The Jefferson County Board of Education approved 73 layoffs in its last meeting. Fifty-two of the layoffs are in north Jefferson County.

The school system is also seeing a 50-percent allocations cut to all departments except transportation and maintenance.

“We understand the belt-tightening that’s needed in Jefferson County. Finances are a concern everywhere in pro-ration,” said Mortimer Jordan principal Barbara Snider. “You just hate to do it because it affects people’s lives.”

There are three categories for the layoffs. “Expiration of appointment” is teachers who were intentionally hired for one year. Nez Calhoun, director of public information for Jefferson County Schools, said it was possible they were paid for by stimulus money that won’t be there next year.

Read the full article in Saturday’s edition of the North Jefferson News or come back soon to njeffersonnews.com.