Schools

Dave Dlugosz, Bill Zurkey Seek To Retire/Rehire

School board members say move will save district money.

Two of Avon Lake’s longest-standing high school teachers are hoping to retire from the school district this year and then be rehired for the 2012-13 year. School district officials are saying the move will save the money.

The district held a public input meeting May 8 to allow for comments and give the board an opportunity to explain the situation.

Dave Dlugosz is a health/physical education teacher and the head football coach. Superintendent of Schools Bob Scott said Dlugosz, who was hired on Sept. 1, 1974, wants to retire as a teacher but be rehired again as the head football coach.

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Scott said both personnel moves would result in a financial savings to the district.           

“His teaching position is not going to be filled,” Scott said of Dlugosz, adding the position’s elimination is part of the school’s cost reduction plan. Dlugosz’s current salary of $67,536 is supplemented by three contracts: $2,001 for being the department chair of the physical health department, $6,165 for being the conditioning coordinator and $9,839 for being the high school football coach.

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The move will allow Dlugosz to tap into his allocated teacher’s retirement fund. He will not be requiring health care from the district either.

William Zurkey, who was hired in 1987, teaches AP Music Theory and curricular based chorale as well as functioning as the choir director.

He is looking for a one-year contract that if approved, will have him retiring and then rehired in the same capacity, but at a much lower salary.

“(Zurkey) is at the top of the pay scale,” Scott said. “He can be rehired at the lowest level.”

Zurkey’s current annual pay is $77,674. His supplemental contracts include $1,802 for heading the Merples, $6,400 for directing the high school vocal program and $1,821 for acting as the department chair for the fine arts department.

Scott noted the meeting was for informational purposes only and no decisions would be made before the next board meeting.

Several people took the opportunity to comment on the retire/rehire.

Marianne Latsko, the president of Chorale Boosters said she was there to support Zurkey and the “amount of work and effort he puts into classes and competitions."

“It’s a good opportunity to keep the ” she said. “It will avoid a hard transition.”

The music program at Avon Lake regularly earns .

Resident and parent Laura Tenorio-Rasch also supported rehiring Zurkey to keep the music program strong.

“We’ve had 47 years of winning state and don’t want to see that go down in one year,” she said about Zurkey. ““We just rated top in the nation for music and that’s a draw for the community.”

But resident Ralph Nussle questioned the move.

“Why?,” he asked. “Why retire and come back to work? Do the taxpayers benefit? Do the students benefit?”

Nussle said the realized the move was legal but could result in a taxpayer backlash.

“There could be repercussions down the road when there’s an operating levy,” Nussle said.

School board president Charles Froehlich said he hopes when a decision is made, it earns the support of the community. 

“With every decision what we look at first, is what’s the best for the students and then the cost elements,” he said. “There’s always a balancing act.”

 

 


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