Orland School District 135 expects to save money next school year by switching bus companies but will need to boost spending to hire more bilingual teachers.
The school board voted Thursday to increase bilingual staff from one to as many as eight full-time positions.
Lynn Zeder, assistant superintendent for teaching and learning, said an ongoing state audit calls for hiring three teachers fluent in Arabic, plus two fluent in Spanish and one in Polish.
A hire is required when a school serves at least 20 students who speak another language. Prairie School, 15100 S. 94th Ave., is the most diverse, with a projected need for one teacher in each of the three languages.
Board Vice President Michael Carroll expressed concerns about making a “huge jump” financially in hiring seven new teachers. The district’s average teacher salary is about $72,600.
But even if all are needed, finding seven certified bilingual teachers could prove difficult.
“There are very limited people available,” said board member Laura Berry, a retired school administrator.
Whatever the eventual cost of hiring more bilingual teachers, the board moved to save some money in another area, with a new three-year bus contract expected to save $200,000 annually. American School Bus Co. is being replaced by low bidder Positive Connections, which serves Consolidated High School District 230.
“Our administrative staff met with the manager of Positive Connections and went through any concerns,” board President Joe La Margo said. “It will save the district $600,000 over the next three years.”
Tom O’Sullivan, an executive with American’s parent company, urged the board to reconsider, saying American had served the district for three decades, including the past 10 years consecutively. He said the company worked with the district to streamline routes and install GPS tracking and cameras.
Sunrise Southwest will continue to transport special-education students, but bidding the contract is expected to save the district another $10,000 a year.
Meanwhile, Studio GC was hired to design $750,000 in renovations planned for the fall 2016 launch of full-day kindergarten. The contract is worth 7.75 percent of the construction cost, or about $56,000. The renovations planned for Centennial, Center, Park and Prairie schools replace an earlier plan to spend $4 million converting Park to an early childhood education center.
Board members also voted to renew contracts for the district’s administrative team, though David Kennedy, principal of Jerling Junior High, is leaving at the end of the school year. Administrative raises won’t be discussed until a new teachers union contract is negotiated. The current four-year deal expires at the end of this school year.
The board also lifted an advertising ban, which Carroll said was done to allow community groups such as youth sports leagues to promote activities on the district website or in district emails. He said there are no plans to allow ads in school buildings or sell naming rights.
Patrick Guinane is a freelance reporter.