert Lindstrom listens to concerns from the public about personnel cuts during Monday's meeting.

The Galesburg School Board Monday night voted on dozens of cost reduction recommendations designed to save the district more than $3 million.

39 of the recommendations were approved and one was voted down.  Four others were not voted on.

Among other things, the board agreed to lay off 20 teachers and five administrators, and to move GHS North (the district’s alternative school) to the high school campus. 

The only proposal voted down by the board would have eliminated a high school monitor position. The board didn’t vote on proposals that include eliminating one junior high teacher, and eliminating 14 high school assistant coaching positions.

David Sharp, President of the Galesburg Education Association, knew the cuts were coming. But he still didn’t feel good about them.

“Anytime you cut 20 teachers, you’re talking about a huge impact to students. So I am concerned about how that impact is going to be,” Sharp said.

Sharp said he’s willing to talk with the administration about the impact of the cuts and how to move forward with the loss of 20 teachers and other staffers across the district.

“Even though those positions are going to be eliminated, the work load is still going to be there. So we need to decide on how that’s going to be shared,” Sharp said.

The board's actions were just the first part of the process.  Now the administration must decide which specific teachers and staff members will lose their jobs.

Those recommendations are scheduled to be presented to the board on February 8.