Fewer Hours for Classified Workers During Furlough

The Las Virgenes Unified School District's non-credentialed employees will work only two days during the furlough week to cut costs after the school board's 5-0 vote Friday approving an agreement with the Las Virgenes Classified Association.

For those two days, some classified employees will be participating in training workshops while others will perform their regular duties, said Robbie Amodio, director of classified personnel.

Classified employees are scheduled to work May 25 and May 27 and take unpaid leave for the remainder of the week, a move that amounts to a 1 percent salary cut for the 2009-10 school year, Amodio said.

Amodio presented the classified employees' work schedule for the upcoming week during the special school board meeting Friday.

About 150 classified employees such as instructional aides, campus supervisors, library clerks and health clerks will take part in workshops relating to playground supervision, sexual harassment, stress management and other related topics.

Clerical, maintenance and operations, and tech employees will perform their normal duties, Amodio said.

Board member Lesli Stein praised Amodio's planning, saying that at least something will get done on school campuses during the furlough.

"It seems like an incredible opportunity," Stein said. "Staff development is so hard to schedule. We're making lemonade out of lemons."

Board member Dave Moorman commended the classified employees for their willingness to take days off to save the district some money.

"Thank you to our classified employees who agreed to take a hit with these days off on such short notice and helping us get where we need to go," he said. "Every bit counts."