Pembroke School District Implements Hiring Freeze and Layoffs Amid Contract Negotiations
Five positions eliminated and multiple openings frozen as district balances budget constraints with ongoing teacher union talks. Elementary schools also introduce stricter cell phone policies.
PEMBROKE - June 17 - The Pembroke School Committee announced a hiring freeze and five layoffs during its June 17 meeting as the district navigates contract negotiations with teachers' unions while maintaining fiscal responsibility.
Superintendent Erin Obey explained that all district contracts expire June 30, with negotiations continuing for five union units. The district has received 50 proposals from the Pembroke Teachers Association, with more than 40 having fiscal impacts that exceed budgeted provisions for collective bargaining.
"What we've received to date far exceeds what we had put in for provisions," Obey said. "Exercising a hiring freeze or the few positions that we identified for layoffs do allow us some capacity to continue to negotiate over the course of the summer."
The five layoffs include four paraprofessionals and one high school librarian. The paraprofessional positions affected are the library aide and three elementary office assistants who handle special education paperwork.
"Not having that person in the office will be a definite shift in the culture of all three of the elementary school buildings, as well as a shift in the requirements and who's responsible for a lot of the special education paperwork," Obey said.
The high school librarian position elimination will impact research projects and the maker space program featuring 3-D printers that students use during study periods.
The hiring freeze affects multiple open positions across the district, with most at the secondary level where scheduling flexibility exists. High School Principal Marc Talbot said the freeze of 3.4 full-time equivalent positions will require collapsing sections and increasing class sizes.
"Instead of running, hypothetically, six sessions of CP biology, we'd be running five," Talbot explained. Class sizes will jump from the low 20s to mid-20s on average, with some reaching 28 students.
The freeze may eliminate Latin language offerings, as the vacant position combines Latin and Spanish instruction. With four existing Spanish teachers, the district can accommodate Spanish sections but not Latin if the freeze continues.
Several planned program expansions are on hold, including a math interventionist position for elementary schools and a district-wide behavioral program at Hobomock Elementary. The district also postponed hiring a behavioral analyst, registered behavior technician, and counseling coordinator.
School Committee member Allison Glennon emphasized the legal obligations driving the timeline. "The legal requirement to notice teachers or staff is the 15th," she said, referring to the June 15 deadline for layoff notifications.
Obey expressed optimism about ongoing negotiations. "There's so much work that's going to happen between tomorrow and the first day of school in August," he said, noting that some frozen positions or layoffs might be reversed.
In other policy changes, elementary schools are implementing stricter cell phone restrictions. The new policy prohibits phone use during school hours, including on buses and field trips.
North Elementary Principal Michael Murphy explained the reasoning behind the change. "We cannot monitor what's going on on the student device if it's connected to our internet" when students use phones with cellular data, he said.
The policy addresses concerns about students texting parents during class and taking inappropriate photos or videos of classmates, particularly on buses. "It typically starts off innocent and quickly progresses," Hobomock Elementary Principal Ashley Cross said about photo-sharing incidents.
The committee also approved first readings of updated student handbooks for elementary, middle school, high school, and athletics. Changes include unified mission statements, updated gender-neutral language, and clarified recess policies.
The elementary handbook now specifies that recess may only be withheld as a last resort for behavioral issues, not academic problems. The policy requires administrative consultation before removing recess privileges.
"We don't just unilaterally take away recess," Obey said, explaining the language aims to reassure families while providing guidelines for appropriate use of recess consequences.
Other handbook updates include requirements for paper medical notes rather than digital copies, clarification of bike-riding privileges, and updated fee information with financial assistance availability.
During public comment, parent Tara Jendro expressed concerns about library and STREAM program cuts, questioning how students will prepare for the planned vocational-technical school partnership beginning in 2027.
"What about children my child's age and younger who don't have access to library, who don't have access to STREAM?" Jendro asked. "How are they going to prepare for the Vo-Tech where other school districts that we're joining have been doing it since they were in kindergarten, first grade?"
Parent Paige shared frustrations about the district's absentee policy, describing a two-month ordeal over her daughter's gym class participation following a stubbed toe injury.
The committee also heard positive end-of-year reports from principals, including:
• High school graduation of 169 students with 85% attending two- or four-year colleges
• Elementary schools showing significant reading improvement through UFLI phonics program implementation
• Multiple athletic championships and academic recognitions across all levels
• Successful promotion ceremonies and end-of-year activities
The district continues summer programs including YMCA camps, special education services, and facility improvements. Major projects include playground installation, PA system upgrades, and flooring replacements at various schools.
The school committee's next meeting is scheduled for July 8, where members will conduct second readings of the student handbooks and receive updates on contract negotiations.