Armstrong school board votes to furlough several positions

ARMSTRONG, Pa. — UPDATE: Despite pushback from the community, the Armstrong School District board voted to furlough several positions during a meeting on Monday.

The vote to furlough the staff members passed seven to two.

Along with the furloughs, the board also voted to approve the budget for the coming school year while keeping the millage rate unchanged.

ORIGINAL STORY

Armstrong school board to vote on staff cuts on Monday

A meeting is set to take place Monday at Armstrong Jr/Sr High School to finalize the cuts of 12 staff members, ranging from an elementary school music teacher to an assistant superintendent.

Kevan Landstrom is the President of the Armstrong Education Association (AEA).

“A success to the AEA would be no cuts, no furloughs to teachers,” he said.

The Armstrong Board of Directors will vote on finalizing the proposed cuts, which include five elementary school teachers and classrooms, teachers in secondary library, physical education, music education, social studies, special education, as well as a nurse, assistant superintendent, and elementary school principal. The original proposal cut library programs for all ages.

“Through an early retirement incentive the district offered, we had another teacher retire, which saved an extra position but also the saving of the elementary school librarians,” Landstrom said.

Teachers, staff, and parents in the Armstrong School District plan on showing up dressed in red for the board meeting.

“Anything is possible. I mean the board can amend the budget at the final table,” Landstrom said.

Channel 11 also spoke with William Fisher, who has a grandson who attends cyber school in the district.

“If it’s necessary, they’ve got to cut somewhere and that would be a good place to start,” Fisher said.

This is the first school year the district did not receive COVID-19 relief funding. According to a 2024 audit, they blame cyber school enrollment, federal and state cuts, as well as increases to health care and substitute costs, on the looming budget cuts.

“We appreciate that the board is able to see that elementary librarians are important for the students, but it’s our hope that they can see the other positions are vital as well for student success,” Landstrom said.

The meeting will take place at 7:30 p.m. at the Jr/Sr High School auditorium.

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