The Clinton-Massie school board approved a series of staff cuts Monday that are expected to save the district $330,000.

Most of the impacted staffers are aides. The one teaching position affected is an elementary instructional media teacher job to be eliminated. At the same board meeting, however, a middle school computer application teacher position was added.

Two aide positions requiring bachelor’s degrees were cut, as were 7.5 aide jobs requiring a high school diploma or its equivalent.

Also discontinued are a full-time school psychologist position and one secretarial job.

All the personnel reductions were approved unanimously by the board of education except for the eliminations of the two aide positions that require college degrees. In that instance, the superintendent’s recommendation was adopted by board members in a 4-1 vote, with member Phil Larrick casting the vote in opposition.

Superintendent Dr. Mike Sander said none of the positions are being cut because of job performance. Of the aide positions Larrick is concerned about, Sander said, “In good [economic] times, these are positions that are helpful.”

Sander also said he felt there are alternate ways to fill those two aides’ functions. As one option, he mentioned the possibility of after-school tutoring.

One service the people perform who hold the other type of aide jobs is overseeing study hall periods.

On the elimination of the full-time school psychologist job, Sander said Clinton-Massie doesn’t have a large enough student population to financially warrant a full-time psychologist for the district. He also said there are two good alternatives “to contract out those services.”

Another personnel decision Monday night that may save the district money in the future was an action to not re-employ treasurer Cathy Leichliter when her contract expires July 31. With the district’s facility construction completed, the board plans to re-evaluate the position’s responsibilities and determine what level of qualifications — and pay — is needed, according to Sander.

A school district treasurer can receive a higher salary when the position is akin to a chief financial officer (CFO), whereas the position can have a narrower scope and receive less pay, Sander said. Leichliter was at the CFO level of qualifications and pay, he said.

In other news from the board meeting, second-grade teacher Anna Edwards-Garafolo gave a SmartBoard presentation to provide examples of the capacity and features of a SmartBoard. A SmartBoard is a Web-based, interactive instructional tool. Thanks to the newly built elementary building on the district’s Lebanon Road campus, this is the first school year the elementary classrooms at Clinton-Massie have each included a SmartBoard.

“A SmartBoard is another tool to grab their attention,” Edwards-Garafolo told the board.

According to building reports presented at the board meeting, failing grades are down by 60-some percent at the high school, which was attributed, at least in part, to a new 90-minute block scheduling format, by both Secondary Curriculum Director Mark McCormick and a high school official.

In personnel items, existing staffer Kathey Carroll was named as special education case manager.

Approved as substitute teachers were Vicki Baker-McFarlan, Donna Butler, Rebecca Godfrey, Greg Hilgeman, Jodi Huffman, Dennis Mattingly, Jonda McCarren, Allison McKee, Jerod Michael, Cassidy Reynolds, Katherine Schaad, Tina Smith and Lawrence Stall.

Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) leaves were approved for Sandra Pratt from Jan. 20 through the end of the school year, for Donna Potts from Jan. 26 through March 5, and for Kristen McGraw from March 16 through April 30.

The board accepted the retirement of Margie Eads-Walker, effective May 31. The board also accepted the resignations of Kassie Helton, effective Jan. 1, 2010, and of H. Gayle McCarren, effective at the end of the current school year.

The board approved a contract with Scientific Learning to purchase Fast ForWord, utilizing federal stimulus funds. It also approved the purchase of computers and furniture to create labs for both Fast ForWord and MAPS, also using federal stimulus dollars.

According to Sander, Fast ForWord is a computer-based remediation program that can provide individualized instruction for every child, and allows children to work at their own pace.

All students can use Fast ForWord, Sander said, though primarily it is for academically at-risk and special education students.

MAPS, meanwhile, is a computer-based assessment tool that adapts to the level of the students. MAPS can advise teachers what a student’s readiness level is for new material, according to Sander. Moreover, MAPS’ student assessments are understandable for parents, he said.

The board approved Mark Johnson as a volunteer driver for band, and also OK’d Cindy and Randy Running as volunteer wrestling coaches.