Whitefish cuts three teachers

Popular Whitefish High School English teacher Matt Holloway will not lose his job next year after all.

Holloway's name was on the list as one of four budget-driven teacher cuts initially recommended at Tuesday night's school board meeting.

But his job was saved when Superintendent Jerry House got word Tuesday morning that longtime English teacher Mark Duff will retire at the end of this year, leaving a vacancy on the high school English staff.

At the opening of Tuesday's meeting, House removed Holloway's name from the list of action items on the agenda. His announcement drew applause and shouts of approval from some of the 90 or so people who had crowded into the board meeting room, many in support of Holloway.

Three other non-tenured teachers, however, will lose their jobs as part of House's recommendations to trim staff in an effort to address budget shortfalls.

Whitefish High School physical education teacher and basketball coach Eric Stang, Whitefish Middle School special education teacher Jill Myhre and Muldown enrichment and art teacher Elizabeth Hanson will not have their contracts renewed.

House projected a $180,000 shortfall in the elementary district and a $280,000 deficit in the high school district next year.

In addition, Whitefish High School computer aide Brigid Smith and Whitefish Middle School secretary Jill Joy were the classified staff members that House recommended, and the trustees approved, for further job-cutting.

Holloway has been with the district only a couple years, but already has started student groups such as Darfur Now, the Environmental Club and a skateboarding club. He also reportedly developed a Journalism II curriculum on his own time.

When it became known that his position was targeted among staff cuts, school newspaper editor Chris Clark and a friend, Josh Schott, organized a large group of students to campaign for him to be retained.

Duff, a Whitefish High School alumnus, has taught English with the district for 39 1/2 years. He encountered severe health problems this past year and was on leave from teaching since December, House said.

Duff's doctor just gave him a medical release but House said Duff's uncertainty about the future prompted his decision to retire at the end of this school year.

House said Duff, who already has earned his retirement benefits, would have taught two out of seven periods next year.

The high school English department staff held its own meeting Tuesday night to realign its teaching staff's class assignments and make recommendations for the coming year.