On Monday night, during a Dayton NAACP panel discussion, DPS Superintendent Elizabeth Lolli acknowledged that school nurses were among those on the layoff list, as there will be no students physically in buildings for them to work with for at least the first quarter of school. Earlier, multiple physical education and arts teachers posted on social media that they had received RIF notices.
“Without students there face to face, we really need to take a look at what the jobs are that are needed when students are on a remote learning plan,” Lolli said during the NAACP event. “As soon as we make the decision to come back, all of our school nurses will be brought back and be part of that team.”
Union President David Romick said he would not comment on any details until after the school board votes.
Scott DiMauro, president of the statewide teachers union, said of 750 Ohio Education Association locals in Ohio, Dayton is one of about 40 that face any type of reduction in force this fall.
But DiMauro said several of those layoffs are tied to levy failures or other financial challenges, rather than remote-learning related like Dayton’s.
DiMauro said he was not aware of any other schools in the greater Dayton area doing large, COVID-related layoffs.
“It seems that changes related to the pandemic may be having some impact overall, but because every local school district’s situation is different, it’s hard to make any clear generalizations,” he said.
The Dayton school board meeting notice for Friday also says the board “will have a discussion on district athletics.”
Dayton Public Schools is one of several local districts to stop fall sports and certain other extracurricular activities after Public Health Dayton & Montgomery County recommended on July 31 that they do so.
At the time, Montgomery County was at the “red” level of the state’s Public Health Advisory System, indicating “very high exposure and spread” of the coronavirus. Last week, the county was downgraded one level to the less serious “orange” status.
Lolli said Monday night that she will meet with Public Health officials on Thursday, and share that information so the board can have its discussion on Friday.
“There may be some new news about our extracurriculars on Friday, or there may still be a suspension,” she said. “That depends on what we hear from the health commissioner and what the board of education feels they need to do to keep everyone safe.”
Trotwood, Jefferson Twp. and Middletown schools locally also stopped fall sports, but Middletown reversed course Monday night, restarting fall sports, marching band and show choir.
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