Due to decreasing enrollment, at least six teachers at Central will have fewer classes to teach next year. Two teachers will have no classes to teach next year.

Several departments were determined to be overstaffed after “taking a deep dive,” said Chala Holland, assistant superintendent for administrative services and high schools, at a March 21 board meeting.

Non-tenured teachers are usually the first to be dismissed, as it is more difficult to dismiss a tenured teacher, said Carrie McFadden, assistant principal of operations. Non-tenured teachers are generally dismissed by seniority.

“The reason for letting these teachers go is the one that is, for me, the most emotional because the teachers had no control over what happened because they’re being dismissed on enrollment numbers, not on performance,” said Ignacio Gamboa, world and classical languages department chair.

Rodney Ross, a teacher in Naperville Central’s social studies department, will only have one section to teach next year. 

Ross primarily teaches Humanities 1 and 2, as well as World History and United States History depending on the year. He has been teaching at Central for three years.

Ross is facing a problem in terms of his possibility of teaching next year because of the letter of dismissal he received due to the decrease in student enrollment for next year. 

“I teach at Central and North full-time right now,” Ross said. “Next year, [the number of sections I teach] were reduced and then reduced again. So I won’t be a classroom teacher, but most likely more like a long term sub or building sub.”

If Ross teaches next year, he will have one section. That wouldn’t be enough to live off of.

 “I bought a house, I have car payments, I need health insurance, and at that point that’s not offered,” Ross said. 

Sophomore Zoe Davis is in Humanities 2 and took the class, in part, after friends recommended it because of Ross. 

“Mr. Ross is a very smart teacher and I feel like I can connect with him and the way he teaches,” Davis said. “He taught me about how art impacted the generations before me and today, as well as the impact on our culture. I feel very sad about learning of the situation.”

Senior Lauren Bries is also in Humanities 2 with Ross and met him as a sophomore when she took Humanities 1 and had Ross as a substitute.

“Usually I do not look forward to history classes, but I always love starting my day with Mr. Ross,” Bries said. “He actually cares about his students and makes sure that everyone enjoys the classes he teaches.”