Provisional Layoff Notices Go Out In Pittsburgh School District

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Retirements, resignations and buyouts made for a shorter furlough list, but what was announced today could still end up being the largest number of teacher layoffs in the history of the Pittsburgh Public Schools District.

Notices have been sent out and more could follow, but these are tentative layoffs and just because you got a notice doesn't mean you will lose your job; however, it doesn't mean you are safe either.

Pittsburgh Public Schools sent out 285 provisional furlough notices. That boils down to one in eight teachers, social workers counselors and other professionals.

Adria Rau, a first grade teacher at Roosevelt Elementary School in Carrick, got her notice Wednesday. Teaching for three and a half years in the district, she told KDKA's Brenda Waters she is devastated.

"Very brokenhearted," she said. "I love my job. I love teaching."

The notices are based on seniority. The average number of years of service for those on the list is three years.

"Our position of course would be that one furlough is too many," Nina Esposito-Vigitis, a spokesperson for the Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers, said. "We certainly hope and I tend to be an eternal optimist that Governor Corbett will come to his senses and restore some of our funding."

The district is offering to help if the provisional furloughs become a reality.

"What we're going to do is support them as much as we can in terms of helping them if it ends up that they need to do a job search if they're not going to really probably get recalled ," Dr. Linda Lane said.

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