By Elizabeth Lowe
Staff writer

Goodrich – Instead of the 198-day school year remaining in effect–as reported in the July 18 edition of The Citizen–the school board and teacher’s union are still deadlocked.
The ‘no change? quoted by Goodrich schools superintendent Kim Hart actually referred to no anticipated change from the 184-day calendar year the board had proposed to teachers earlier this year, said Hart of the miscommunication.
Union and school bargaining representatives met with mediator Marge Paquette of the Michigan Department of Labor & Economic Growth July 19 regarding the disputed length of the 2005-2006 calendar year. Initiated by the Goodrich Education Association, mediation is paid by the state, at no direct cost to either bargaining side.
‘Even though we believe we have a contract in place and we don’t have to (bargain), we were trying,? said Michigan Education Association representative Dianne Bregenzer, who says the union was the only bargaining party to make a counter-offer.
The bargaining teams will meet again for mediation Aug. 9, less than three weeks before the expected Aug. 29 school start date.
‘Right now we’re going by the proposed calendar,? said Hart. ‘We don’t anticipate (Aug. 29) will change. Everything’s still subject to negotiations, but it’s in keeping with the county calendar, and it would be hard to tell parents now if it changed.?
Changing spring break to correspond with the countywide calendar set by school superintendents is also subject to negotiations, although it’s not the main point of contention.
‘Teachers would like to know too when their vacations are going to be,? said Bregenzer, ‘but the difficulty we’re having is agreeing to the number of days.?
The board’s original proposal was to keep all certified teachers on staff–instead of the layoffs announced this spring–if teachers agreed to the reduced 184-day calendar year. Later, an early retirement incentive program was offered, and all laid-off teachers have been called back.
The amount saved on lower-seniority teachers? salaries won’t catch up with the district until next year, but it’s expected to help the budget within the next two to three years.
The money-saving move has some district parents questioning why it wasn’t offered earlier.
?(The union) never gave us the information we asked for back in February,? said Hart. ‘We asked the type of incentive they wanted and how many would be interested.?
Bregenzer disagrees.
‘We asked them several times, and they said no. They said they’d never do (an early retirement incentive) because they didn’t think it would save money. They refused to even run any numbers or figures, they never talked to us about it.?
Bregenzer says after she calculated tentative cost savings, school officials reconsidered the proposal.
The late offer makes it difficult for teachers to say farewell to students, says retiring teacher Joan Turner.
‘I don’t know that people would have retired if they didn’t realize so many people were laid off,? said Hart.
Board members expressed appreciation for the teachers.
‘It’s sad, these kind of conditions,? said board vice president Ken Rappuhn. ‘I hope each and every one retired with their head held high. Hopefully they’re retiring because they really want to.?
While the calendar year remains uncertain, this year’s line-up of teachers is shaping up.
The hiring of two new teachers was approved July 18 at the board of education meeting, including Stephanie O’Dea, who will teach high school biology, and GenNet teacher Michelle Wagner. Wagner’s salary will ‘pay for itself out of GenNet fees,? says Hart.
Christy Miller will be back to teach K-5 art, with Kay Goodall and another certified teacher teaching some high school art classes.
Chris Hall will teach band for fifth to eighth-graders, Aaron Orkisz will continue teaching high school band, and the drama program will be similar to last year, Hart said.
Although it’s not finalized, one person will teach K-12 vocal music.
‘There will be something (taught in vocal music) at every school, but less than last year,? said Hart.
No high school media specialist will be hired this year, says Hart, who hopes eventually to hire a replacement for retiring media specialist Joan Turner.
School administrators have posted openings, within and outside the district, for four more teachers, including a full time high school integrated math teacher, a full time K-12 special education teacher, a full time high school English-Spanish teacher, and a half-time middle school art teacher.