After several frugal years in which 42 administrative and teaching positions were eliminated, Parkland School District wants to restore seven to nine professional staff in the 2014-15 term.

At the Jan. 28 board meeting, Assistant Superintendent Dr. Rodney Troutman presented a report of staffing requests necessitated by growth in class sizes and increased work pressures from state mandates.

Funding for the restored positions will be helped along through retirement of longterm employees who are leaving at the top of the salary scale.

They will be replaced by individuals at a lower salary level, which will help to offset the costs of the restored positions, explained Troutman.

Currently, 24 staff members have submitted letters of retirement, with most effective at the end of this school year.

At the high school, Troutman stated a dual certification math and biology teacher is needed due to Keystone testing remediation and class size.

"There are three Keystones students must pass right now – algebra I, biology and literature," Troutman said. "We need to keep class sizes low.

"If kids don't pass those Keystones, remediation must be led by a teacher certified in that subject area."

He said a technology coach is requested at the high school because of increased use for blended learning, which has placed a burden on librarians.

An instructional supervisor is needed at the high school to meet increased state requirements for staff evaluation.

"The new Pennsylvania teacher effectiveness process is very labor intensive," Troutman said.

At Springhouse Middle School, a dual certification science and social studies teacher is requested.

"The enrollment numbers at Springhouse are growing, and we need to keep class sizes under control," he explained.

Troutman said a positive kind of growth has been happening in the music program as more students are staying with it beyond middle school.

"We have a boatload of 220-240 in the band, and we expect to pick up 60-80 additional kids in the next years," Troutman said. "We've got to do something to help them out. The community is really proud of the band."

He said a new music teacher is requested at the high school.

Because of increased enrollment and case load, a special education, life skills teacher is asked for the high school.

Due to mandates from the state regarding medication and field trips, a health room aide is requested to help at after-school activities and to accompany students on field trips.

Troutman included a request for two elementary teachers, only if enrollment dictates a need to control class size.

"We are watching pockets of enrollment growth in the Jaindl and Fogelsville schools," he explained.

As the 2014-15 budget process moves along, the board and administration are taking the staffing requests into consideration.