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.

“Terminations” mostly applies to support staff, like bus drivers or staff that have teaching certificates from other states.

“Non-renewals” are teachers who are not tenured (meaning they have worked in the school system for three or more years) and may be let go without reason.

“They can just be dropped without a word. It’s heartless,” said Calhoun. “At least we don’t do what we used to, which was let go of every untenured teacher at the end of the school year and then hire back who we could.” Calhoun said there could have been more layoffs, but retirements and resignations over the past year may have helped lower the number.

 The layoffs, divided by school and category:

• Gardendale Elementary School: Seven expiration of appointments

• Gardendale High School: Eight expiration of appointments and two terminations

• Snow Rogers Elementary School: One non-renewal

• Bragg Middle School: Four expiration of appointments

• Fultondale High School: Six expiration of appointments and one non-renewal

• Corner School: Six expiration of appointments, one non-renewal and one termination

• Mortimer Jordan High School: One expiration of appointment, one non-renewal and one termination

• North Jefferson Middle School: Four expiration of appointments

• Fultondale Elementary School: Three expiration of appointments, one non-renewal and one termination

• Mt. Olive Elementary: One expiration of appointment and one termination

Calhoun said the school system is under a seven-and-a-half percent pro-ration this year; last year it was at 11 percent, and it’s possible it could go as high as nine percent next year. She said they have 53 million dollars in reserves, which lasts about two-and-a-half months.

“We have to keep it in reserves because we don’t know what next year will bring,” said Calhoun. “But we’re doing better than most school systems.”

For now, school system employees cannot travel out of the county with school system money, and they are going to a four day week from June 7 to July 31.