Brighton Area Schools Rehires 34 Teachers, Resume Contract Negotiations Today

The Brighton Board of Education rehired 34 teachers at a special meeting Monday, welcoming back more than half of the 50-plus staff who were laid off this year.

The district did not immediately release the names of teachers recalled.

The recall comes during the ongoing negotiations between the district and the Brighton Education Association, as well as other school staff unions, to come to terms on a new contract before the current ones expire Aug. 31. The first day of school is Sept. 6

Superintendent Greg Gray said that the staffing levels reflected by the recall support the deficit elimination plan that the board to send to the state, as required by law for deficit districts. He also said that if the recall wasn't passed, the district would had have to make up $1.5 to $2 million in cash, because the district would be staffing at levels in the expiring contracts.

BEA President Ellen Lafferty said she wasn't surprised by the rehiring of teachers.

"The district is being fiscally responsible tonight," she said. Lafferty said that negotiations resume today.

Maria Gistinger, assistant superintendent of finance, that she was optimistic a deal would be made before the Aug. 31 deadline. Lafferty said that the sides are at a crossroads right now, but she said the effort is being made to reach a bargain.

"We're working really hard. We'll continue to work very collaboratively together to get a deal we can all work with," Lafferty said.

The district is looking to it entered the current fiscal year with down to $4.6 million by the end of next year. Gistinger has said that the numbers in the 2011-2012 budget are the district's expectations out of the negotiations.

The board will meet for a regularly-scheduled meeting on Aug. 22 at the