Update: Moon District Lays Off Staff Members, Cafeteria Workers

The  has sent furlough notices to a total of 27  staff members. 

The district furloughed 19 district support staff members late last week. District spokeswoman Megan Edwards said today that eight cafeteria workers have also received furlough notices.

School Board President Mark Scappe said the support staff members received furlough notices on June 30, the day the five-year contract between the district and the Educational Support Professionals Association/Pennsylvania State Education Association expired. 

Edwards said the support staff members received the notices through mailed letters and personal calls, but said the district "anticipates only that only three people will be furloughed" for the upcoming school year. 

She said because of the union's contract with the district, the jobs must be eliminated and then re-opened. Edwards said the district will save approximately $480,000 for the first year following these staffing revisions. A meeting will be held July 19 for staff members to bid on job openings based on seniority. 

Prior to the furloughs, the district employed 130 union support staff personnel. 

Scappe said negotiations with the support staff union are ongoing and the district may reinstate the positions at a later time. He said the Pennsylvania state budget had not been approved by the state General Assembly when the district decided to cut the positions. 

The Moon Area School Board last week a $57.6 million budget and a four-year agreement with its teachers union. The board reinstated four teaching positions that were slated to be furloughed for the upcoming school year. 

Employees' salaries and benefits are the district's largest budgeted expense, totaling $25 million and $10.4 million, respectively. The district earlier this month said it would cut wage and benefit expenses by 3.6 percent from the previous year's budget by making staffing revisions. 

Edwards said following the cafeteria staff furloughs, 10 kitchen positions will likely be added for the upcoming year. 

The support staff union could not be reached for comment. 

Check back for Patch for more coverage. 

Update: The initial number of furloughed employees confirmed by School Board president Mark Scappe was incorrect. The district has sent furlough notices to 19 support staff members, rather than the 20 initially reported.