RPS discusses restructuring of administration positions

(ABC 6 News) – A big item on the agenda Tuesday night was the approval to cut a handful of top administration positions as a part of a reconstructing and cost-cutting plan presented by Supt. Kent Pekel.

Pekel previously talked with the school board and cabinet members about the changes and received feedback, so Tuesday night was not the first time everyone was hearing about this.

"These changes are often hard and I regret the challenge that it brings to us but I also think it lays the groundwork for achieving many of those goals that are at the core of the plan and that we all hold dear for our students," Pekel said.

The elimination of these eight positions will be effective June 30, 2022.

"In the elimination of some positions, it’s critical in order to make some new positions possible," Pekel said. "And so the new positions that are created through this position or somewhat reorganized, would be a director of communications, previously a cabinet position that we’ve eliminated as a cabinet position, director of school support, director of leadership development, director of post-secondary readiness, and two important coordinator positions focused on community partnerships and an important coordinator position focused on family engagement."

He said the elimination of these positions will reduce the cost of the district’s central administration by about $350,000.

Pekel explained at the core of this organization, there are four big ideas.

First is the alignment of support for the teaching and learning process in schools. Second is the alignment of the support RPS provides for schools in the district. Third is the new office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion will be adding the critical idea of ‘engagement’ to its title. The last big idea is the broadening of work and outreach in community education.

"But I do want to say this has been a ton of work and a challenging effort and that I’m confident that this structure is going to help move us in the direction we need to go," Pekel said.

As the leader of the district, Pekel said these changes will continue to be evaluated and improved.

The RPS board will vote on this reconstruction at the next board meeting on June 21.