BATAVIA – After parents and Batavia High School students on Tuesday spoke out against the resignation of high school vocal music director Paul Marchese, school board members said they remain committed to the music program.
"He really cares about us kids," Batavia High School freshmen Erin Calhoun told board members, in speaking in support of Marchese. "He is there for us."
Her mother, Jen Calhoun, also spoke to the board.
"There are so many young teachers at the school," she said. "There are not a lot of teachers for students to go to."
She said that Marchese's contract was not being renewed. But Batavia School Board President Ron Link said he resigned on his own.
"We never force an employee to resign," Link said.
On Wednesday, Marchese said he did not want to discuss the situation.
"The decision to resign rests solely in the hands of an individual employee," said Greg Romaneck, the district's director of human resources.
Marchese did not attend the meeting. The all-city orchestra concert was going on at the time of Tuesday's board meeting.
Link said his position will be filled. He said he didn't know why Marchese resigned.
"We still fully support the music program and the choir program," board member Jayne Resek said.
Batavia school teachers recently agreed to reduce their salaries and benefits by $2.3 million in the next year in the face of funding problems on the local and state level.
"Without intervention, the impact of the financial crisis would have resulted in a loss of 50 to 60 teachers," Batavia School Superintendent Jack Barshinger said.
As a result, class sizes would have increased and programs would have been cut, Barshinger said.
With the new agreement, the starting salary for teachers in the 2010-2011 year will be $39,450, topping out at $101,707. Next year, starting salary will be $40,905, and go up to $105,934.
There are two years left on the BEA's five-year contract with the district. The previous agreement called for salaries to start at $40,700 in the 2010-2011 school year, and $42,200 in 2011-2012.
In return, the school board has agreed not to reduce the number of full-time teachers, except for vacancies caused by retirement, performance dismissals, resignations or periodic part-time reductions.
However, the board agreed that it would not reduce the number of full-time teachers in any case by more than 11 for the 2010-2011 school year.