Elmhurst D-205 Lays Off Dozens Of Employees

ELMHURST, IL — Elmhurst School District 205 is laying off 63 food service employees, which are set to take effect Oct. 26. The reductions are taking place because students are not having lunch periods, even when they have a mix of in-person and blended learning.

On Tuesday, the school board voted unanimously for the reductions, which the board's resolution blamed on the effects of the coronavirus. Board President Kara Caforio had a few words about the issue.

"Before I call the vote, I just want to say it is not lost on us that these are people, and we know that they are people who want to come in and do their job," Caforio said. "Due to a crisis, we have to make the decision to have a reduction in force."

Caforio said it was important the employees know that the board realizes that "there are people on the other side of this decision, so we hope they'll come back when lunch and food services are back."

The district is serving pre-ordered breakfast and lunch meals for pick-up. They are free for all students while they are on a hybrid schedule.

Because of that, some food service employees are expected to stay. The district didn't have the number of those employees immediately available Thursday afternoon.

During a committee meeting earlier this month, a district official said information on the likely layoffs was given "in private" to the school board.

Elmhurst Patch filed a public records request for that information, but the district denied it Thursday. It said it had some emails about the issue, but that such records were exempt under the open records law because they are "pre-decisional."