MONTANA CITY -- Jefferson High School won't be hiring an interim superintendent to fill Bob Klein's part-time position, when he retires Jan. 31, the board decided Tuesday night.

Klein is shared by JHS, Boulder Elementary and Clancy schools, serving 0.1 of his position at JHS. He is retiring from all three superintendent positions.

Sharyl Allen, JHS principal and assistant superintendent, will handle his duties at JHS, while the board examines how to proceed in the future. It's evaluating whether to go with one administrator -- combining the superintendent and high school principal position into one job -- or to continue with two administrators.

Complicating the board's decision is a state law requiring that the high school and Boulder Elementary School share the same superintendent even though they have different school boards.

JHS board is seeking legislative relief, working to change the law this legislative session.

Until the legislature acts on the bill, the school board members say they are unable to proceed with a decision on an administrator.

In budget matters, the school board plans to offer a voluntary severance program to teachers who have taught at the school for at least seven years. The proposal is being shared with the high school staff this week

The board will accept a maximum of six resignations on a first-come, first-served basis by March 1.

For each resignation, the district will pay 50 percent of the employee's contract amount for the current 2008-2009 year in six equal installments.

Even with the payouts, the district would reduce its payroll, said Allen. The severance plan allows the district to hire new staff at a lower salary than experienced staff, gives the administration flexibility to seek different combinations of teaching expertise, and would likely prevent possible forced layoffs.

The plan also allows staff who are considering a possible career change an incentive to do so, said Allen.

It's one tool the district can use to be proactive in dealing with a 10 percent drop in enrollment this coming year and the subsequent two years. The board proposes cutting $100,000 from its budget for each of the next three years.

The school's average enrollment has been 260 students the past three years, said Allen. Its current enrollment is 229, including students from Alternative Youth Adventures.

In other matters, the board discussed a petition submitted in November signed by 37 residents expressing dissatisfaction with the school's administration and calling for public involvement in hiring of a new superintendent.

Board Member Sabrina Steketee thanked the petition signers, none of whom were present, for speaking up.

She said that any new administrative hiring would have extensive opportunity for public involvement and that the position would be advertised.

Steketee also addressed what she said was misinformation presented in the petition.

It incorrectly states that 60 percent of the district's budget is provided by Montana Tunnels, that the board has held unadvertised executive sessions and that it had previously agreed to cut administration costs by one-third but had not done so.

Steketee said she had spoken with 19 petition signers and clarified these concerns:

• only 20 to 25 percent of the district budget comes from Montana Tunnels and the district's funding would not change immediately if the mine closed;

• there are no factual grounds for suggesting that the board has held unadvertised executive sessions; and

• the board discussed in spring but never voted to reduce administrative staffing by one-third of an FTE. Since then, by the loss of its activities director, the district has cut more than one-third of an administrative position.

Reporter Marga Lincoln: 447-4074 or marga.lincoln@helenair.com