Of the 20 West Seattle Seattle School District staff let go in mid-May, six will be hired back due to the latest staff recall.

Of the 10 teachers cut from West Seattle High, three language arts instructors were hired back to their original positions and another reading specialist has been guaranteed a contract position in the district.

"I am relieved and excited knowing that we are not going to have to reestablish working relationships,” said West Seattle High School principal Bruce Bivins. “The language arts department in our school is a model of best practice, so when you have a disruption you're losing that model to a certain extent."

One teacher from Cooper and one from Lafayette were also recalled.

Superintendent Maria L. Goodloe-Johnson announced June 17 that Seattle Public Schools will recall 57 of the certificated teachers who received reduction-in-force, or layoff, notices in mid-May.

In most cases, teachers will be able to return to the position they held at the time they were let go, according to the district.

The district said it is able to hire these teachers back because of "recent clarity received from the state about stimulus funding; increased enrollment; and savings from the 2008-09 budget (e.g. funds saved as a result of the hiring freeze). These factors combined provide $5 million that we are directing toward recalling 57 teachers."

“I am very pleased to be able to recall 57 of our teachers,” said Goodloe-Johnson. “Our teachers are at the very heart of our success, so our first priority when funds become available is to restore teaching positions. As we had hoped, increased enrollment, recent clarity from the state about stimulus funding and savings from the hiring freeze implemented last December combine to give the district the flexibility to restore approximately 35.6 per cent of the teaching positions previously deemed necessary to (let go).” 

The determination of which additional positions to fund has been based on enrollment data and the program needs in schools. The recall of teachers who were laid off will proceed according to the contract with the Seattle Education Association (SEA) – by seniority within category.  The district will match the category of positions funded at its schools with the most senior teacher on the list in that category.  
Information about the recall has been shared with SEA, and principals are informing those teachers who are being recalled.     

The district’s top priority is to restore the recalled teacher to their previous position wherever possible. In those limited instances where that position has already been selected by a displaced teacher Seattle Public Schools is committed to working with SEA and the individuals involved to find the best possible resolution, on a case by case basis. 

“There are still more than 100 teachers who remain on the (layoff) list,” said Goodloe-Johnson.  “We are saddened that we cannot at this point recall these teachers, but we can not at this point predict the extent to which additional recalls may be possible over the summer.  Principals and central office staff will continue to provide resources and support to those teachers the district has not been able to recall.”
 
Enrollment and program needs at schools result in the following categories of teachers being recalled:  

• 28 elementary teachers

• 10 language arts high school teachers to replace a portion of the Pathways teaching positions that were eliminated (Pathways teachers support remedial programs for students not meeting standard on the WASL).

• Eight language arts/social studies middle school and high school teachers

• Four teachers of elementary gifted education

• Three bilingual teachers

• Four science teachers